The Mindless Ramblings of Pigletwiglet

Lindi Lego

2008-04-30T14:50:00.002+01:00

Great link here: http://www.bolegbros.co.uk/home.asp. They make lego videos of the the Apprentice or as they cal it the Apprehensive. Or if you would prefer to watch the video on a larger screen then watch on YouTube; http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=EkMLT-74yAA

Talking of Apprentice, it is that time of the week again and I shall be fixed in front of my TV again at 9pm. Oh by the way, my rabbit is making a great recovery. He has stayed in since he came home in his indoor hutch. Yesterday we could leave the cage lid off but alas he became a little more like his old self by evening and we had to trap him back in. We have been told he's not allowed in his run for a week which will be hard for him but we must listen to the vet and let him rest. He has had a run around indoors and his hutch has been disinfected in readiness for his return and we've put shredded newspaper and old towels down instead of his usual hay and chippings; those could cause him infection.

So where was I? Yes Apprentice. I think I was right last week or at least I said I did NOT like Lindi and said she was immature. She has proved that in her TV interviews alllllllllll week. If I have to put up with seeing her face on yet another show I swear I shall throw the goggle bow through the window. This morning I turned the TV on and there she was again with Lorraine Kelly. Don't ask me what she said because I don;t waste my time with her anymore, she bores me. My hope is now another wannabe will be booted tonight and Lindi whats-her-name will be forgotten. I caught Lorraine Kelly excitingly mention that she knew who was being fired tonight. Might be a good one?

Bitch Jenny? or Boring......James.?....No that's not his name? in fact I even got the names wrong last week and said that boring one would be tasting wine with Claire when it was the weird one who does the silly dancing and is an actor in his day job. Definately he will not win. AH KEVIN, he's the one I forget constantly.

Wabbits and Vets

2008-04-28T11:43:00.007+01:00

My bunny is down at the vets right now having his malehood 'altered'......poor little baby.

The silly thing is that my husband and I feel guilty about putting him through this but we had a choice to make and this was the best one for him. My little rabbit watches his girlie companion in her next run and is tormented by lust and after talking to the vet we feel even worse for him. It must have been like torture for him!

I've been told to phone back at 2pm but so has a man with a cat called Daffodil - What a silly name? I shall give it a few more minutes as I'm a little nervous about finding out if my boy bunny is OK? The vet warned that rabbits are notoriously difficult to anaesthetise and that nearly stopped hubby and I going through with the surgery. How silly are we? It is almost as though this little rabbit has become our baby. He and his female...........

Oh scrap that sentence, let's have a new one - Our bunny is fine!

I have just spoken to the veterinary surgery and apart from being very sleepy, our little baby is doing OK. He is being looked after quietly on his own away from the cats and dogs and the silly thing is when I heard the nurse call his name it made it made my heart melt as I imagined his little head trying to respond to his own name......He would have twitched his nose, his eyes would have sparkled and they kind of talk to you and tell you what he wants. I can't explain it but if you have pets I'm sure you understand.

Prayers and positive thoughts for our bunny please. I know he's not human but this was major surgery for him and he's not out of the woods. Recovery is the next hurdle and we will need to take very good care of him and believe you, we will.

Phantom Pie Flinger Flings In Brighton

2008-04-28T10:23:00.006+01:00

Brighton local paper reveals that hundreds of people are preparing to take part in the biggest custard pie fight ever staged in Britain and it will be happening in the hippest most happening City.

Yes Brighton is going to be the city chosen to have the biggest 'Pie Fight' and is the latest in a growing number of underground stunts arranged anonymously on the social networking site Facebook.

163 people have already confirmed but now the local paper have stated the date of the pie flinging, it is likely that more will attend.

It is not known who is organising the event or where it is going to be held but the date for your diaries is 24 May and the time is 3pm. Possible locations are, Preston Park, Old Steine or Palace Pier (or Brighton pier to those who do not leave in Sussex and are not aware of its proper name), but this could change so keep your eye out.

The timing of this is to coincide with the Brighton festival. For those who do not know anything of this festival it's a bit like the Edinburgh one but smaller; plus Edinburgh does not have a PIE FIGHT.

"Please pie responsibly!"

People are being sent emails and told to dress up for the event....I so need to get involved in this!
In one email sent it says: "This is just a bit of fun, and we don't want to get in any one's bad books. That way we'll be able to do it again. So we must clear up after ourselves - no leaving any litter - please help clear the place up before we leave.
And goes on to say.....
"Importantly, don't pie passers by.
And.....
"Anything you do is your own responsibility, and pieing someone who doesn't want it would probably be assault.
"Likewise, if someone who is playing has had enough and wants to stop, stop....
"This is not an organised event, so you're liable for your own behaviour and the outcome of it.
"Please pie responsibly!"

Tidy up

Sussex Police have made a statement; It seems like it could be quite good fun as long as those that are involved with it are willing participants.
"It might be fun for those who are taking part but we would ask them to be aware of others and not to let it get out of hand.
"As long as it is done in the nature in which is intended and people respect passers-by we don't have a huge problem with it.
"They seem to be taking it responsibly by asking people to tidy up after themselves."

Post Two: King Herod-Mugabe Baby Stealing

2008-04-27T15:23:00.004+01:00

"Scores of children and babies have been locked up in filthy prison cells in Harare as Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe’s president, sinks to new depths in his campaign to force the opposition into exile before an expected run-off in presidential elections. " The Sunday Times reports.

It goes on to say that "Twenty-four babies and 40 children under the age of six" had been rounded up alongside 250 last Friday, according to Nelson Chamisa, who is spokesman for the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

The families had been staying at the MDC headquarters, where they had been seeking refuge from violence in the countryside and we all can see from the splintered reporting what we 'think' is going on? But what is?

I believe that Mugabe is a complete psychopath and will try and hold onto power using whatever devious means he can. It certainly looks like he lost the battle for the last election but he will not budge unless he is forced to by FORCE. He has crucified his people and stopped fair reporting within this once great country so where did it start.

Mugabe was a member of the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU). In 1964, when he was secretary general of the ZANU, he was arrested for “subversive speech” and spent the next 10 years in prison. From 1964 to 1979 there was something called the 'Bush war'; this war was against white-minority rule and Mugabe was a main player in this (when not in prison!) While in prison, Mugabe was elected leader of his party and became Prime Minister of Zimbabwe 1980. He went on to become the first Executive President in 1987.

I recall a work colleague back in 1989 who had recently arrived from Zimbabwe. She spoke of the beautiful land she left behind but how she left with nothing because she had no choice and could not take anything with her. Whites then were not welcome in Zimbabwe and she felt anger because she said it was not the same situation as South Africa where apartied created racism, fear and hatred. I did not believe all that she had to say because I could read a newspaper (No internet for me back then) but my point is Mugabe was creating his vitriolic hate over 20 years years ago. Not only was he chasing whites off their land but blacks too.

He is a modern day dictator who no one will remove from power because everyone is afraid of what would become of the country if he were to be removed? Lawlessness is a likelihood but is that worse? Do we have a moral duty to sit back or should we be doing something?

Let's hope that the 'new election' holds some hope.......

Signing Up 4 Singing

2008-04-27T12:34:00.003+01:00

Chloe Bigmore died on 8th December 2007, she was a remarkable 14-year-old

Chloe came from a very supportive family who have now set up a trust to help fund a researcher post to look into the rare cancer Chloe died of. This: http://www.justgiving.com/chloebigmore is Chloe’s father’s website. Please take time to have a look as Paul Bigmore, pictured here with Chloe, has been raising money running marathons in his daughter's name

The latest fund raiser is a hymn "singathon" and members of the small community of Laleston where Chloe’s family live are signing up to sing! They even have the Archbishop of Wales joining in the vocal fundraising at St David's Church.

Chloe did not know she was dying of cancer. She had told her parents to only tell her the good news and after eleven months of fighting ‘desmoplastic round cell sarcoma’, this rare form normally seen in male adolescents, her battle ended. This nasty invader had spread to her internal organs and had overwhelmed her.

“She was like a whirlwind. She had a smiley face. She just accepted everything.”

Her family have some great memories; Chloe was a great dancer and had an ambition to go to the Royal Ballet School like her hero Darcey Bussell; she was a trained singer too taking lessons three times a week. Chloe was also a grade 5 pianist and speaking as the mother of a grade 5 clarinettist, that takes a great deal of dedication.

This is such a touching story and I’m posting it to my blog because this cancer is so rare. There is hardly any research being done to find a cure. Teens seem to be the forgotten patients and I know they can be annoying and frustrating (in general), however they need as much care and love as any other patient.

My heart goes out to Paul and Lesley Bigmore and her sister Laura and brother Luke. They are keeping Chloe’s name alive and I hope my blog brings them at least one more click on their website and a little more recognition.

Snipes In New Slammer Blockbuster

2008-04-25T21:09:00.003+01:00

Here's a lesson to everyone to pay your taxes.

All action movie star Wesley Snipes, has been sent to prison in America for three years for 'willfully failing to file a tax return'. According to Metro, prosecutors had requested a three year sentence, which equals one year for each of Snipes' offence. It is stated that Snipes made at least $13.8 million (8.75 million) for the years in question and owed $2.7 million (1.71 million) in back taxes. The authorities wanted to send a message out to people that NO ONE can get away with NOT paying their taxes.

Lawyers offered a myriad of letters supporting Snipes and some of these were from fellow actors. For instance Denzel Washington wrote attesting to Snipe's good character but it didn't do much good did it or did it? Snipes has yet to surrender his freedom and will only have to serve one year of his sentence. Might have something to do with the lack of space in American jails!

http://www.metro.co.uk/fame/article.html?in_article_id=144573&in_page_id=7

Heroes V House

2008-04-25T20:13:00.003+01:00

I am rather miffed today as I expected the Beeb to put Heroes 'On Demand' but low and behold they have sneakily not done this!

I am not happy as I have planned my Thursday evenings well. I watch House on Thursday at 9pm with a splash of American Idol thrown in during the breaks. I was looking forward to watching Heroes today when the kids were at school but all day there's been nothing there to download..........And still nothing.........and still nothing............

Seems to me that the BBC have it all worked out and I am going to have to miss House because I loved Heroes series one and was so looking forward to the first episode. My email to the BBC from 'angry from Tunbridge Wells' is on its way.

2008-04-23T18:25:00.004+01:00

Katie Price and Peter Andre's baby daughter, Princess Tiaamii, has been hospitalised in America after contracting a severe strain of chickenpox.

Katie Price, 29, and husband Peter Andre, 35, flew into Los Angeles with their three children on Friday. They are filming and promoting their reality TV show, which has recently been brought by U.S. network E!

The Daily Mail was critical of Katie and Peter yesterday when they went on a shopping trip with little Princess however-you-spell-it and it obviously has not done her any good. Unless of course the Americans being American and sh*t hot with insurance are keeping her in for 'observation' which is the norm for us foreigners if we fall ill there. If you live over there, you'd be lucky to see a doctor if fractured your vertebrae!

The couple’s spokesperson revealed that Princess had caught the virus from two-year-old brother Junior, saying: “Princess came out in spots on Saturday. They took her to a doctor, who said it was chickenpox. I'm sure they probably knew it was chickenpox but you know how these celebs and their spokespeople are.

Let's hope the spotty itchy one is better soon. My kids had 'the pox' THREE TIMES EACH! I kid you not. There are different variants and you can get every single one of them which my little darlings did. Better when they are younger though.

Will It Be An Icy Ending For The Apprentice Tonight?

2008-04-23T14:21:00.003+01:00

Should be fun tonight with Claire and Lucinda in charge!

Sir Alan had a crazy moment of madness last week and decided he wanted to see Claire in charge instead of firing her and so she will be leading the Renaissance team....to victory? Who knows. Lucinda Quirky-Colour-Blind, is left in charge of the Alpha team and the task is going to be to sell ice cream to London bars and cinemas. An additional task of Sir Al's was to challenge them to come up with three unique new flavours when they head down to Sussex to source their flavours.
I'm looking forward to Raspberry and Gherkin then if Claire is in charge while Lucinda will be making 'beret' flavour (sorry terrible joke).

Dear Ms. Quirky-Colour-Blind rises to the challenge and declares: "I don't believe you need to be a bitch in business to succeed." Ahhhh bless. She's wearing her UN approved protective vest this week to protect her from all that back stabbing from Bitch Jenny and Helene who stars early with her rapier like tongue when she says: "Everybody thinks Lucinda is a bit of a fruitcake, and the reality of it is we've seen four tasks now where she has been so lazy. Or as one website I've seen puts it;-
"She effectively says, 'If I'm not in charge I'm going to sit here and do f*** all for anyone else'."

Lindi tells Alex: "We're not only going to kick your a**e we are going to make history." What show does she think she's on? I don't get her and think she thinks she's on Grange Hill....If Grange Hill was still on TV that is...In other words she's a bit young for this grown up show and should leave it for the adults. She then goes on to criticize team leader Lucinda -Funny-Beret-Clash-Colours and does not like the fact she's mixing up the team. Obviously after four weeks, they've become very close or should I say clique-y don't you think?

Apparently Claire doesn't go down well with the boys. Maybe I should rephrase that for all those with dirty minds or maybe it is just me with the dirty mind?
The men's egos are way too big for their Gucci suits except for Kevin who buys his suit from Mothercare. The boys start complaining when Claire goes to taste cider with wee Kevin at a brewery while they have to separate 1,100 eggs for the Chocolate Orange flavour ice cream.
Time runs out and they have to abandon their tasting session. Sounds like a great episode to watch tonight.

I do not want to say good bye to Lucinda, so fingers and toes crossed that will not happen. Goodness knows how many other fantastically clashing outfits she has in her wardrobe that I can take the michael out of. We will only be left with Bitch Jenny's hideous ties if Lucinda goes and surely Jenny will not last too much longer on the show? What will I do then?.......I suppose there's Sara? to be honest all the girls dress badly and the men are all clones. Only Lucinda Madly-Truly-Deeply-Nutcase-Fruitbat has any individuality.

So good luck tonight (did I say that?!!!?!?!?!?!?)http://www.bbc.co.uk/apprentice/newsarticle/cid/130.html

Daily Mirror Raef Sneak Preview http://www.mirror.co.uk/showbiz/2008/04/23/the-apprentice-week-five-we-give-you-a-sneak-preview-89520-20392261/

Potty Priest

2008-04-23T13:20:00.003+01:00

Great story from Reuters here about a Brazilian priest who is missing after he drifted out to sea while trying to set a record for a flight using helium-filled party balloons!

42-year-old, Roman Catholic priest, Father Adelir Antonio de Carli ,began his flight suspended in a harness-like seat from 1,000 different coloured balloons on Sunday in the southern port of Paranagua. Unexpected winds have carried him out over the south Atlantic in a totally different direction.

De Carli, had wanted to draw attention to the work of his parish in Paranagua, which targets mostly truck drivers who transport goods to and from the port but is now lost over the ocean with bits of balloon strewn all along the coast!

Rescue workers are now searching for him and hope to find him alive and there are lots of islands along the route so it is possible.

Such a funny story though and do wish the rescuers luck....... http://uk.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUKN2228192120080422?pageNumber=2&virtualBrandChannel=0

Happy Birthday Queen Betty

2008-04-21T15:59:00.006+01:00

Tis Queen Betty’s 82nd birthday today, the ‘real’ birthday and not the fake second one she sneaks in to get more pressies.So what do you know about our royal matriarch? If you’re currently wearing plaid pants and talking with a twang then you’re an American and you know more than us Brits about our Queen! No I tell no lie, ask anyone from any other country, they know more about our royalty than we do.

Quiz Time
Come on, have a laugh and try my Queen Betty Kwik Quiz, Try not to cheat.

1. First question is a three parter; Can you name both Queen Elizabeth’s parents, Elizabeth II full name and what her surname became after she married Philip? Bonus points if you know WHERE the Queen was born and where she was christened too.

2. Her Majesty the Queen, was given a gentile full title after she was crowned – TWO points and a mini WHAM bar if you get it correct without looking it up.

3. What was the date of the Queen’s marriage to Prince Philip and where did they marry? Anyone can try guessing the last part to this!

4. Ah…..This one is a tricky one so a bag of bonbons to whoever gets the answer first.
As Head of State, The Queen maintains close contact with the Prime Minister, with whom she has a weekly audience when she is in London. Over the reign, Her Majesty has given regular Tuesday evening audiences to 10 Prime Ministers. Name them.

5. The Queen has owned more than 30 corgis during her reign. She currently owns five but what was the name of her first corgi given to her for her 18th birthday in 1944? It is said that most of the corgis she has had since, have been direct decedents of this posh pooch.

6. The Queen is our Head of State and currently Queen of how many former British colonies?
a)18
b)16
c)14

7. The Queen has undertaken over 250 official overseas visits to 130 countries but which country was she the first British Monarch to visit in 1986?

8. Football fans may get this one. What was the first football match her Majesty went too?

9. The Queen has been at the saluting base of her troops in every Trooping of the Colour ceremony since the start of her reign with the exception of one year when a national rail strike forced the cancellation of the parade. Anyone know that year?
Personally I wasn’t born but any oldies or clever historians out there.

10. During her reign, the Queen has received many unusual gifts including many live animals? The more unusual animals have been given to zoos but do you know what animals have been given as gifts to the Queen? As this is particularly hard I will give a point for ANY weird or wonderful correct answer.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

ANSWERS
1. The Queen was born at 17 Bruton St, London W1 21st April, 1926 and named Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor. The surname changed to Mountbatten-Windsor when she married Philip, who was given the title the Duke of Edinburgh.
Her parents were Albert, Duke of York, and his wife, formerly Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. Her father later went on to become George VI when her uncle abdicated and the rest is history. Elizabeth was christened on the 29th May, 1926 in the Private Chapel at Buckingham Palace.

2. Full title - 'Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland'. Did you know that? You do now.

3.The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh have been married for over 60 years. They were married on 20 November 1947 in Westminster Abbey.
Added information; the Queen's wedding dress was designed by Norman Hartnell and was woven at Winterthur Silks Limited, Dunfermline, in the Canmore factory, using silk that had come from Chinese silkworms at Lullingstone Castle. The Queen's wedding ring was made from a nugget of Welsh gold which came from the Clogau St David's mine near Dolgellau. The official wedding cake was made by McVitie and Price Ltd, using ingredients given as a wedding gift by Australian Girl Guides who probrably won the chance on a radio eqiuvelent of Blue Peter.

4. The ten Prime Ministers listed below are:
Winston Churchill 1951-55
Sir Anthony Eden 1955-57
Harold Macmillan 1957-63
Sir Alec Douglas-Home 1963-64
Harold Wilson 1964-70 and 1974-76
Edward Heath 1970-74
James Callaghan 1976-79
Margaret Thatcher 1979-90
John Major 1990-97
Tony Blair 1997-2007
Gordon Brown 2007 – present

5. Susan was the name of the corgi given to Elizabeth for her 18th birthday and a high proportion of the Queen’s corgis are descendents of Susan. It is claimed that the Queen introduced a new breed of dog known as the "dorgi" when one of Her Majesty's corgis was mated with a dachshund named Pipkin which belonged to Princess Margaret. The Queen owns or has owned four dorgis, Cider, Berry, Candy and Vulcan. As well as corgis and dorgis, The Queen also breeds and trains Labradors and Cocker Spaniels at Sandringham. There is a special Sandringham strain of black Labrador founded in 1911.

6. Queen Elizabeth II is the United Kingdom's Head of State. She is Queen of 16 former British colonies, including Australia, Canada and New Zealand; and Head of the Commonwealth, a multinational body created after the dissolution of the British empire.

7. The answer to the question is China. Queen Elizabeth II was the first British Monarch to visit this country in 1986.Dear Liz’s first Commonwealth tour began shortly after she became Queen and started on 24 November 1953. Visits to Canada, Bermuda, Jamaica, Panama, Fiji, Tonga, New Zealand, Australia, the Cocos Islands, Ceylon, Aden, Uganda, Libya, Malta and Gibraltar were all included. The total distance covered was 43,618 miles.
Her first state visit as Princess Elizabeth, to South Africa with her mother and father, then King and Queen, from February to May 1947. The tour included Rhodesia and Bechuanaland, Swaziland and Basutoland (now Lesotho). The Princess celebrated her 21st birthday in Cape Town. Her Majesty's first State Visit as Queen was technically to Kenya, as King George VI died and The Queen acceded the throne during the tour. The tour had to be abandoned.

8. The first football match the Queen attended was the 1953 FA Cup Final but of course we all know the Queen prefers horses and racing! This all started when her grandfather George V gave her a Shetland pony called Peggy when she was four years old. The Queen continues to ride when away at her country residences. As for horse breeding, horses bred at the Royal studs over the last 200 years have won virtually every major race in Britain. The Queen has about 25 horses in training each season. The Queen's racing colours are: Purple body with gold braid, Scarlet sleeves and Black velvet cap with gold fringe.
But not only is the Queen into horses, dogs and the occasional football match……she also likes a splat of pigeon racing too. Apparently the Royals have been into this old sport for some time.
It all began in 1886 when King Leopold II of Belgium made a gift of racing pigeons to the British Royal Family. In 1990, one of the Queen's birds took part in the Pau race, coming first in the Section 5th Open and was subsequently named "Sandringham Lightning". In recognition of her interest in the sport, The Queen is Patron of a number of racing societies, including the Royal Pigeon Racing Association.

9. The only year the Queen missed the Trooping of the Colour was 1955. She’s not one for missing out unless she desperately has too! The Queen never likes to cancel arrangements and the only other time she has had to change her arrangements were laying wreaths at the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday in 1959, 1961, 1963, 1968, 1983 and 1999, either because she was either pregnant or overseas on an official visit.

10. During her reign, The Queen has received many unusual gifts including a variety of live animals. The more unusual animals have been placed in the care of the London zoo, among them jaguars and sloths from Brazil, and two black beavers from Canada. The Queen has also received gifts of pineapples, eggs, a box of snail shells, a grove of maple trees and 7kg of prawns.

JUST REMEMBER IT IS JUST FOR FUN!

Children

2008-04-20T20:03:00.002+01:00

Personal blog entry.

I need a rant. I've had a day from hell with both my little darlings kicking off and sometimes I feel like I'm alone in being a parent. I know I have my husband and we decided to call a 'family meeting' this afternoon and laid down some new ground rules and expressed our anger.....But again my son has just kicked off.

He's twelve and his own anger is manifesting itself into near violent attacks on his dad and it will not be long before he thumps his dad. His dad is sensible enough to realise that this is a silly little boy trying to deal with hormones and emotions however WHY should my husband have to tolerate this and WHY should HE tolerate this sort of behaviour from our own son? Our son has the hump big time with me because I'm refusing to back down and sticking with my husband. We cannot allow the children to run rings around us and I've had enough of their rude, obnoxious behaviour.

Tonight we told the kids they could have an early night which our 14 year old daughter accepted without any problem but our son yet again reacted with disgraceful disgruntled angst. Here we go again...........

He had been grounded all day and had been trying to manipulate me all day and I'd had to ask hubby for support with that one. I knew I'd succomb as I'm a soft touch with our lad and that may be why he sometimes over-reacts. It could just be that he is growing up! So it was an early night for both kids and our son raged, kicked and yelled and allegedly my husband pushed him? They need to talk with each other before their relationship degenerates any further.

Being a parent is never easy is it? But every weekend my son has something to be angry about and it is driving me crazy. It pushes my pain levels up as my muscles cramp up too.

Tomorrow is another day.......

World At War

2008-04-20T09:59:00.008+01:00

“During the 1990s, more than 2 million children died as a result of armed conflicts. They were often deliberately targeted and murdered. More than three times that number were permanently disabled or seriously injured.”—UNICEF

I bring this up because on this day, 20 April 1889, Adolf Hitler was born. He started out as an excellent ruler who pulled Germany out of recession. BIG problem was we all know that he had his sick obsession for an Aryan race and that kinda blew it for him.

World War I was supposed to be the war to end all wars, yet we went on to have the Boar war, world war II, the West Kalimantan conflict…….Have you not heard of that one? Nor had I till I found this website: http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/index.html
Apparently, there are over 42 conflicts or wars currently around the world add to that another 46 land disputes and you have a pretty messed up planet. (See this site for further info) http://www.didyouknow.cd/story/disputes.htm

At the end of last year a survey was carried out by Toluna sampling 287 people - So yes a small sample but here are the reults.
The question wasa are you worried about all the conflicts around the world.

Yes - 209 votes

No 53

Don't care 25

This is something we all care about......Or so we say? But is anybody doing anything or is it just an answer to a survey and just words.

Cherio But Be Back Soon

2008-04-19T21:52:00.012+01:00

I was watching The BBC's Oliver / Nancy find a new 'star' blah blah blah today Kwayedze, the token black kid, has been told he has made it through to the next round. I'm quite pleased about him as neglecting skin colour and politics, his voice is rich and beautiful.......But there is a problem with this damn show, it is not fulfilling it's criteria.

For one, didn't 'The Lord' say he wanted an Amy Whinehouse-esque rough around the edges singer to portray Nancy? So why are the majority of them professional performers with subtle namby pamby gentile voices - OK that last bit is not true but the first bit is. And I would expect the real Nancy to sound like she gargles with razors at least twice weekly. These girls wouldn't know how to gargle with a mouthwash!

The girls sang a selection of songs from female stars who had appeared on stage....at least I think that was what Graham said? Maybe he said something else and I misheard him....Maybe it was "Leading Ladies"? Because Jodie started the show off with a good rendition of the Dolly Parton classic 9 to 5. There are better Dolly Parton songs as shown on American Idol last week and Jodie has a much better voice as she showed herself last week. I have a soft spot for Jodie as she's working the clubs and not a true luvie in theatreland treading the boards. Then again, we want to be entertained and actors/musicians train for years to get to where they need to be and it is in some ways bloody unfair to take away a main role in a show from a person who has worked they're way up to the top.

So not sure how I feel about those girlies.....Can't stand Francesca whatever the case and it is not just because Denise VO is distancing herself and pretending "We're only acquaintances honest gov". Yeah right....I just don't like her voice, it grates.

My biggest beef is about the boys. Oliver Twist, that great Charles Dickens classic, was written about a poor orphan workhouse boy who runs away to London and tries to find his fortune. So why are the vast majority of the boys up for the main role living at the opposite end of the dear master Twist's original workhouse fate?
Did the BBC intentionally plan to visit the boys at their posh prep schools with the results of the "You could be Olivers" to show this huge difference in their lives?

Are boarding schools where children are sent away at the age of seven, any different from workhouses? Of course they are! However 20-30 years ago boarding schools were not such pleasant places and were only where the upper classes sent their their Tarquins and Cressidas. Nowadays, Jack and Chloe go along to public school at Lancing, Fettes and Uppingham, whilst Tarquin goes to the local grammar school because the trust fund has run out!
New money is paying for private education and how do I know? Because I'm a buyer of private education.

My son has a boy in his class who auditioned for Oliver, and we just about pay the school fees and I can't imagine how much those extra acting, singing and dancing lessons cost plus the agent's fees on top? But when your dad is a lawyer I suppose you can pay for more just like some of the parents of the young boys who sing each week on the Oliver shows. Bad enough trying to find the £100k or there abouts we will need for 5 years at public school. No he will not be a boarder!!!!

So basically life is not fair .......Life is still about money and status nothing about fairness. Yep that sums it up as eloquently as I can for 11pm on a Saturday night.

2008-04-18T23:25:00.004+01:00

“He [the Prophet Mohammed] said Allah will never put together the kuffar and the one who kill him inside the jahannam [hell]. So my dear Muslim brothers to kill a kaffar for the sake of Allah in jihad, be a way to the jannah [heaven] inshallah [god willing].”

Abu Izzadeen or Trevor Brooks, as he was born, is a notorious former member of Al Muhajiroun 7/7, the now-banned groups Al Ghuraaba (the strangers) and the Saviour/Saved Sect and the above is just one of his orations. He has also called George Bush and Tony Blair Satan (not far wrong there), states that the “only true leader of the Muslims is Osama bin Laden” and said September 11 was “another great day in history when the biggest superpower was brought to its knees by 19 magnificent brothers with the assistance of the angels of Allah.” There are a few other sermons of his but I won’t waste my breath.

Yesterday, Abu Izzadeen was found guilty of inciting others to join a jihad in Iraq and other terrorism offences. Simon Keeler, 35, a fellow Brit born Muslim, who had changed his name to Sulayman, were the main players and both were found guilty and Kingston Crown Court yesterday. For Izzadeen, it was a double blow as it was his birthday.

Trev, as his mum calls him, could have been given a life sentence for his eloquence but instead he and Simon Keeler were only sentenced to four and a half years in prison today.
The judge said of Izzadeen; "I am left in no doubt that your speeches were used by you as self-aggrandisement and not as an expression of sincerely held religious views." And of Keeler he said was: "Someone with extremist and dangerous views. Not only the words themselves that you used, but the tone in which they were issued showed the depth of your fanatical zeal."

What does not help though is if we have people making stupid rules like ‘Male Muslim only swim sessions.’ This will lead to sectarianism via the back door and people like Trevor ‘Izzadeen’ Brooks (did he not like being name after a football player? – No that’s Brooking silly me,) will slither into our infrastructure like a creeping poisonous fungus.

I was listening the other day to how a male fungus from Jordan was being allowed to stay in our country. He had been inciting racial hatred yet no charges brought, He is claiming political asylum in our country because if he went back to Jordan he claimed he would be tortured because of what he has said. I am not one to wish pain on anyone as I suffer every day but if you go around inciting your evil ways which will cause pain and suffering to those in the country you claim to want to live in then I say “F*CK OFF SCUM”.

As for the inciting terrorism vermin who were sent to prison today, if only we could boot them out of this country but maybe at least we know where they are?.................IN PRISON.

And the others......
Take a butcher's a Trevor's uniform as I'm sure you can all get yours made up the same.

Abdul Saleem, 32, sentenced to three years, nine months for inciting terrorism and Ibrahim Hassan was handed a sentence of two years, nine months for the same offence.
Abdul Muhid, 25, found guilty of fundraising for terrorists, was jailed for two years. He will serve this sentence once he has completed his current jail term for soliciting murder during protests against the publication of cartoons in a Danish newspaper depicting the prophet Mohammed.
Shah Jalal Hussain, 25, who absconded while the jury was deliberating but handed himself in at court this morning, sentenced to two years for his part in the fundraising charge, and three months to be served consecutively for breaking his bail conditions.
Ibrahim Hassan, 25, was jailed for 2 years 9 months for inciting terrorism.

Rajib Khan, 29, was cleared of inciting terrorism and jury failed to reach a verdict on the charge of inciting terrorism overseas in his case.
Jury failed to reach a verdict in respect of Omar Zaheer, 28.

Picture 1 Trevor Brooks

Picture 2 Simon Keeler

He's Got The Whole World In His Hands

2008-04-18T22:11:00.003+01:00

"Public pool bars father and son from its 'Muslim-only' swimming session"

In a round-about way I found the above story but while looking for the eliminated person on this weeks American Idol. Yes folks, the Americans even found this article appalling.......or is it appealing?

Originally in the Mail, (actually on David Toube, 39, blog) My Toube, a laywer, (oops), took his son to his local swim pool early last Sunday to be told; "You can't come in here mate, this is a Sunday morning session reserved for Muslim men only." According to Clissold Leisure Centre in Stoke Newington, north London, Mr Toube would not be allowed to swim with Muslim men as this would be against their religion!

Mr Toube, respected the rule and went home but phoned up some Muslim friends to ask them about it and guess what? Yes, the rule comes from that same place as Monty Phython's funny walks. Prphet Mohammed did not order the staff in Stoke Newington to refuse entry to Mr Toube.

Just another story to make us say so what or wave our arms in the air?
There are rules for Muslim men but they can swim with men and boys of other religions and to ban other religions swimming at the same time could cause massive outrage. The pathetic comment I've seen in print from Mr Toube is could racists ask for white only swim sessions.........Only WHITE racists Mr Toube! Racists come in many varieties now.

This story and the fact it has made that tabloid of truth, integrity and honesty, the Mail, (yuck I want to vommit), means middle England will be up in arms and believe all public pools are catering to "those immigrants".......Not my point of view I must add but I know someone who thinks that way. I know someone who believes everything that is written in the Mail and quotes from that rag as though it were the Koran or the holy bible in their case.

Apprentice - Cheers Simon

2008-04-17T11:35:00.008+01:00

Fired

It was time to say adios to Simon last night and actually you knew he was going right from the start.

His team treated him poorly and the majority hung him out to dry, the only decent member being Sada and maybe ……that funny dancing bad singing one, forget his name? Is it David or Paul or Stephan?

Bitch Jenny was being less of a bitch until she reached the boardroom. Her eyes lit up with an evil glint when she saw the opportunity to get rid of Claire who herself is terribly annoying. Will she ever shut up! She reminds me of a more stupid version of Saira Khan who has of course done remarkably well on the back of The Apprentice.

Simon Smith was forth out and quite right I believe, but Claire was close behind and was nearly out the door. Instead Sir Alan interrupted her proclamation and told her to; "get back to the house. You will be project leader next week." Boy did I think he was going to say; "You are an exasperating, rude woman, full of hot air who needs to SHUT UP with a few swear words thrown in for good measure.

Cocktails

For the first time in the series, the teams were mixed up combining the girls and boys in a weird cocktail and nothing like a Pina Colada. Sir Alan hoped this might stop the in-house fighting. He was forgetting that Lucinda-Pillsberry-Purple-Tweed-Wacky-Buttersworth-Hencklewhite-Smyth has victim written on her forehead and as such plays the role well. I don’t mean to be cruel and I know she is being bullied nevertheless, she is an adult and therefore needs to realise that as an adult she must learn to stop putting herself in that role. She is after all an intelligent woman (allegedly but yet to show any signs of this) and I would had thought she had sought counselling to help strengthen her inner being so to speak?

But back to our main man today - Simon who showed himself to be an excellent second in command man but a terrible leader. The task was easy, or so Simon thought; it was to take photos of 'orange' customers at Bluewater, the largest shopping mall in the UK and flog the photos and other goodies for as much money as they could. Sir Alan appeared to have a soft spot for our excellent second in command man, however, there are no soft spots in business and Simon was promptly told; "with regret," and regret said for the first time this series so he must have felt a teeny bit sad about it?........

"Your Fired".

Why Team Renaissance cocked up and make a loss?
Simon felt he was “making people smile” with his “David Bailey” photographic brilliance but alas Alex and Claire were sneakily sabotaging behind the scenes with their stupidity and lack of knowledge of how a memory card on a computer works. They would not admit that they were 'sabotaging' but it amounts to that. There were people there to ask.

Team Renaissance's theme was 'glamour' whereas Team Alpha's theme was sport and Lee McQueen photographed lots of willing volunteers with their Beckam look-a-like. Shame Team Alpha also were so frustratingly slow and 'Lucindalingly' poor when it came to computers and memory cards. It amazed me how these so called brilliant minds could not deal with a memory card yet they were going for a job with a man who started AMSTRAD!

Bullies

Yesterday we saw Helene, project manager of Team Alpha, pick on Lucinda Funny-Hat-Wearing-Person, and I expected better of helene. I liked Her and still do but why did she behave in such a way? It was almost as though she was trying to make Lucinda look worse than her but in the end she only made a fool of herself?

Lucinda had explained that she did not understand computers and could not even understand her own telephone so why project manager Helene put Lucinda in charge of……THE COMPUTER was beyond me? Helene and Lucinda were trained up to use the computer technical equipment which apparently the technical man said his little grandkids could use, still, Helene sat at a desk ignoring Lucinda's cries for help and decided not to shuffle her team around. Me wonders and so did Sir Alan and his team if Helene did what she did to get rid of Lucinda and OF COURSE SHE DID! This is our soap opera though isn't it? There's the single mum, the dipsy one, the bitch, the schemer, the one that sleeps around etc....... Take your pick as to who you think is who!

Alex
One very funny moment last night was when Simon asked Alex to be his second in command and Alex said; “Simon do not dilute your leadership” which was not what Simon was doing and in the end he asked Claire. Alex tried to make himself look better in the boardroom by saying Simon was putting decision making on others, but of course Margaret, Sir Alan's eyes and ears, had been observing the whole affair jumped in with; “Oh Alex when Simon asked, you stepped so far back you were practically out of the room.”

Maybe Margaret should win this?

I don’t get what everyone sees in Alex? I can’t stand him and have not liked him from week one. Those superman pjs made me despise him even more and his voice is a treble irritation. And then there's that hair! A nice short back and sides……Like Raef…….OK, maybe not.

Old Life, New Life
Simon has been given his old job back rolling out new technology for the National Lottery. I don’t think this is his future…….Simon if you remember, was the non commissioned army officer who specialised as a surveyor. He was sent to Bosnia, Canada, USA, Northern Ireland, Cyprus, and locations in the Middle East and struggled with a drugs problem but beat that addiction. He is now happily married and has a little girl. He has so much to offer in his working life especially with an IQ of 170!

I really liked Simon and doubted but doubted he had the true ability to win….I hoped I would and hope that Sir Alan will give him some sort of opportunity within his organisations. Simon Smith is a decent honorable, hard working man and deserves to do well. Good Luck.

BBC Exit Interview: http://www.bbc.co.uk/apprentice/newsarticle/cid/128.html
DigitalSpy Interview: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/realitytv/a93991/simon-smith-the-apprentice.html

Rhys Jones - CHARGED

2008-04-17T08:54:00.003+01:00

The Guardian reports that; "A 17-year-old youth will appear today at Liverpool magistrates court charged with the murder of Rhys Jones, the schoolboy who was shot as he walked home from football practice."

The article goes on to say; "The youth will appear along with five others who are charged with assisting an offender: Melvyn Coy, 24, Gary Kayes, 25, and three youths aged 15, 16 and 17. The 16-year-old was also charged with possession of a firearm."

13 people were arrested yesterday and in the end three adults and a 16 year-old boy were released on bail with a 22-year-old released on Tuesday. Another 21-year-old woman was released without charge while a 20-year old man remains in custody for questioning by detectives.

The press are making their way into the magistrates court now as I write this (9am). No names for the 'youths'; shame........ They deserve to be named and shamed. They are scum.

Will update later as more news comes in.

That's Snot Good Enough!

2008-04-16T17:59:00.005+01:00

David Cameron was down near where I live on the coast in Hastings today but that’s not why I am annoyed. Nor am I annoyed because a cheeky 15-year-old lad Kingsley Cardi (probably not his real name and if it is, what were his parents thinking?), wiped snot on his dashingly dazzling black suit; in fact that makes in laugh.

What makes me bloody angry is that the lad was arrested and given a police caution, yet if David Cameron was anyone else the police would have likely to had done NOTHING.

Cameron was down in the East Sussex seaside town trying to drum up support for the local tory candidate Amber Rudd and help launch it's new manifesto

Hastings has had a large amount of money spent on it to regenerate the place from the tatty town it has been for many years to a splendid settlement the government wants it to be. It has more work to get it there.

In the 2001 census, 18% of Hastings residents of working age, have a limiting long term illness, whereas the national average statistic is at 11%. The average life expectancy is lower for both male and femalein Hastings Town, GCSE pass rates A-C are lower than the national average although improving like every other authority……Need I go on?

In 2005, the local Hastings community put safety as priority so it is good to see local bobbies have got a handle on snotty teenagers. A beat officer who today caught the ‘shame faced teen’ apparently told him;“I don’t care whether he’s Tory leader or what - you go up to him and apologise.” What if he had just mugged an old woman? I know it is a different scenario and I am not saying that youth was a mugger…….just statistics…..and crime clean ups…..not bogey clean ups.

Cameron quickly wiped off the snot affair which I have dwelled on and talked to locals about local issues telling them; "I love Hastings, and it's a beautiful summers day. There has been lots of people coming to have a chat."
"It's a very competitive election ground and it will be a very exciting election."
He then went on to tell them to; "Vote for anyone but the British National Party (BNP)" and added; "They are the enemy of democracy. The BNP is just a despicable party."

Cameron prefers Labour then?

A Little Leona

2008-04-16T15:24:00.003+01:00

A little bit of pleasant news as it’s not a very nice day today.

It seems Leona Lewis and the team behind her can do no wrong and they have played the American market perfectly.

Leona is predicted to debut at No.1 in the U.S. album chart this week, the first British woman to achieve this. This comes only three weeks after the talented 23-year-old landed herself in the record books with her first No.1 hit single "Bleeding Love” on America’s Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart.

Midweek sales figures indicate that Leona’s debut album ‘Spirit’ has sold 205,000 copies with the nearest rival from George Strait (who?) selling only 59,000 copies on the Billboard 200 album chart.

‘Our Leona’, has come a long way since winning the X Factor a little over a year ago and it seems she has a long way to go. I admit there are tracks on Spirit which I’m not particularly keen on and others which I love. I suppose this album has been made deliberately made this way to tempt everyone with a little of everything. I hope that will not be like this all of the time though as Leona is better than this. She has a magnificent voice and it would be unfair to make her a jack of all trades as her talent would not last as long as it deserves to last.

Well done Leona.

Link to her last US single (You Tube video) Bleedling Love: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sF84pIhP5UM

Pup Stars The Rovers

2008-04-16T15:01:00.003+01:00

The musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is on tour and heading up to the Sunderland Empire but only if they can find a suitable mutts to perform in the show.

One of the shows ten trained mutts was dog tired and has had to pull out of the production and a replacement is needed. The producers are calling on all wearside dog owners to come along and audition; that is as long as your pooch is house trained, responds to commands and gets along with other dogs too. Do not bring Brutus the temperamental bully if he bites anything or anyone, Remember kids involved here!

Michael Rose, the producer of the show, generally does not care what variety of man's best friend you bring along to the audition next Wednesday afternoon: "We have had practically every breed of dog in the show, though we did have to ditch the greyhounds as they proved to be too slow and dopey.

Whichever dog wins through will star in a one-off performance in May and its family will be invited along to watch it on stage.

The show starts its run at the Sunderland Empire from Thursday 7th in June.

Rhys Jones

2008-04-16T12:45:00.006+01:00

Not A Gang Member
On August 22 2007, 11 year old Rhys Jones was cycling home from football practice when someone shot him in the neck. Prime Minister Gordon Brown said at the time that “it was a heinous crime that shocked the whole of the country".

It was Rhys’ football coach, Tony Edge, 40, who broke the news to Rhys' mother, Melanie, before driving her to the scene at the Fir Tree public house. She held her son as his life ebbed away from him. I remember watching Melanie and Stephan Jones the day after they had lost their son making their televised plea for information and their numbness was still visible. I had an 11-year-old son at the time and I cried feeling their pain and anguish knowing the killer of their son was probably only a child too.

Witnesses and Arrests

The only witness at the time was a CCTV camera of a lad aged 13-15, height of 5ft 8 or so, riding a distinctive BMX bike wearing dark clothes. It was thought a stray bullet had hit Rhys when he was caught in gang warfare…….And that is still the belief but there is no evidence.

Yesterday 100 police officers raided homes in Croxteth and a total of 12 people were arrested in connection with Rhys’ death. A 16 year old, 17-year-old, 24-year-old and 25-year-old, all males, were held on suspicion of murder. A 16-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender, attempting to pervert the course of justice and possession of a firearm and ammunition. A 49-year-old male and a 15-year-old boy arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender and attempting to pervert the course of justice. Three women, aged 50, 54 and 21 and a 22-year-old man, were also arrested on suspicion of attempting to pervert the course of justice. Later in the morning another 17-year-old male was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.

So maybe instead of arresting one person, they have decided to arrest everyone who is covering for the offender plus his gang member 'buddies'

Gangs

I’ve included a link to You Tube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pp0oJ6HIolY
This particular clip does not show any violence but shows the cars, weapons, dogs and clothing of the Liverpool gangs. It is frightening sight and horrifying to believe that many children are indoctrinated into these gangs at younger ages all of the time. In fact these gangs use You Tube to bully each other and show off their latest weaponry.

Little Rhys Jones was a victim of crime and there are calls for guns to be banned but what good would that do? Makes no sense to drive things underground……..But educate kids now and empower them, give them confidence to know they can survive the big wide world on their own. Some of them don’t have any hope and so the only way they cope is to join gangs. They are scared and feel the gangs are there to protect them yet once they are part of them they have to do things to show they are part of that gang….I’m actually quite pleased I live in a nice part of my little world and don’t have to worry about such things.
"But aren’t I lucky!"

I hope that these arrests lead to something for the family of Rhys Jones. Witnesses MUST come forward and be willing to testify in court and not just say a name on the internet. It is easy to do that, anyone can!
Scouser1007; "Rys was hit by a stray bullet - it was not intentional, no one set out to kill Rys", "who da fuck is no one? It was Sean Mercer who killed Rys and everybody knows".

WELL SAY IT TO THE POLICE THEN!

Let’s see what happens today and if any charges are brought. Have links and pictures but will keep them under wraps and post the hooded BMX rider till charges are made which I hope they are.

Mark Speight Dead

2008-04-13T18:29:00.006+01:00

Headline says it all.

Mark Speight's body was found this morning at 10am at a remote area of Paddington Station. He was not knocked down by a train and no further details have been given at this time. The official statement from a British Transport Police spokeswoman :
"At 10:00 on Sunday, 13th April, British Transport Police were advised that the body of a man was discovered at Paddington Railway Station.

Officers were called to a remote area of the station, away from public view, following the discovery of the body.
"The circumstances surrounding his death are subject to an ongoing investigation by British Transport Police, but police can confirm the deceased was not struck by a train.
"At this stage the death is being treated as unexplained.
"Investigating officers believe the deceased to be that of reported missing person, 42-year-old Mark Speight.
"Police have notified next-of-kin of the discovery."

"The body has been removed from the scene and CCTV from the station has been seized as part of the ongoing investigation."

Mark Speight was last caught on CCTV entering Queen's Park tube station in north London on Monday. This was only days after the inquest into the death of his fiancée Natasha Collins following a drugs overdose. He was initially charged in connection with her death but all charges have since been dropped but he admitted that they had been partying and a cocktail and drinks and drugs had been taken.

Friends had been very concerned for Mark's welfare and since his disapearance on Monday, sightings had been noted from as far as St Albans. He had only travelled a quarter of a mile from where he was last seen.

My children watched the news report of his death and are both sad. I had to explain about what had happened to him and his girlfriend too as they are both old enough to understand about these aspects of life. My daughter immediately thought about Mark's family and how selfish the act of suicide is. I had to explain how anyone taking their life does not think about others but did not have the heart to tell her that once I felt suicidal and I was a yong mother at the time.

It was my children that brought me back from the brink and it is so said that Mark Speight did not have anything in his life to bring him such happiness. It takes years to get over that sort of depression and sadly Mark's family will be left to pick up the pieces and the children of this country have been left with a gaping hole where SMART had a great presenter.

So sad.......

My best wishes go out to The Speight family, the Collins family and all of their friends.

American Idol Nets Gordon Brown Urgh

2008-04-12T15:07:00.003+01:00

American Idol gives back was an odd affair this year.

There was an elimination for a start and what an elimination! Ryan Seacrest made a complete tit of himself with the words he used and he could have been more gallant. Michael ‘the aussie’ Johns was brutally booted out by Seacrest and anyone would had thought there was something going on between the two? Butch sexual chemistry? No……I think not. Michael was never going to win however he was not the right one to go yet. Funny Americans, must had been put off by the weird video from Mr Brown.

And what an odd affair to see a sanitised, gleaming white teethed, hair strictly combed, Gordon Brown. In fact, he had been ‘Americanised’ as he appeared in a pre-recorded video, shot subtlety with dewy eyes and not too much of his flapping dewlaps, (only spotted the once.)

In this pre-recorded video he promised to buy 20 million mosquito nets for malaria-hit countries. And said; “there was "nothing more amazing than saving a life". He went on to say; "All year on Idol, it's the talent of the American people we admire. But tonight, it's your generosity." And thanks to Mr Brown; "all families could sleep safe at night".

He’s such a nice bloke isn’t he?........What about OUR FAMILIES MR BROWN?

He ended his blurb with a sickly but All-American ending of "Thank you and God bless you all." Could you imagine if he did that in the UK? …..Standing in the Houses of Parliament while arguing with the tories and finished his dialogue with….”Oh BTW thank you and God bless you all." Yeah right.

Now let us look into this offer from Mr Blair sorry Brown…..I forget Mr Blair is no longer in charge sometimes. You’ve said you hope other world leaders will follow your example. Wow, you’re fantastic, we are in a recession, house prices have dropped 10% this year, one bank has had to be nationalised already and you think it is fine to give away 20 million mosquito nets to the value of 120 million pounds?

What about those families living in B&Bs because there is nothing out there for them?

While I appreciate they at least have a place to put their heads, a lot of those families do not have a place to stay during the day. To them that is like not living. We all have our own personal suffering and I wonder if Mr Brown forgets about us and thinks about the US (of A) instead.

We have seen a lot of the families on the Dewsbury Moor estate and I would not want to always pick on them however you can see there is a perfect example of an area which needs finances to improve their surroundings and financial support to help it build up its self pride. There are many Dewsbury Moor Estates in OUR COUNTRY MR BROWN.

Why were you on American Idol? (That US (of A) thing again....
Was this more of a publicity hunt…..if so, I feel ashamed to be British right now. I think it is great to support those in need but we have our own charities which help African countries; why could Mr Brown not give the mosquito nets to those charities?
Instead he chose to pick American Idol where actually his pre-recorded slush kicked out Clinton, Obama and the other one so that was some sort of coo. Apparently the American presidential candidates hade made their videos which were supposed to be shown on the same night as Brown’s but they were booted to the following night's show!

We all know they had only made these vid’s to try and bring in the ‘young’ voters and I think it is a vile game but the Yanks play it well. (No offence to any of my American friends but you have the upper hand on us although we are catching up fast).

Brown, you looked a buffoon. I feel ashamed, not proud to be British.

PS Shame Michael Johns was kicked off the show, should have been Syesha, but she sang well last night instead of her usual pop star copy.

Shannon-Gate 11 April Update, The Meehans

2008-04-11T17:22:00.003+01:00

Craig Meehan
The stepfather of Shannon Matthews has appeared in court accused of possessing child pornography and been remanded till April 18.

Craig Meehan arrived at Dewsbury Magistrates Court shortly before 9am this morning in a white prison van. He was flanked by three security officers, as he appeared in a packed courtroom.

For some reason newspapers like to print what ‘arrestees’ are wearing? I’ve never got that? Does it matter if Craig Meehan is wearing a pair of converse or a pair of jellies? Actually that is a poor example because should he be wearing jellies on his feet we would know he had a psychological problem. But nevertheless, Meehan was wearing much the same as the last time in court - a Manchester United away shirt under a ‘casual waterproof coat.’ So I hope this excites the Trinny and Suzannas amongst you.
Legal arguments were heard which delayed the case and so it was adjourned until 2.15 this afternoon.

Bail declined
The charges are still the same; possession of 140 indecent images of children graded at levels one to four — on a scale in which one is the least serious and five is the most serious. Meehan has been taken back to jail until next Friday April 18, and bail refused probably for his own safety. The home he shared with Karen Matthews for five years, has been boarded up to prevent vigilante attacks and a meeting has been held at the local school by the police to try and calm down the fury of residents within the local area. Leaflets have been dropped and Chief Supt Barry South urged: “Whatever the anger and whatever you are feeling right now, for God’s sake put it to one side.”
Chief Inspector Vince Firth told the audience: “The main point of this meeting was to say thank you. I’ve never come across a community so committed to helping police.” Let’s hope it works.

Keeping it in the Family
As a side matter, Craig’s sister and mother were re-arrested yesterday with another sister; “All are being held on suspicion of perverting the course of justice at police stations in West Yorkshire." Said a statement from Detectives. Amanda Hyett, 25, Caroline Meehan, 29 and Alice Meehan, 49, spent the day chatting to officers. Caroline Meehan, a mother-of-two was reportedly astonished (well she would be), and declared she knew nothing; "I'm not worried because I've nothing to hide. What would I gain from something like this? "I didn't even know Shannon was missing until a day after she disappeared. I was as shocked as everyone."
Of course she didn’t know she was missing till the day AFTER! She would not be missing BEFORE!? Sounds fishy to me?
Pictured here are Alice Meehan and Amanda Hyett

Meanwhile……..
I’ve been thinking, If Craig and Karen have been living together five years then they got together when he was 17….. Yes I know it took a long time for the penny to drop but it paints that picture of how Karen Matthews chooses badly and adds Craig to the other four fathers of her seven children.

Karen is now in prison awaiting her next remand hearing next Wednesday. She has been charged with perverting the course of justice by; "repeatedly concealing information in relation to the whereabouts of Shannon Matthews in interviews and other contacts with officers with the West Yorkshire police and claiming to have no knowledge of her whereabouts.” She is also accused of 'willfully neglecting or abandoning nine-year-old Shannon in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury to her health.'
When bail was declined last Wednesday, an audible “YES” was heard from the packed public area of the court. But outside a group of friends led by her sister-in-law and my old favourite, tenants association chair Julie Bushby is there also, stood holding hands all agreeing to stand by her - Some of them may be standing by her in prison.

There will be those who condemn Karen Matthews but anyone who has read my blog knows I support her. She is a victim in this as much as Shannon is. I think she has been parented badly by her own parents and when Shannon was taken I doubt she knew what was going on and was too scared to say or do anything about it. That’s called being a victim – Not a criminal.

She needs help to learn how to parent and I do believe her kids need some time away in foster care especially as she will be spending time in prison but she does not deserve to lose them for good. Any one of us who is a parent has made one mistake (or a lot more in my case). My daughter told me that her friend had a great relationship with her mum and they never argued and at first I felt a bit hurt, however then I felt proud – I’ve been the best mother I can be and I think my children should be able to battle with me! That’s called growing up. Life is not about giving in all of the time is it?

McCanns
We then have the McCann’s who I can’t stand but the Europe-wide Child Alert system is a fantastic idea. Yet the sleazy tabloids have to have a go at them and take a sentence out of context from a conversation the day before and make them look like poor parents. Yes they made a huge mistake the day they lost their daughter – I think they know that! What has been ignored is what they were publicizing - the Alert System which would be fantastic. If only Maddy's money could go on something like this instead of paying detectives to NOT find anything which is what is happening now. I hate to say it but I think they need to find her body and grieve and the McCanns probably know that too.

To the people of the Dewsbury Moor Estate, (as if anyone reads my blog ha) I grew up in a council home and did not have much. My parents did not have a car until I brought one at the age of 17 and my mum commandeered until I passed my test. I do remember one thing though, there is a spirit of camaraderie and I wonder if that still exists? It looks as though it was still there when searching for Shannon, remember she was missing in her eyes. I’m sounding like Jeremy Vine now and I hate that so I shall shut up. Hope Shannon is seeing her siblings and father (the real one). Doubt he had anything to do with this.

My hope still as always goes out to Karen Matthews………She needs confidence and friendship.

Willie Gets His WIngs

2008-04-11T15:18:00.003+01:00

Prince William was awarded his Royal Air Force wings today.

William, who is second in line to the throne, has been on attachment with the RAF and today his beautiful girlfriend Kate Middleton, watched on as William received his Royal Air Force wings from his father, Prince Charles. (Ahhhh) The Duchess of Cornwall was also present at the event showing a family unity after the recent ‘Diana-gate’ events in court.

Must Be love
After the short ceremony, Kate joined William for lunch fuelling speculation in the media that they are more or less marriage material! Poor souls do not stand a chance. I think I quite like young William…..although the poor boy has been brought up in a upper class society with no real understanding of what life is truly like for those in society ‘beneath’ him, I believe he will make a less of a mess than his father has.

I’m not a royalist, but I do feel we need a royal family. It is great for the tourist industry and nobody can deny that go up to London and all you can see is Americans and Japanese outside Buck House snap shots. The royal family HAVE to adapt to survive and it must be hard for an 80+ year-old lady to understand what a modern world wants. I have an 80+ year-old neighbour and she cannot understand contemporary life!

King
But back to young William who will eventually be head of the all the armed forces as King of our country. Learning to fly solo has been his childhood ambition and 12 weeks of training at RAF Cranwell in Lincolnshire, have ensured that this dream has been successfully fulfilled:
“Going solo is one of those things - if you had a list of the top 50 things to do before you die, it would be in there," William said.

Air Chief Marshal Glenn Torpy told the graduates: "This is probably one of the most significant milestones in an aviator's career. It's something that not many people can do and you should be very proud of what you have done."

Prince William graduated from Sandhurst in December 2006 and spent a year with the Household Cavalry's Blues and Royals before his four month attachment. His next attachment will be with the Royal Navy in June. Such a shame that he will probably never see action like his brother has….shame his brother only saw a few weeks of action.

I don’t know what the plan is for William after he completes his ‘attachments’. It must be horrible being born a royal because your life is not your own. It is mapped out - prep school, Public School, Armed Forces or Uni depending on how thick you are but always Armed Forces. What if you are not the army/navy/air force sort of person? Tough if you are a top royal. If you're a minor royal then great! All the celebrity status with the money to go with it........As long as no money from the CIVIL list goes to those minor money grabbing, sitting on their arse all day or playing golf royals, then I'm happy.

Other Royal Aviators
William is not the first Royal Prince to gain his wings, his father Prince Charles also gained his Royal Air Force wings, as did the Duke of Edinburgh. William’s great-great-grandfather Prince Albert, later King George VI, was the first royal to serve in the RAF, between 1918 and 1919.

Ian Stringer the Tw*t - Your Fired

2008-04-10T13:20:00.010+01:00

Ian Stringer - That's Tw*t with an 'A' not an 'I' by the way.

Quote "Prior to the show, 26-year-old Stringer had stressed his business credentials, writing on the BBC website: "There are two kinds of people in the world: winners and ... I don't know how to spell the other word. I can't say it. Apparently he meant the word LOSER but I could think of a few more names for that idiot after last night......No I did not warm to him.

The Task

Pub grub was the name of the day and the boy's Renaissance team made less money than the Alpha girl's team in the restaurant-running task. Stringer was appointed project manager by Sir Alan and should have had this task in the bag; he had after all spent his life in and out of pubs since the age of 14 and his dad is a chef.

The boys took more money with their Italian themed night which was decided because kevin Shaw had "eaten in lots of Italian restaurants". That sounds like a great idea.........So Kevin was appointed head chef too because he had eaten lots of Italian food and describes himself as a "culinary adventurer." so would know how to cook too....wouldn't he? My stomach started to turn when he talked of a carbonara sauce with saute potatoes. Apparently it is all the rage in Guildford!
Is Stringer a good leader? NO He asked half of his team to do a job but because they would not do it he had to do it himself. He was scared to make decisions and I knew he would never be a player in this game. Lee McQueen was of course fabulous but I am going off him a bit. Simon is my favourite at the moment and Stringer was to hack me off further later on........

The Renaissance boys left out the potatoes probably because they forgot to but them in Tescos. They completely overspent buying all of their food at the supermarket, whereas the girls Bollywood-themed menu which only cost just over £100 was brought at the cheaper wholesalers.

Alpha team girls missed their lunch clientele because their food was terrible. You can't make a good curry without garum masala and they did not have half of the spices needed to make any curries. Sara Dhada, project manager's answer was to, wing it and adapt - YOU CAN'T! A curry's flavour is made by a compliment of different spices and if you don't have them, you've lost. A good job then that the girls sold tickets to their Bollywood Night which brought them in £250 to start with before they had sold any food. Bitch Jenny wasn't so nasty this week but then again she wasn't with Lucinda-Blueberry-Berret-Fruitcake. Thought I'd like Bitch Jenny but the fact I am calling her bitch Jenny says it all.

The Money
The boys took £844 but only made a £300 profit. The girls made less money but bollywood-danced away with £600 profit. Their own bollywood-dancer was more like a stripper which was rather frightening and incredibly ugly, (IMHO)

Sir Alan bluntly says to project leader Ian; "I'll tell you what annoys me, about this loss, is this is the epitome of blowing in to the wind. (Did he really want to say p*ssing but was worried the BBC would fire him?)
"You went out and took £844, you actually worked hard, you were beavering away, and what was the end result?
"Nothing really, because you made fatal errors, that's what annoys me."

Sir Alan has a shout at all of the men and tells them how worried he is about all of their business credentials

Hooray Alpha Team. Off you go to a Country house hotel cookery school where you will go to learn how to cook.......not curry, by the way.

Boardroom
Ian who I've now have decided I really do not like, takes Kevin, the 'head chef' and Simon, (why?) into the boardroom. He claims it is Kevin's fault for poor menu planning and pricing problems, but also says Simon, has a "difficult communication style" - Oh that's why Simon was brought into the boardroom. Bad move because Sir Alan was never going to kick Simon out.

Sir Alan tells them, "I am bitterly disappointed... you haven't got a ***** clue!"

Kevin argues his case and tells how he even called a team building meeting before service which Stringer claimed never happened. Now I am really hating Stringer, Never lie on TV, you'll always get caught out.

Simon argues his place in the competition and talks about how he is a grafter and I think we can all see that and we want to see him lead and so does Sir Alan; "I know you can graft, but can you inspire?" His final words to Simon were before turning to Stringer who has now shown himself to be a complete liar

Says Sir Alan, "Ian, this was a total disaster. I think you lost it. Ian... you're fired".

Post Boardroom Report
Ian Stringer's life has been in the tabloids in recent weeks. The silly boy had an affair with 23 year old Angela Rawson while his 28 year old wife Kirsty, was pregnant with his son Owen. Not only that but the mistress was at their wedding - shock horror.

The tabloids exploit the story and tell of how Stringer has abandoned Kirsty, his daughter Isla now two and year old Owen and how Kirsty has had to move out of the home they shared because Stringer was paying their mortgage and she cannot afford it.
"The BBC should never have let him take part... what about the effect it has all had on me and the children. And all for the sake of a TV show. (Doubt they knew about the affair and what has that to do with the TV show?)
"I couldn't believe it when he was going on about being a winner, not a loser, on the show.
"Ian's the biggest loser of all. He's thrown away his marriage and given up on his family."
She added: “His behaviour has been absolutely appalling. He cheated on me when I was pregnant. What kind of man does that? The stress has been awful.
“His little daughter Isla was missing her daddy and would wait for him by the door in the evening and get upset when he did not come home. (Very emotive reporting)
“Even some of his own family are disgusted with him.” (Mum and dad love him as seen on TV last night)

Not only did Ian leave home, but soon after he stopped paying the mortgage and other bills meaning Kirsty in now in the process of selling their home and moving into rented accommodation. Here's a link to the Mirror if you would like to read more:

http://www.sundaymirror.co.uk/news/sunday/2008/03/30/apprentice-love-rat-ian-stringer-left-wife-three-weeks-after-she-gave-birth-to-their-son-98487-20367729/

Ian's Retaliation

"The size of the mortgage that people find themselves with these days—that is what happens...it's called a marriage break-up. (Don't like him but I agree)
"I'm trying to be the best possible father that I can."
And Angela said: "He didn't leave Kirsty for me. He wouldn't do that to his children. He's a wonderful father."

Sleaze over let's see why Ian Stringer really did the Apprentice?

Ian is currently working as a sports reporter for BBC's Three Counties Radio and Radio Leicester so basically this meant that radio listeners knew he had been fired before last nights show.
Ian insists: "I have been working for radio because the BBC told me it was fine to do so – I was not breaking any guidelines.
"I love working for radio – and I plan to carry on doing so. It's the best job in the world."

We hear you Ian.......That no.8 spot in the charts gave you a taste of fame you wanted more and local radio is just where you belong. ZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

As for who should have been fired;"Kevin Shaw should have gone, not me.

Who should win according to the LOSER:
"I hope Lee McQueen goes on to win – he's the man."

Charged

2008-04-08T21:37:00.003+01:00

I think we all knew this was coming and can shut up now

Karen Matthews, 32, of Moorside Road, Dewsbury Moor. will be facing charges of child neglect and perverting the course of justice. Ms Matthews will appear before Dewsbury magistrates on Wednesday.

Peter Mann, spokesman for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), said: "We have carefully considered all of the evidence in the file and decided there is sufficient evidence to charge Karen Matthews with perverting the course of justice and child neglect.
"We will continue to keep this case under constant review."
Mr Mann said despite huge interest in the events surrounding Shannon Matthews, Ms Matthews "has the right to a fair trial".

Silly, silly, woman.............. But she, Donovan and Meehan are ALL entitled to a fair trial.

Actor Mark Speight Missing

2008-04-08T08:55:00.002+01:00

Actor Mark Speight, who lost his fiancee to a drugs overdose earlier this year is missing and police are worried for his welfare.

The 42-year-old presenter is described as ‘vulnerable’ and has not been seen since he was dropped off at 9.30am on Monday Wood Green station in north London. He was due to meet a friend at 3.30pm in Covent Garden, central London, but did never arrived.

The inquest into the death of his fiancée Natasha Collins, also a presenter, was only six days ago. Speight was initially arrested on suspicion of murder and supplying Class A drugs, when she was found dead in the bath of the flat they were shared in St John's Wood, north-west London, on January 3. Scotland Yard have said he is no longer facing any charges.

Collins, 31, was found with hot water burns covering about 60% of her body in the bath of the couple's home. The couple had been partying at their flat, drinking wine and vodka as well as taking cocaine and sleeping pills. Speight called 999 after waking that afternoon to discover her dead in the bath, wearing a cropped top, the inquest heard.

Speight was staying with Collins' widowed mother Carmen. Let’s hope that this ends well because it is not ‘normal’ for police to announce a missing person within 24 hours…….Keep safe.

There is One Person Who Can Solve Shannongate

2008-04-08T07:07:00.007+01:00

Julie Bushby can solve this mystery!

The chair of the residents association, she has been most vocal throughout this and always been by Karen Matthew’s side.

Psychology
The residents on the estate are now quite rightly confused. I recall then Shannon was discovered, the police’s first unofficial statement was along the lines of this being a very confusing case. This was always going to have twists and turns and Donovan was always going to try and take his life. I don’t know if I wrote that on here – I don’t think I did because I think I thought it might be in bad taste but actually I should have!

If I thought he was a strong suicide risk then why didn’t the authorities looking after him?Michael Donovan or ‘uncle Micky’ as Shannon calls him, was a depressive man who had already lost custody of his own daughters. He had an alleged history of snatching his children most likely brought on by his desperate need to see them! I think social services forget that at times it might be a good thing to take kids from their parents under certain circumstances; nevertheless the parent is never going to forget they had a child/children.

Donovan is always going to have psychological issues and because he is less educated and less articulate, he was not be able to get his needs addressed. Prison is possibly his best option at the moment.

Shannongate
Yesterday, the Times was the first to spell out the whole story of how Karen Matthews may had been having some sort of relationship with Donovan…..yet another great choice there then Karen, but then again we are living in the new reality TV show of ‘Shannongate’. I said the other day how they did not choose to be thrust in the media but this may not be true? The media are now all singing the same tune stating Karen Matthews knew where her daughter was the whole time, some members of the family had applied for funds from the Maddy McCann fighting money and Karen had spilled the beans to friends (see yesterday’s blog entry for tearful boo hoos and link to the Times article).

Are the rumours true
Perveting the course of justice could mean anything and we all know the media are good at making up stuff but they are also like bloodhounds when it comes to sniffing out information.

The police must have a good deal of information themselves possibly from the media!? as the newly single, Ms Matthews, is still being held today (Tuesday) and was arrested on Sunday. The police will need to ask for extra time this morning or Ms Matthews will have to be released.

The media are saying that the police are looking at other family members being involved however I reckon they always had that in mind. When they announced some days ago that Donovan was working alone, it was to make people relax. After all, we are not dealing with criminal masterminds here………yes that sounds rude but it is true. IF Shannon was to be taken and it was all to do with money then what a shocking plan! (shocking as in bad). Copying Shameless which is what has been muted again by media sources, is a joke and I hope that rumour is wrong.

Nonsense

If this is all about a woman having an affair with a man and that woman not having the nerve to tell anyone, including her partner, then that is terribly sad. Donovan still snatched her daughter and she may have known where her daughter was so: was she protecting Donovan because she knew her daughter was safe? The longer Shannon was missing (or not to her), did she panic not knowing what to do? Also did she really know he had taken her? Did she have contact? I find this all really odd? If she had an idea he had taken her then she would had made contact with him at some point? Odd odd odd..........Her mobile would be checked.........Maybe she didn't contact him? If not but why not if she thought he had her?
All based on what the media are reporting so none of it makes sense! Let's hope the police can release a statement soon and we can make sense of all the information.

Here's a Sky News’ video report when Ms Matthews was arrested. There are plenty out there to choose from: http://video.news.sky.com/skynews/video/?&videoSourceID=1311980&flashURL=/feeds/skynews/latest/flash/shannon_tubb_p4914.flv

Craig Meehan will be back in court April 11. He has been charged with having 130 indecent photos of children.

The NEXT Twist (If you believe the Times)

2008-04-07T21:29:00.002+01:00

Now I really do say that Karen Matthews needs help!

The Times online link:http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article3701834.ece

Bullet points
She knew where Shannon was all along and has tearfully now admitted all to close friends hence the arrest by police
She had planned to leave Craig Meehan and Donovan had offered her a place to stay

Quote" The Times has been told that Ms Matthews met two of her friends recently and was questioned by them about alleged inconsistencies in her account of the disappearance.
One is said to have accused Ms Matthews of lying and to have bluntly asked her whether she had known where Shannon was “all along”.
Ms Matthews allegedly nodded and said “yes”, the source said. She is then said to have started crying and shaking uncontrollably.
The friend said: “She said she knew where Shannon was from day one. She wanted to leave Craig, and Donovan had previously offered her a place to stay. They’d talked about it at the funeral of Craig’s father in December.
“She had wanted to leave Craig but she lost her bottle at the last minute. She had not asked him [Mr Donovan] to take Shannon, but he acted impulsively.”
Ms Matthews is said to have told her friends that as the hours after her daughter’s disappearance turned into days, “everything got out of control and she didn’t know how to stop it” because she was too ashamed to tell the truth." Quote

Karen Matthews has now been in police custody for over 24 hours. Some newspapers are saying she did this for financial gain........I don't think so........Just a rabbit caught in the headlights but WHY not put the country out of its misery and the locals too? If what is being said is true then OMG!

The Next Twist In The Shannon Matthews Story

2008-04-07T07:17:00.004+01:00

And the ugliest story of the year keeps on a-turning

As if this was not of predicted - Michael Donovan has tried to kill himself while on remand.

He was taken to hospital but returned a short while later. According to some newspapers, he slashed his wrists and took a drugs overdose - Thankfully quick working prison officers were on the ball and got to him straight away.
If this man was working alone which the police believe (or did they say this to detract those who were working with him?) Then he needs to face justice. He has no right to take his own life!

BUT there's more news and this is quite shocking, KAREN MATTHEWS has been arrested on the charge of perverting the course of justice, the same charge her sister was arrested on.

The police will release a statement later this morning (It is now 7.21am) and have only officially said "A 32 year old woman has been arrested"

I hope I have not got her wrong?

Early doors..........

Film Legend Heston Has Died

2008-04-06T12:07:00.006+01:00

Charlton Heston, the Oscar winning actor has died aged 83

Heston died at his Beverley Hills home with his wife Lydia, whom he had been married to for 64 years, at his side.

What do we know about Charlton Heston
Heston was born John Charles Carter in Evanston, Illinois where he attended New Trier High School
He enrolled in the school's drama program, performing in several amateur productions and earned a drama scholarship to Northwestern University from the Winnetka Community Theatre.
Heston also appeared in his first film which was a minor amateur production of Peer Gynt.
In 1944, Heston left college and enlisted in US Air Force rising to the rank of staff sergeant
Also in 1944, while in service, Heston married Lydia Marie Clarke and went on to have a son Fraser Clarke Heston and an adopted daughter, Holly Ann Heston.
Seeking a way to make it in theatre, Charlton and Lydia Heston decided in 1947 to manage a playhouse in North Carolina.

Times were hard while Heston waited for his first break but finally it arrived:
In 1948, Heston was offered a supporting role in a Broadway revival of Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra. He also had success in television, staring in one of CBS’s most popular anthology dramas of the 1950s.
He was to go on to become one of the most successful stage stars frequently playing Macbeth, Marc Anthony and Mister Roberts, which was said to be his favourite.
His film career was prolific and started with his first movie which was Dark City in 1950, followed by the infamous The Greatest Show on Earth.
His portrayal of Moses in The Ten Commandments was to become an epic. But another epic was to give Heston his Oscar and that was Ben-Hur.
Heston was to continue to star in a variety of films throughout the 50s, The Wreck of the Mary Deare (1959), 55 Days at Peking (1963), Major Dundee (1965) Amongst The Many; El Cid in 1961 and The Greatest Story Ever Told in 1965 were other massive box office successes. In fact if Heston stared in it, you had hat a hit!

The late 60’s saw a change in style to science based films and 1968 saw the weirdly wonderful Planet of the Apes which I still find fascinating now. Heston stared in so many films that to name them all would take up my whole blog but I will put this link here of his filmography:http://charltonhestonworld.homestead.com/FILMOGRAPHY.html
Heston made five films in 1970 for instance two of which were Julius Ceasar and The Hawaiians. The man was a human film making machine!
Airport 1975, Earthquake and The Four Musketeers, all made in 1974 were his next blockbusters over in the UK however this was probably the last big year fro Heston as far as films were concerned.

He went on to make numerous films, TV shows including staring in the mega American TV series The Colbys and made his last movie in 2004 with Genhis Khan

The Political Activist
Charlton Heston was a man who used his fame to his advantage and challenged what was going on in the world around him.
In his earlier years he was a big supporter of Martin Luther King and the 1960’s American civil rights movement. He opposed the Vietnam War and voted for Richard Nixon in 1972.
In 1968, following the assassination of Robert F Kennedy, Heston appeared on The Joey Bishop Show and, along with fellow actors Gregory Peck, Kirk Douglas and James Stewart, called for public support for President Johnson's Gun Control Act of 1968.
By the 1980s, Heston’s views had changed and now supported gun rights and changed his political affiliation from Democratic to Republican. He was to go on to campaign for Republicans and the future Republican Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush.
He was to become the President of the National Rifle Association (NRA), in 1998, resigning in 2003, citing ill-health.
He resigned from Actors Equity, claiming the union's refusal to allow a white actor to play a Eurasian role in "Miss Saigon" was "obscenely racist."
He said CNN's telecasts from Baghdad were "sowing doubts" about the allied effort in the 1990-91 Gulf War.
In an address to students at Harvard Law School entitled Winning the Cultural War, Heston expressed his disdain for Political correctness, stating "If Americans believed in political correctness, we'd still be King George's boys - subjects bound to the British crown." He stated "Political correctness is tyranny with manners". He went on to say that white pride is just as valid as black pride or red pride or anyone else's pride. – Interesting…… Am I not getting what this man is saying?
Heston opposed abortion Heston served on the Advisory Board of Accuracy in Media (AIM), a conservative media watchdog group founded by the late Reed Irvine.

Sickness and in Health

In 1998, Heston had a hip replacement and was also diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Following a course of radiation treatment, the cancer went into remission.
In August 2002, Heston publicly announced he was diagnosed with symptoms consistent with Alzheimer’s disease.
In March 2005, various newspapers reported family and friends were apparently shocked by the rapid progression of his illness.
In April 2006, various news sources reported Heston's illness was at an advanced stage and his family were worried he might not survive the year.

Charlton Heston died on Saturday, April 5 2008 at his home in Beverly Hill, California, with his wife of 64 years at his side.

RIP

So The Joint Fav Wins National.........

2008-04-05T18:10:00.004+01:00

Horses
Got my husband to put £1 each way - yes last of the big spenders in our house, on Back something as I KNEW, Timmy Murphy on the David Pipe trained Comply Or Die would win the "John Smith's" (let us not forget the branding) Grand National at Aintree.

My alternative choice of Vodka Bleu was pulled up half way thorugh and my third choice of Snowy Morning, came third so at least I can hold my head up slightly high........But no money backed on the last two. If only my Back- something? What was it? AH I forget but the odds were 100-1 and worth the gamble. The horse had never ran more than 3 miles but liked jumping....alas it hated jumping today and fell at fence two.

My son's backed horse was the only one to finish today and it came a creditable 5th however this brings to the forefront whether I really like The Grand National? Thankfully today no horses were injured but 27 of them have been killed since 1997; no records were kept before that point, maybe because ink wasn't invented or paper was hard to find? Excuse my sarcasm, I find it so odd that no records have been kept before 1997? I can understand records not being kept in 1839 when the National was first officially run but not 1990's....The only excuse is that no one wants us to know and not just about the National it is about other races too.

Most jockeys, trainers and owners are responsible and look after their horses and welfare has improved, nevertheless, there are those who will still try to take advantage and then the horses will be the ones who pay the cost. My daughter wants to work with horses, it is her passion and welfare is definitely high on her hit list. She loves horse racing but I can't decide whether I love it or hate it......or both.

Facts On the Liverpudlian Race
1837 - The first Grand National meeting: The first two races were run in Maghull, and the very first Grand National was won by The Duke

1839 - The first Grand National at Aintree which was won by the 5-1 favourite Lottery. This was also the year in which Captain Martin ‘Becher’ fell from his horse, Conrad into the brook when in the lead, thus beginning of the legend that is Becher's Brook

1850-1851 Abd-El-Kader won and was the first horse to do so in under 10 minutes, Abd-El-Kader became the first ever dual Grand National winner

1868 - The Lamb won for the first time at 9-1, the first grey horse to win the National and was to win again in 1871 with odds of 11-2

1916-1918 - The race was moved to Gatwick with the outbreak of the World War

1919 - Ernie Piggott, Lester Piggott's Grandfather, won the race on Poethlyn, at 11-4

1925 - The starting gate was introduced this year and Double Chance ridden by Major J Wilson won with odds at 100-9

1927 - The BBC began its radio coverage showing 37 starters and a win by the 8-1 favourite Sprig

1928 - A new record of 42 starters but only two finishers as Tipperary Tim, won at 100-1! Most of the field crashed at the Canal Turn when Easter Hero, fell and caused a huge pile up.

1929 - 66 horses started out this year. The race was won by 100-1 shot, Gregalach, who won £13,000 pounds for his owners

1934-1935 - Golden Miller, won the 1934 National at 8-1, won in 9 minutes and 20 seconds; in 1935 with 5 Gold Cups and a National win under his belt, started at 2-1 favourite but unseated his rider at the 10th fence as Reynoldstown went on to win the race

1941-1945 – The Americans used the Aintree Racecourse an Army Base for the Second World War

1950 - Queen Elizabeth’s, first national horse, Monaveen, finishes sixth while Freebooter won at 10-1

1973-1974 - Red Rum won his first National in a record time of 9 minutes and 2 seconds and followed this with a second win in 1974 at 11-1

1975 - L'Escargot at 13-2, beats Red Rum interrupting his three great wins

1976 – Another horse beats Red Rum into first place, this time it is 14-1 Rag Trade

1977 - History was made! Red Rum at 9-1 won his third Grand National beating Churchtown Boy by 25 lengths. Also in this year Miss Charlotte Brew became the first woman ever to ride in the race but her mount, Barony Fort, refused with 4 fences still to jump

1981 – Legend Aldaniti ridden by Bob Champion, won this year. Aldaniti had been plagued with injuries throughout his career and Bob Champion had fought to recover from cancer

1983 - The first lady of Aintree, trainer Jenny Pitman, won the race with Corbiere ridden by Ben De Haan

1993 - This National that never was.
First attempt and animal activists meddled at the start. When the race was eventually started Richard Dunwoody got the tape stuck round his neck and a false start was given. Unfortunately the flagman did not see the flag so he never signalled for a false start. Consequently some horses stopped at the start and some horses stopped halfway while 7 carried on to complete the course with Esha Ness and John White winning for trainer Jenny Pitman only to be told that the race was void

1997 - A bomb scare disrupted the race and it was re-scheduled for Monday afternoon where it was won by Lord Gyllene ridden by Tony Dobbin.

Shannon's Relatives Arrested, What Next?

2008-04-05T07:46:00.010+01:00

Breaking News

Good job I have to be awake this morning; the sister and mother of Craig Meehan, the boyfriend of Shannon Matthews' mother, have been arrested by police investigating her abduction.

Amanda Hyett, 25, Karen Matthew’s sister, was arrested by West Yorkshire police on suspicion of assisting an offender, while Alice Meehan /Drake (Meehan was is her maiden name? but it seems the press are using it now but were using Drake at the beginning of this saga), 49, the sister of Michael Donovan, was being questioned on suspicion of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

West Yorkshire police arrested the women on Friday morning but released them early Saturday morning. They have not officially been identified but this was the statement read out by a West Yorkshire Police representative:
"The two women aged 25 and 49 arrested earlier in connection with the kidnap of Shannon Matthews have both been granted police bail pending further inquiries.
"They are required to re-attend in May."

Michael Donovan, 39, the man charged with the kidnap and false imprisonment of Shannon, who disappeared on February 19.

Craig Meehan, the 22-year-old boyfriend of Karen Matthews, Shannon's mother, has been charged with possessing 140 indecent images of children of varying degrees. There’s some sort of level with this but surely if they are indecent they are indecent! But then again I have no idea what is going on with this story. The pictures are not believed to be of Shannon or her siblings.

Friends of Karen Matthews said they believed she had ended her relationship with Meehan and his belongings had been removed from the home they share as I said yesterday.

Safe

Karen Matthews, 32, is now staying with her remaining children, in a "safe house" after this latest disclosure and is said to be, “absolutely devastated," by a friend said yesterday. "She lost Shannon for 24 days and now this. She's in pieces and I don't think she can cope with much more."

What a mess.

Shannon's gran (or former stepdad's if the press are to be believed) mum and aunt have now been arrested, who next? Alice Meehan moved out of 'a flat' a week before Shannon and I'm yet to find where that was because at first I thought that flat was the one Shannon was found in!

The press almost pointed the finger at Alice Meehan and I don't know what is going on now. The situation is almost like a reality show being played out on our TV screens. The family did not choose this, it has just happened that way.

But what next?

Cantankerous Prince Phil and The NHS

2008-04-04T16:50:00.004+01:00

The Queen’s 86-year-old husband, Prince Philip, been taken to hospital with a chest infection, Buckingham Palace said on Friday.

Seems a bad cold has got the better of him and turned into a chest infection. For the lucky Duke of Edinburgh, a bed has been found at a nice private hospital – The King Edward VII Hospital in central London where he is undergoing ‘assessment and treatment’ for his condition.

He is still able to get on with his correspondence and do all the things Dukes of Edinburgh’s normally do. No information as to when he will be leaving the hospital – he arrived on Thursday skipping up the steps…..No not really I made that bit up but this story makes me angry. How many elderly people do you know who get ‘chest infections’ manage to get admitted to hospital?It is a joke and so is the hospital system in this country which the senior members of the royal family never experience.

I have two friends who both have spinal conditions, one is suing her surgeon and now worried she will not be able to find another surgeon to treat her. She is in dire need and was told by the surgeon who she is suing that nothing more could be done – Not the reason she is suing I would add, the reason is because he operated and left a screw in the wrong place and it now touching her spinal cord. This has possibly been the reason why her bowel has failed (literally) and she has had to have it removed, why her uterus and her bladder prolapsed and why she is in so much pain. The man who operated on my friend makes me so angry. She is a lovely lady and does not deserve what she is going through but is determined and I don’t think many people know what she suffers each day because she is stoical.

My other friend was supposed to have had major spinal surgery this month to replace fusion of her lumbar spine. She also needed new fusion slightly above and had seen a new surgeon who had told her the surgery would help her pain and would make her more mobile. She had actually seen THREE surgeons but one retired and one emigrated. The new one sounds fantastic but the only problem is that all of her scans have gone missing. The hospital had mucked up in the first place and she had to go up to London from her home 85 miles away each of the four times for the four different scans. The new chap was incredibly apologetic but that does not make up for the fact that my friend has to make those trips again. Her surgeon sent his registrar off to try and organise the scans and x-rays off to be done for the same day and while she was there she had one normal x-ray which indicated her fusion had broken. This may have happened last year when someone crashed into her or it could have been this way for some time which explains her pain for the five years I’ve known her…..She’s had the fusion just over six years and with all the delays and losses of scans, this is the second time this has happened, this friend is also considering legal action, but not until after she eventually has her operation.

My second friend’s surgeon has told her that he is willing to come in on a Saturday to complete her surgery just to expedite matters. He was as hacked off with the NHS as she was but does not have to live with chronic pain. He was more honest about her outcome than the last surgeon…..I hope though that her life improves, she deserves it but back to the health service; my urologist is also sick of the NHS, and that reminds me I should have heard from him by now? I was supposed to have had this medical procedure but have heard nothing since seeing him last November. Do you think my notes have gone missing again? This has happened so many times - I’ve lost count!

I have to see a variety of doctors because of my medical condition and when I came to see the latest bowel doc at first the hospital claimed to have lost my GP’s referral letter! I found this out because I telephoned the hospital after three months of not hearing anything and after a friend said, “Oh now not that hospital, you’d better phone because I had to and they said my GP had not written to them”. I could have laughed when I was told the same thing. The next medical issue with THAT hospital was that they supposedly wrote to me with a hospital appointment but I never received a thing? You can imagine my horror/anger/frustration, when I received a letter telling me I had MISSED my appointment and was to be put to the back of the list. Bugger that! I telephoned and made sure I spoke to a senior person again as I had been speaking to senior people all along the way and was sent another appointment within two weeks with a different bowel doc. I thought I was seeing a reputable surgeon who I looked up on dr fosters and was happy to see him. I went along and was told come back in six months. Next thing, I received another appointment three months later with the same surgeon …….or so I thought? I turned up and found out it was a totally different man also this bowel doc wasn’t a bowel doc but a stomach doc and so my search had to start again. He also diagnosed me with something I already have did not even put his hands on my stomach to see where my pain was?

So do I trust that man – NO.

I’m feeling absolutely abysmal right now. I took my daughter out shopping this morning and we were gone for just over an hour and my legs were like jelly. I’m now headache-y and feeling very nauseous so possibly feeling very sorry for myself. I can’t believe I feel so bad just because I went out and had a good time. So maybe I’m feeling more resentful about why some people who have money can have a magical hospital system and those whoe can’t have to put up with the cr*p.

The NHS system was set up for everyone but it is dying.

Craig Meehan - Two Computers, 140 indecent pictures of Children

2008-04-03T15:04:00.005+01:00

This story is growing weirder by the minute isn't it?

Yesterday dear reader I said we must wait and see what happens next but has happened is that Craig Meehan, Shannon Matthew’s 22 year old stepfather has been charges with 11 charges of possessing 140 indecent images of children.

This is not your family snaps of the kidlets in the bath is it? No one has 140 of these?

The rumours can now be put to rest as to why Shannon was not returned to her mother and stepfather – The police would have had a clear idea that they had Craig in their headlights and they not wish to return Shannon home while they feared her safety.
He has not been charged with harming Shannon or any one of her brothers or sisters.
So the official bits are this: Two computers were taken from the family home in Moorside Road, Dewsbury Moor and on these computers were the 140 indecent images. Today Meehan was taken to Dewsbury magistrates court where the charges were read out. No application for bail was made as Meehan apparently has no home to go too? Yes, it seems Karen Matthews has booted him out and told a friend to go and get rid of all of his things from the house she shared for five years with him. Meehan was then taken from the dock, flanked by two security guards, and remanded in custody till April 11 to appear in the same court.

He didn’t say much – just what he had too and wore his black Man Utd football shirt with Ronaldo on the back. Family and friends packed the court to listen to the charges and see how he reacted which was completely unemotionally.

I don’t know what to say on this matter to be honest? The whole affair stuns me and horrifies me in equal measures.

Karen Matthews has apparently had the opportunity to see her daughter once since she was returned until yesterday. This has led to the rumour that the family was being watched by social services and Child protection officers in West Yorkshire were “actively considering” taking Shannon Matthews into care days before the nine-year-old schoolgirl was kidnapped. Is this true or elaborate media speculation from ‘a source’ who is really the aunt of a friend of a sister of the doctor of the hairdresser of the daughter of the cleaning lady’s mother?

When will this end for Shannon? And what support is being offered for Karen Matthews? A woman with seven kids from five fathers needs help and I don’t mean that in a patronizing way and I KEEP SAYING IT! Karen Matthew's parents don’t give a s*t and are not taking any responsibility for the men their daughter chooses and they should get out of their glass house and start being parents. It is never too late.

Good Luck Karen Matthews. Julie Bushby, the loud mouthed supportive friend of the family and Chair of the Tenants Association, (a woman after my own heart!) has said that Karen has spent some time with Shannon yesterday:"She spent three-and-a-half hours with her, I don't know where."

"Obviously like any mother she was absolutely over the moon that she actually got the contact. They could have cancelled the contact over what came out yesterday but they didn't, which was absolutely brilliant." Julie added that Karen Matthews was "not really bearing up at all" and said: "Yesterday was very hard for Karen because she was dealing with happiness and was obviously peeved off."

She continued: "There's more tears than laughter. At the moment she's laughing with me when she's talking about Shannon but when she sees it come up on the news there's tears."

HOORAY! About time but now we are hearing about Meehan we can all put those pieces together and stop adding them up to 4563. Karen Matthews is not a child abuser, just someone who needs to realise that she can be a great mum if only some who are very close around her, would stop knocking her confidence. She needs to rebuild her life, undestand that maybe the man she was living with was not who she thought he was and get on with looking after the kids she has with her. This is an almighty battle for her and I don't know how she is supposed to deal with it when the media are still on her doorstep? Leave her alone and give her a break.

Don't know what else to say today because there are so many Karen Matthews in this country and so many estates like the ones Shannon comes from. That is the sadness of all this.

And What about Shannon?

Shannon's Matthew's Stepfather in Porn Query

2008-04-02T11:12:00.003+01:00

Maybe this explains why Shannon has not been returned to her mother and stepfather's home?

Craig Meehan, 22, Shannon Matthew's stepfather, has been arrested by police on suspicion of possessing indecent images of children.

Police would have seized Craig's computer as a matter of course when his step-daughter went missing for 24 days earlier this year. As we all now know, she was to be found hiding in a divan bed belonging to Craig's uncle Michael Donovan, 39. Police have kept Shannon in care ever since with her mother's full permission and this morning at 0800am police officers arrested Meehan, a fishmonger, at the home he shares with Karen Matthews and her seven children. Mr Meehan, has lived at the property with Ms Matthews, for five years and is the biological father to her youngest child.

West Yorkshire Police read this in a statement this morning: "During inquiries by the Shannon Matthews investigation team, the contents of a number of computers have been examined.
"As a result of this work, police have arrested a 22-year-old man from the Dewsbury Moor area on suspicion of possessing indecent images of children.
"He is currently being questioned at a West Yorkshire Police Station."

Specialist police search teams are now searching the family home on Moorside Road in the Dewsbury Moor area.

I know there will be people saying;
"I knew he was guilty"

"He looked shifty" etc

But, remember this man is only being questioned and Eric Clapton was questioned for the same offence. let us just wait and see?

RATS!

2008-03-30T18:00:00.004+01:00

I had grand plans to write about Michael Stone yesterday but alas we have a bigger problem to deal with.

RODENTS.

Our two sweet little bunny 'wabbits' have been worrying over something we knew not what? until Thursday.......and my daughter saw this bloody ugly brown thing......Then on Friday my son saw the tail, the long fat tail with rings on it which "Mum I swear it's a RAT not a mouse" OH *&&*!

The bunnykins live outdoors and enjoy happy days in the garden in big runs which we move about around the back lawn to ensure they get the best of our weedy grass, which is a grand way to live for bunnies with lots of dandelions. But in recent day they have been sensitive......or not themselves. It is difficult to explain unless you have pets however you know their personalities and my bunnies were not happy. Tallulah was not coming out of her dark area unless she was starving and had to eat her food, Jimmy was staring out and almost seemed like he was on guard in his run; both bunnies had upset tummies; both were trying to tell us something but being wabbits, they can't speak human.

Then we spotted the little sh*t trying to get to Jimmy's food and all the answers were....erm ......answered! We have been rinsing out the bowls daily with disinfectant which had slipped a bit with the kids doing a bit to more like once a week if lucky. The bottles are also being rinsed daily, the hutches cleared of all their revolting loose poos and our wabbits are much happier in their environments. In fact Miss Lulu (as Tallulah) as known by us in 'da family', has started to talk to me again (in clicky bunzy language), she's eating well again, as is Jimmy and he is much happier and no longer stands on guard over his food bowl.

Killing Rodents
There was a show on the beeb on Friday about mutant rats in Oxford which have built up an immunity to anti-coagulants. I hope we do not have these such buggers.
We've put down traps as it is quicker and kinder to even though we hate them, yes it is better to do it that way but the poison is still down around the back out of the way of the pets.

I hate the thought of those things in my back garden but rather them out there than in my house. I'm lucky compared to some people. We have had mice in our house before and last year had to put down traps and poison to kill a total of (I think) seven mice.
It was horrible, We are hoping this year we have covered all the options by buying one of those sonic noise 'thingy' (don't know it's real name but it apparently stops the rodents from creeping into your house or within a certain distance.) It works and that is all that matters but what is worrying is that we HAVE to buy these sorts of gadgets. Rats and mice are more prevalent now because people throw their rubbish wherever they feel like. We have rubbish dumped along the back wall behind where we live and this could be why we have a problem now? We are not definite of course as there could be various sources. The next step is to photographing the evidence and contacting environmental health.

I think we ALL need to take responsibility for this problem. People throw food in their bins which gives rats a perfect restaurant.

Wiglet says RECYCLE PEOPLE!

Happy Birthday Josie Russell

2008-03-28T10:54:00.007Z

Happy Birthday Josie Russell

In the summer months of 1996, I recall the newsreader’s headline about a vicious attack which had left a mother and her six-year-old daughter dead and her elder daughter fighting for her life. And fight she did. Josie is now in her final year at Bangor University where she has been studying for an art diploma. She has a steady boyfriend Iwan and in 2006, she won an award for her work with the charity Born Free Foundation, for helping release three circus lions into a reserve in Africa. She’s also raised £45,000 working on a project with the Sun newspaper.

July 9th 1996 Chillenden, Kent.

On a warm summer’s afternoon on July 9 1996, while walking home from school, Lin Russell, her six-year-old daughter Megan and their pet dog Lucy, were bludgeoned to death by a person or persons unknown. A that time and for some time thereafter, the country was on massive manhunt and nine-year-old daughter Josie Russell’s life hung in the balance. She suffered severe head injuries and had to rebuild her life physically and emotionally. She still has trouble with language, spelling and writing which shows the catastrophic injury she suffered that day. Let’s remember that she needed a series of surgeries to repair her battered skull. She was never meant to live. Her resilience and willpower sustained her, the doctor’s use of their skills, pulled her through and her father’s dedication and love cherished her.

Stone - Three life sentences

On October 6, 1998, Michael Stone went on trial charged for the murders of Josie’s mother Lin and her six-year-old sister Megan and with the attempted murder of Josie Russell. He pleaded not guilty, but was found guilty and given three life sentences. He was to appeal twice and turned down twice. He is currently launching yet another appeal, more on that tomorrow. I was going to speak more about Michael Stone but the more I’ve researched, the more it has brought up my own feelings about this man. I would rather put a separate blog entry tomorrow because this entry is for Josie and why overshadow her today. She has come a long way and it is her own determination which has got her there.

“I'm ready to find out more about what happened to me and how it affected who I am today.”
One Life has another one of their excellent programmes next Tuesday 10.35pm dedicated to Josie in which she talks about her life now and the tragic events of the past or at least what Josie remembers. I remember watching news footage and having to switch off because I found it so distressing but was wowed by Josie’s father, Dr Shaun Russell, who was told by a police officer on that chilling day, that he had actually lost his whole family. A police officer at the scene then noticed that Josie was breathing and she was taken straight to hospital however Dr Russell was told to expect the worse. The Russell’s were to move back to their former home in Gwynedd, Wales, as the Kent home held too many memories. Josie started her long journey back to health but was so traumatised and so severely injured that she did not speak for months.

Confronting her demons
In the One Life programme, Josie revisits old faces, the doctor who first assessed her when she was admitted to King’s College Hospital, the little primary school in North Wales that made her feel so welcome and the police officers who spent two years putting evidence together. It was a year before the breakthrough was made which led to Michael Stone being arrested when Stone’s psychiatrist was watching a Crimewatch appeal and he realised that he could have the murderer as a client.

Now, at 21, Josie says she wants to confront her demons, but she cannot face Michael Stone who is now 46 and serving 25 years in Long Sutton Prison in York. Josie says: “I don’t really want to think about that now. It's been really good filling in the gaps and meeting all the people like the doctor, and Ed and Pauline, (police officers) But I don’t want to go to Kent again or talk about Michael Stone because there’s no point. The only thing I do think about it sometimes is why did he do it, if he did. I just want to think about the good memories of Lin and Megan and mostly about the future, now.”

Josie has minimal memories of her mother and sister which is such a shame but understandable. She has blocked out what happened on that July day and does not talk about it with her father. Maybe that is what is working for her? We all have different personalities and this may be right for Josie - But storing up problems which is what blocking a memory is, could be detrimental. I hope she's not making this worse for herself. Need to watch the programme to find out more however Josie Russell has grown into a beautiful young woman and Dr Shaun Russell deserves to be a very proud father.

Tomorrow’s blog entry is;
Did Michael Stone kill Lin and Megan Russell and attempt to kill Josie Russell?

BBC Link Josie Russell: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7317148.stm

Is This The First Pregnant Man?

2008-03-27T13:46:00.003Z

This is THOMAS BEATIE, his baby is due to be born on July 3rd.

Thomas had partial sex change surgery, having his breasts removed and has testosterone treatment and so is legally classified a man He did not have surgery on the lower part of his body and kept the female reproductive organs he was born with.

Sceptics are saying this could be a scam?
I think it could be true and there is a story of this happening before and I am not talking about Danny DeVito and Arnie in that terrible film.

"How does it feel to be a pregnant man? "Incredible," he wrote in The Advocate.

"Despite the fact that my belly is growing with a new life inside me, I am stable and confident being the man that I am."

"To Nancy, I am her husband carrying our child," he added, explaining that his wife is unable to conceive because of a hysterectomy 20 years ago.

"I will be my daughter's father and Nancy will be her mother. We will be a family."

Mr Beatie has caused a stir in America and detailed his struggle to become a father in a magazine aimed at gay, lesbian and transgender population.

This is not his first attempt at having a child. The original effort ended with Thomas losing his right fallopian tube as he was carrying an ectopic pregnancy with triplets. He claimed to have artificially inseminated himself at home with sperm sent from a sperm bank and this time he is carrying one baby - a daughter.

His wife Nancy is supportive but the rest of his family are adamantly against this.
"When my brother found out about my loss, he said, 'It's a good thing that happened. Who knows what kind of monsters they would have been'."

Some are saying this is a scam.
"Quite frankly, I think it's a hoax," said Ron Schlieper, who lives close to the Beaties in Bend, Oregon.
"I saw him a few days ago and he didn't look like that."
Josh Love, added: "I couldn't say that he looks pregnant. I can stick my stomach out and almost make it look like that. I think it's kind of bizarre. I don't know if I believe it or not."

Cynics also pointed to the possibility the story could be a publicity stunt for the T-shirt printing company run by the Beaties, called Define Normal.

We will have to wait and see won't we? If Thomas produces a baby from a certain orifice then that will shut the sceptics up. If he is given the correct hormones then I don't see why he shouldn't carry a baby?

De Lacy-Loopy-Loony Fired

2008-03-26T22:03:00.003Z

Aha! FIRED and quite rightly.

If blowing his trumpet was the task the boy would have won. But it wasn't and he didn't.

Now what on earth was this about class lines........The boy went to a minor private school in Shoreham By Sea which probably cost less a term than the lobster did!

So who else was in the boardroom? Raef "I sound like Hugh Grant but don't look anything like him" and Alex "I need a haircut and am very good at passing the buck". Raef, OMG, has a silver spoon firmly stuck up his backside, (and you'd sit like that if you'd had a spoon inserted in your never region).

What was the task? Selling FISH. The girls were led by Claire Young, who I said yesterday would probably not lead a task and go under the radar for weeks. Got that one wrong.......... Oh well they won and their treat was to get to the house first and have a meal made by the great Jean-Cristophe Novelli.

Who stood out for me? Lee of course and I was strangely turned on by the men in their blue aprons, white wellies and assorted ties; (apart from Nicholas who is a twat looks like one from 50 miles). I liked Steve too, he's got balls and rather large ones by the looks of it!
Claire surprised me in a good way, Lindi looks to be an interesting character too but in a scary bolshy way. Jennifer is another one I shall be looking out for.

As for men who I have not mentioned there is a reason...................zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz............What did they do? Let's see what future weeks brings.

If you want to watch Nic Brown fired again watch here;-
http://www.bbc.co.uk/apprentice/candidate/id/7/type/contestant.html

Shannon update - Donovan court date set

2008-03-26T14:16:00.002Z

November 11 2008 is the date that has been set for the trial of Michael Donovan, the man charged with the kidnap and false imprisonment of schoolgirl Shannon Matthews.

Donovan, 39, formally from Lidgate Gardens, Batley Carr, appeared via video link today (Wednesday) from his new home, Armley Prison in Leeds. The Recorder of Leeds, Judge Peter Collier, remanded Donovan into custody and another hearing will take place on July 11 but no doubt Donovan will not appear or appear by video

It seems like yesterday that Donovan was arrested, however it was March 14. Police raided his grotty flat in Batley Carr, West Yorkshire, and found the missing nine-year-old. Shannon had been missing for 24 days sparking the one of the biggest police inquiries in the area since the Yorkshire Ripper investigation of the 1970s.

Shannon is still under police protection or 'in care' however you want to put it. Her mother, Karen has said: "I fully understand that the police need to keep speaking to Shannon. I appreciate that could take some time and is not something that is going to happen overnight." Lets hope that now the glare of publicity is away from the family, normality is returning and Shannon has spent time with her mother. I find it all too odd to comprehend?

So WHO Does The Apprentice?

2008-03-25T09:15:00.015Z

So who are the gossipmungers talking about this year?

More than 20,000 high-flyers, wannabes and loonies applied for the position in Sir Alan’s empire, which is valued at £800 million.

Simon Ambrose won last year beating Kristina Grimes, who has a property website that allows buyers to speed up legal obstacles. Always thought she should had won.......Then again, I am not a 60 year old multi millionaire am I?

2008 The Apprentice starts on the Beeb, tomorrow 26 March. Can Katie Hopkins be forgotten now?

Is Shazia Wahab, an IT expert who committed professional suicide by suing a city law firm the new talk of the show, or is it Simon Smith, an ex-soldier fresh from rehab?

If you want more information read on, if you want more dirt, read on:

Speaking of muck, will Sir Alan, be "sick of looking" at Alex Wotherspoon a 24 a regional sales manager from Bolton. Alex Wotherspoon, started life selling horse manure for fertiliser says The Bolton News. Easy to say he sounds full of sh*t isn't it?!

"I give 100 per cent all the way. I always speak my mind," said Mr Wotherspoon who lives in Rosewood, Westhoughton. Let's see what he says as he drives away in the black cab then.

Want more on Wotherspoon then here's a link for The Bolton News: http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/display.var.2131969.0.0.php?act=complaint&cid=1292216

Next up is Raef Bjayou, aged 27, and an entrepreneur from North West London. He's privately educated at WESTBROOK HAY and HAILEYBURY where he was School Captain. He then read Politics & History at University of Exeter where he founded the Exeter University Debating Society. Apparently he has faced death many times - Don't know if that was while debating at Exeter but it may be when he meets Sir Alan in the boardroom.

Contender? Possibly? Tit? Definitely!
For the intellectuals amongst us have a read this link on 'RB' in 'Real Business': http://www.realbusiness.co.uk/business-comment/4998911/alan-sugars-new-entrepreneur-apprentice.thtml

Ian Stringer is third in the line up. He's a 26-year-old, software sales manager, from Flitwick in Bedfordshire.

Ian has two young children and is separated from his wife. So young.........
Ian's claim to fame was that he had a No. 8 hit in the charts – the second top selling unofficial World Cup record for 2006 – when he rewrote the lyrics to Tony Christie's Amarillo.
"He's a really nice guy. He had a game of football and took us all out for dinner." Stringer said of Christie.......Is Stringer a nice guy? Think so

http://www.bedfordtoday.co.uk/todays-choice/Bidding-to-become-The-Apprentice.3899308.jp

Bit boring for me.

I admit I look the look of the photo and don't care what this man's personality is like, I WANT HIM TO STAY, but for those who want more info;
Lee McQueen, 30, recruitment sales manager for Capita Group. He now lives in Buckinghamshire, but his first proper job was as a catering manager at Harrow School.

Can I just look at the picture? He's single" (HOORAY)...I'm married.....

His trademark is his 'reverse pterodactyl' impression

Next!

Nicholas De Lacy Brown, 24, is a barrister and it seems an artist too. Here's a link to prove the later! http://www.delacy-brown.com/ Doubt he won the Apprentice otherwise this website would not be there and he'd be too busy working for Sir Alan.

Nicholas lives in West London but was formally from Shoreham by Sea in Sussex and went to a minor private day school called OUR LADY OF SION.

He says: "From the moment I was born I knew I was destined for great things." And added the 'De Lacy' bit to his name to make him sound posher. Bye bye Nic Brown.

Simon Smith, 35, is a Sky senior satellite TV engineer from Harlow in Essex.
Oh hang on, there is more to Simon that first meets the eye, Simon spent nine years as an NCO in the Royal Artillery Regiment where he qualified as a surveyor before his exemplary discharge.

Simon fought in Bosnia and not only battled the enemy, but also battled a drug habit. He wants to help other ex-soldiers rehabilitate into the community. What has this got to do with winning the Apprentice? I don't know........ I wonder though if Simon is a fighter and may do better than it looks on paper or too old to be taught new tricks.

..........Forgive me but I do not see many good contestants out of this lot so far.

Maybe Kevin Shaw can turn things around. Kevin, 24, was a bank manager by the age of 19 and is now a regional manager for the Halifax PLC. Obviously he can't sing or they would have had him doing one of those awful ads. He's from Woking in Surrey but originally from Bath and is friends with Jenson Button.

Definitely a get up and go sort of character. "I am driven, ambitious and hungry... I don't mess about. If I want something I will get it." Says the Crawley Observer. http://www.crawleyobserver.co.uk/latest-south-east-news/Budding-apprentices-hope-to-be.3890090.

Kevin Shaw has Contender written all over him.

Michael Sophocles, 24, is a telesales executive from North London. This is the official line. He is also an ACTOR or at least an am-dram actor. http://www.newtheatrix.co.uk/Trial/thecast.html so he will know how to perform in the boardroom. Michael is another ex privately educated candidate from HIGHGATE SCHOOL where his love of acting started.

I'm beginning to think most of the candidates are only up for this for the publicity or is it the TV producers picking the people for TV frolics and viewing figures?

Michael Sophocles is only in it for for exposure

Who's next?

Ah yes Shazia Wahab, 35, is a self employed mosaic artist from South London. Let's get the rumours out of the way.

"I October 2003 City law firm Allen & Overy found guilty of victimising Shazia Wahab, an Asian IT expert who sued her former employer for punitive damages totalling £1m. "
Here's a write up from a non-tabloid newspaper. Lawyer.com: http://www.thelawyer.com/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=107095

So we know she stands her ground and will not tolerate BS.
Shazia is one of 11 children and has had to fight to get where she is. I like her.

Claire Young, 29, is a senior retail buyer from South London . Born in South Africa and brought up in Wakefield where she attended ST HILDA'S and WAKEFIELD HIGH SCHOOLS. She then went to Bristol uni where she read medicine for a year but swapped to horses gaining a Bsc in Equine Studies.

She's single and Oprah is her hero oh and she's ambitious, her nickname at work is `the rottweiler'.

I don't have much to say about her because she comes across as one of the crowd. DULL........Would like to be proved wrong.

Lucinda Ledgerwood, 31, is a risk manager from Edinburgh However she also has a multitude of other job titles to her name. She has a registered business address at Elmwood Terrace in Edinburgh. Lucinda's biggest regret is turning down being a Bond body double - Again another 'wannabe'.
I cannot get over how many this year wastrels there are? I find Lucinda a posh boring bird. Hope she goes quickly.

Link to Scottish Daily Record: http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/entertainment-news/2008/03/19/former-checkout-girl-battles-for-the-apprentice-crown-86908-20355469/

Sara Dhada, 25, is a car trader from Leicester but that does not do her justice. Sara is a qualified lawyer with a degree in both law and economics. She took over the reigns of her family car business from her brothers. Why do the Apprentice? What about the family business, obviously doesn't care about that anymore.

"I'm a true example of pure class and elegance. I don't try to be glamorous - I'm just naturally like that."

And she believes she is ALWAYS RIGHT.

Lindi Mngaza, 22, is a business liaison manager from Birmingham

Business liaison manager Lindi, 22, said: "My nickname among friends is African Princess, as I am from royal descendants."She lives by the motto: "There is no I in team, but there is an I in winner." Lindi might find spelling team hard as she is dyslexic (joke), my daughter is mildly dyslexic, I understand completely.

Don't think I like her much either.

Jennifer Maguire, 27, originates from Dublin but now lives in Bristol. She is described as a marketing consultant from Bristol and says of her skills,
"I can sell pieces of paper for £50. I rate myself as the best salesperson in Europe."
What about personnel skills?
She's an "iron fist in a velvet glove"
Jennifer is an ex champion showjumper too.....Don't know what that has to do with running businesses?
Link here to the Driffield Times:http://www.driffieldtoday.co.uk/latest-south-west-news/Budding-Apprentice-hopes-to-be.3889839.jp

Single mum, Jenny Celerier, 36, is a sales manager from Leicester is a fighter. She contracted meningitis and was told she would never 'sustain independent living again' and she did.

Jenny has a degree in marketing from the DeMontford University and awards coming out of her ears. She doesn't sit on the fence and if she means what she says this is a contender. Her age may be against her, nevertheless, she is in the top 12. Reminds me very much of Kristina on paper and not just saying tat because she is a single mum. Jenny has the same credentials and btw the photo does her no good.

Helene Speight, 32, is a global pricing leader from Wakefield, Yorkshire
I have no idea what exactly a global pricing leader does? Sounds good on paper but is probably dull and well paid as most of the executive jobs are.

"I don't have regrets. I do what I do and deal with the consequences." Helene says.
She works in her 'global pricing job for General Electric and is responsible growing profits and market share in the automotive, airline, oil and gas industries. Ahhh...Now I know!

Helene believes she can triumph though her ability to be decisive, inclusive, and influential in the workplace and after this she will conquer the planet.

Will put a blog entry on Wednesday on how I feel the show went and my new views on the contestants. Wonder if they will change much? TV can manipulate our views and I have no doubt that what we see and what is true are two differing things anyway.

Ex SLA Radical Sarah Jane Olson Blunder Means Back To Jail, No $200

2008-03-23T12:26:00.004Z

Sarah Jane Olson, a member of the radical US 1970s Symbionese Liberation Army famous for kidnapping the American heiress Patty Hearst, has been returned to jail, less than a week after being released on parole.

Who is she?

In 1975 Sarah Jane Olson was sent to prison for after seven years for charges ranging from second degree murder to possessing a destructive device with intent to murder in. Nice woman then?

On Monday, Sarah Jane Olson was released from a Californian woman’s prison, but officials found an "administrative error" and Olson will need to return to her cell for another year…..Oh dear, if you are going to make a cock up, make it a high profile one.

Olson, 61, changed her name from Kathleen Soliah, while she was a member of the militant Symbionese Liberation Army and went on the run for almost a quarter of a century, marrying Dr Gerald Peterson, and Emergency Room Doc. The couple lived for a while in Zimbabwe before moving back to America, St. Paul, Minnesota to be precise.

Olson changed from being a confrontational rebel who was involved in a plot to plant pipe bombs beneath police cars, to a respectable housewife or homemaker, as our American friends would call it.

She and Gerald had three daughters and lived in a posh part of town only being recognised in 1999 when she was featured on ‘Americas Most Wanted’ and was sent for trial in 2001.

Pleaded Guilty

She pleaded guilty to two charges of possessing a destructive device with the intent to murder and struck a deal in the bank case, pleading guilty to second-degree murder. For the murder conviction, she was given a one-year sentence. For the botched bombings, she was initially sentenced to five years and four months, but that was extended to 12 years after a state prison board designated her “a serious offender.” This is where the problem arose and nobody took any notice of it.

"The department is sensitive to the impact that such an error has had on all involved in this case and sincerely regrets the mistake," Scott Kernan, the agency's chief deputy secretary of adult operations, said at a Saturday afternoon news conference.
"The department has launched a full investigation."
OK, sounds like the same as in the UK, a balls up has occurred and we will look at this, it will happen again, has happened before but being in the public eye we have to be seen to be looking into this.

Did The Prison Authorities Pick This Up Quickly Then Recall Her Back To Prison?

It appears not, Jon Opsahl, son of Myrna Opsahl, the woman killed in the bank robbery, called the Sacramento County district attorney's office and said he believed Olson had not served enough time.
Corrections department officials acknowledged that they began an intensive review of their internal calculations of the sentence after getting questions from the Sacramento County district attorney's office and a local television reporter, but they denied that they had bowed to pressure……..Of course not.

After Olson was taken back into custody, Los Angeles Police Protective League President Tim Sands issued a statement, saying, "We are relieved that Sara Jane Olson has been returned to prison for another year."

Kernan called the case "extremely complicated, given the amount of changes to the sentencing laws that have occurred over the last 30 years." Olson should have been sentenced to 14 years, not 12, for the two crimes, Kernan said. He said state officials had failed to account for the bank robbery.

The earliest possible release date for Olson now is March 17, 2009, he said. At that point, she will have served half of the 14-year term. So she serves half the sentence? Yes . Like most California inmates, Olson has earned credit against her sentence for working while in prison. Same as UK again. She has served on a ‘maintenance crew’ which had the joyous task of sweeping and cleaning the main yard of the Central California Women's Facility in Chowchilla.

She was taken to a prison in Chino on Saturday but will be moved back to Chowchilla, Kernan said."The department is sensitive to the effects this has had. The department sincerely regrets the mistake," said Alberto Roldan, chief deputy general counsel for the Department of Corrections. Roldan claims the mistake was made in 2004 – However the MISTAKE happened - it happened. We are talking about a woman who was involved in, robberies and murders. She may have lived for over 20 years as a housewife but she still needed to pay for her crime and she still committed it. Who’s to say how many other mistakes there are walking about in America today who are much more dangerous than she is?

More on the SLA

The Symbionese Liberation Army was a paramilitary group of self-styled radicals that attracted international attention for crimes that included the murder of the superintendent of the Oakland schools and the kidnapping of newspaper heiress Patty Hearst.

The SLA's leaders took the name "Symbionese" from the word "symbiosis." It was meant to describe the group's concept of "living in deep and loving harmony."

The SLA had only 13 members, according to multiple reports. One was Kathleen Soliah, now Sara Jane Olson. She was among the five group members who robbed a Sacramento bank in 1975, killing Myrna Opsahl, a mother of four.

SLA member Emily Montague admitted to holding the shotgun that killed Opsahl but claimed it went off accidentally.

In a letter read in a Sacramento courtroom in February 2003, Olson admitted entering the bank and wrote of Opsahl: "If we had foreseen her killing, we would never have robbed the bank."

photo1 Sarah Jane Olson

photo2 Kathleen Soliah before name change to Sarah Jane Olson

photo3 Sarah with husband ER DR Gerald Peterson

photo4 John Opsahl and Myrna Opsahl

photo5 SLA wanted poster

photo6 Patty Hearst

The Man With No Face

2008-03-23T10:40:00.004Z

Background

Jose Mestre is a 51 year old man from Lison, Portugal. His story will be told next Wednesday on Five on the Extraordinary People series as this is one very extraordinary man.

For the past 35 years, half of his face has been taken over by a massive growth, distorting it out of all recognition – and it's still growing. The tumour is now 15 inches long and weighs a staggering 12 pounds. Here's a youtube video on Jose Mestre, you will need to be a member to view this and over 18. (Easy to join)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=related&v=EhdrzCGxlDE

He has had years of misunderstanding, misdiagnosis and a lack of money for treatment, he has also tolerated taunts from people who are not always cruel but sometimes senseless. I admit when I first saw the advert for the programme I was intrigued and perversely looking forward to watching the show on Wednesday to find out more about this ‘tumour’. Am I being as senseless as those who wish to take photos?

Jose has become like the Elephant man all those years ago and looking at what he has, it is possible that Joseph Merrick had the same condition, or at least a mixture of this and other medical conditions.

Jose has already been part of a programme on the Documentary Channel which was shown in December and if you were lucky enough to see that then you have an advantage over me. That said, read on because you may still learn more about this condition. Jose’s condition is a vascular malformation, called HAEMANGIOMA. This is a collection of blood vessels and veins in his face that have expanded, producing a raised red area on the skin. I found this description which I think says it better than I could;
“in effect what should be a river carrying blood back to his heart has turned into a lake, which has now expanded to obliterate the rest of his features.”

Jose was born with a strawberry-coloured birth mark on his upper lip; at puberty his face started growing, eventually smothering his lips, nose and one of his eyes. He is now blinded in one eye and the tumour is beginning to suffocate him.

This remarkable man has always been fearful of surgery because of religious beliefs. He is a Jehovah’s Witness and the risk of surgery would carry the risk of severe bleeding and ultimately the danger of death. Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that blood must not be transfused, although some Medical procedures involving certain blood fractions are left to conscience.

Hope

Jose’s search led him to one of the UK's top facial surgeons who suggested treating Jose by ultrasound waves. The ultrasound waves coagulate the blood before the operation which should allow the operation to go ahead without heavy bleeding.

Jose’s search for an effective treatment may have arrived, but it was still high risk surgery.

Jose travelled over to the UK and endured tests and was examined by two doctors, Loshan Kangesu, a consultant plastic surgeon at Broomfield Hospital, and Dr Iain Hutchison of St Bartholomew's in London. Dr Hutchison, who also runs the Saving Faces surgery research charity was optimistic that a single operation with a harmonic scalpel (the scalpel which cauterises as it cuts), could have a remarkable effect on Jose’s features;
"I think we can remove a large proportion of the lesions – around 80 per cent," he said. "We would then have to deal with the underlying nose, lip and tongue disfigurement."
"I have never seen a vascular malformity as bad," he added.

Pictured here is Jose sightseeing in London, however he is more used to visiting Rossio Square, one of the Lison's main plazas. Jose would sit out the afternoons and has become a local celebrity; he has never resented the stares and questions of strangers. He will always have a disfigured face but can surgery help to stop the tumour supressing his airways and give him more 'normal' appearance?

Watch Wednesday's show on Five and see what happens.

Brave man

Support groups
SAVING FACES www.savingfaces.co.uk Aims to reduce facial injuries and diseases worldwide through education and research. Aims to improve the physical and psychological treatment of all victims of oral cancer and other facial diseases by leading research into these conditions and injuries.

CHANGING FACES www.changingfaces.org.uk Changing Faces is a national charity based in the UK that supports and represents people who have disfigurements of the face or body from any cause. The programme interviewed James Partridge, the founder of Changing Faces.

THE BIRTHMARK SUPPORT GROUP www.birthmarksupportgroup.org.uk The Birthmark Support Group was set up by parents of children with birthmarks in December 1998 at the suggestion of Drs Harper and Syed from Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children. Objective is to provide a UK based support group for anyone with a birthmark.

Teachers Union To Ballot Members - BUT.......

2008-03-22T23:18:00.004Z

............"Staff will say no"

The National Union Of Teachers has voted to prepare for a rolling campaign of industrial action over pay and excessive class sizes. The teachers' union will now ballot members on a series of possible strikes in England and Wales.

Says Sky News

It is delegation time and this happens often and I know that teaching unions are passionate however teachers on the coalface will not go on strike.

Delegates at the NUT's annual conference in Manchester condemned the Prime Minster's approach to limiting public sector workers' pay.
Ian Murch, from the NUT's ruling executive, told the conference: "If I were you Mr Brown I would be doing my sums again. You wouldn't like us when we are angry - and we are getting a bit angry now."
And he told Schools Secretary Ed Balls to prepare for a fight, saying: "If I were you Mr Balls, I would put my tin hat on right now."
The union is already balloting members on a one-day strike over pay, provisionally scheduled for April 24.

Yeah yeah...........The thing is that this is only ONE UNION and if one union goes on strike it means that the other teachers who are not in that union need to pick up the pieces and it will not happen.

How do I know? Too many years working with very hard working teachers thats how!
I'm a non paid school governor, ex chair, always ensure I put in what I can.
I know that there are massive problems in education and Labour's:-
"EDUCATION EDUCATION EDUCATION" is "BO****KS, BO****KS, BO****KS" I'm not spelling the word BOOK!

My children went to a state primary school and they got through by luck and good teaching......Lots of the former though.

Don't allow the union leaders who are on massive wages start talking about money. They get paid a lot to 'perform' but then again need the money to pay for their posh cars and private school fees.

Tibet - What's It All About?

2008-03-22T16:23:00.007Z

Off to India

I’ve held off writing about Tibet, it is a strong political area and I needed to research what I was talking about and fully understand it. I don't know if I really do understand it now but my blog is not just a newsreel, it is here for my thoughts too. FACTS are here on my blog for all too see too but this is a much harder entry to write as it is easy to blog about someone who has passed away; it is not so easy to comprehend why a proportion of a nation of people turn into rioters?

They have had enough!

Those that can have gone over the border to Nepal. They live in basic refugee camps and hope for support from wealthier people than themselves. The luckier ones manage to get to other countries but can never return to their homeland.

"Resolutely crushed"

Today China's leading newspaper ruling Communist Party called for efforts to "resolutely crush" anti-government demonstrations by Tibetans, while Beijing urged people to turn in those on a "Most Wanted" list of 21 protesters. It has showed photos taken from video and security footage of those most wanted including monks. Beijing says that these 21 have endangered national security, and citing beating, smashing, looting and arson, and is defiant that ‘the Dalai Lama clique’ will not overthrow Chinese rule.

Xinhua, the official news agency said that Police have arrested 24 people and another 183 have turned themselves in. Two of the 21 suspects were arrested and a third turned himself in. Rewards have been offered to those who are prepared to give information on the remaining 19 with anonymity offered.

As I have been researching this for some time now, I’m beginning to be more fearful. It is almost as though Tibet and Tibetans are not important. Why did we hear about Iraq? Read on though because you may well realise the same things that I am thinking - Who the hell is going to have a go at China? They have too much power. I think Bush would wet his pants rather than face that oriental nation. The poor souls in Tibet don’t stand a chance.

China is a growing country and we are probably fearful because it is a closed country. My daughter is a day pupil at a girls boarding school where I would say 70% of the boarders are from China or Hong Kong. The school accepts them because they will pay and why will they pay? They have lots of money and value an English private education. The Chinese are like the Japanese were in the 50's, they're economy is booming compared to most nations and no one will want to rock the boat for fear of a backlash. It might be that a British PM could say something though if the Chinese value our 'values'? Are we over a barrow? Do the Chinese have so much surplace cash that is invested in the west, could they bring down the whole world economy? NO, not likely, they would hurt themselves too much.

What is frightening, and a lot is frightening, Lodi Gyari, President of a human rights group says that the Tibetan province of U-Tsang is secretly used for testing of nuclear weapons. There have been births of deformed animals and humans in the region which provide evidence of the testing. According to Gyari, China also imports nuclear waste from the West, and dumps it in Tibet.

So China has nuclear weapons? I think we all know that and it is no wonder no one wants to deal with this dangerous monster.

A Very Little Tibetan History

Tibet has been under Chinese control since Mao Zedong led his Chinese communist government to assert power over this Buddhist country in 1950.

Since 1950, there have been a number of protests against the Chinese regime, the most brutal and bloodiest was in 1959 when the 14th and current Dalai Lama, led a failed uprising resulting in him having to leave his homeland. He now lives in exile in India but the Chinese government believes this current uprising is being led by his supporters calling them ‘The Dalai Lama clique’.

“Life in Tibet before the Chinese Communist invasion was pastoral, primitive, and peaceful. Now the majority of the population in much of Tibet is Chinese immigrants living in concrete apartment blocks”

Tibetans have had to tolerate Beijing’s policy of encouraging the Han Chinese to move to the Tibetan Plateau for decades. The Tibetans have had all of their rights withdrawn and feel bitter because it is their homeland. They have also had their Buddhist beliefs suppressed under Chinese Communist rule.

Why would a peaceful protest turn into riots by an angry mob?

The rallies began last week when up to 300 Buddhist monks, who were marching from their monastery in Drepung 10km from Lhasa, stopped at an agreed checkpoint where about 20 military and police vehicles were also unusually seen. Between 50 and 60 monks were detained at this checkpoint. It is unclear why the monks were detained or where they were taken. This march marked the 49th anniversary on March 10 of the 1959 uprising. Tens of thousands of men, women and children were killed in the uprising.
Many more have been killed or tortured since.

The rallies of last week escalated into violence which spread from Tibet into neighboring provinces of Sichuan, Qinghai and Gansu. All are home to Tibetan populations but it is thought that protests would not spread further a field as there is virtually no support for the Tibetan rioters in China.

Large-scale riots in Lhasa last week were sparked off at when it was alleged an armoured vehicle deliberately ploughed into a crowd of people. The angry Tibetans who have had to live with churning resentment, attacked any ethnic Chinese store, or vehicle they could find. They hurled petrol bombs, burned down a police station and a market, set fire to two police cars and a fire truck in retaliation.

Of course the Chinese authorities have photographs of what they call criminals setting fires, holding swords and causing riots. What hope have they got for a fair trial? Atrocities on the people of Tibet have increased under the new Chinese regime and if you treat people like animals then surely they will begin to act like animals. Are these really “criminals who are carrying out activities to split the nation."?
http://youtube.com/watch?v=rA2U8cIjNws

Record of Chinese atrocities in Tibet
1.2 million Tibetans died as a direct result of Chinese atrocities.

Over 6000 monasteries and institutes of learning have been destroyed

Precious Tibetan artifacts were vandalized and sold in Hong Kong markets

Over 6000 Tibetan religious and historical literature have been destroyed

Tibetans in Tibet are second class citizen without basic Human Rights, such as Freedom of Expression, Freedom of Religion, Right to Education, etc

Tibetan women are subjected to forced abortion and sterilization

Tibetan Children are denied their right to education

70% of Tibetans living in Tibet now are illiterate

Arbitrary arrests, torture, intimidation and imprisonment without trial are the order of the day for Tibetans in their country

Tibet has been divided into different parts and incorporated with Chinese provinces, thereby removing the existing Tibetan identity

Thousands of Tibetans are still in prisons in China

Tibet’s natural resources and fragile ecology are irreversibly destroyed

6 Million Tibetans have been outnumbered by 7.5 Million Chinese inducted into Tibet causing demographic disadvantage to Tibetans in their own country

Sources:
Amnesty International

Human Rights Watch

Freedom House

Human Rights First

United Nations

Damn Lies

Beijing's official death toll from last week's rioting in Lhasa is now put at 22, rising from 10 last week. This news has come from the Xinhua News Agency who go on to report that five more civilians and a police officer died also. The Tibetan government-in-exile fear the figure is nearer 100 dead Tibetans 80 in Lhasa and in Gansu province. I have a link here – A an EXTREMELY GRAPHIC LINK of the dead from the Tibetan uprising. BE WARNED;-http://www.freetibet.org/press/kirtiphotos.html

Different newspapers and websites contain differing views and the Guardian blog is a brilliant one in my view, see link;- http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/news/2008/03/life_and_death_struggle_in_tib.html I know there are two sides to every story but I can’t see the Chinese side of things? There is money to be made from the Min Valley (a tributary of the Yangtse River), where if you should ever get to travel along it (not now, no westerners allowed in Tibet), you’d see nothing but log jams in the river. On some roads, 50 timber trucks may pass by in an hour.

Quote “The Chinese dictatorship maintains a monopoly on timber-cutting, and reserves all profits for itself.” Quote

A side factor of this is that no effort is made at reforestation.

It is all about land then? Maybe more about nuclear weapons? Remember what Lord Gyari said?

World Leaders - Any Good?
Gordon Brown has agreed to speak to the Dalai Lama;-http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7304773.stm
Other world leaders about beginning to mumble now. I read Helen Clarke was supposed to be having some sort of meeting with the Chinese next month? The Americans have said; "There has to be dialogue". Who with? And of course they have the famous Buddhist Richard Gere who said; "The Tibetans have been marginalised in recent years, much more than before, and that's why you see this pressure cooker effect," OK that was helpful but he is not a MP and therefore cannot push this matter forward. Who can?

The Dalai Lama has been accused of leading the uprising but he has stated that only peaceful means must be used. He also believes Beijing should hold the Olympics and supports this. I’m not sure if sport and politics should have anything to do with each other if I’m honest. Politics is a messy enough game……But how do we help Tibet? Now I have learnt the facts, I believe Tibetans are being persecuted. I understand this. Many have had to leave their homeland rather than be had their civil liberties diminished, risk being tortured, or face murder by the dark military forces.

Snippets from the Dalai Lama’s latest speech with the full speech link at the end.

“I would like to take this opportunity to express my deep gratitude to world leaders and the international community for their concern over the recent sad turn of events in Tibet and for their attempts to persuade the Chinese authorities to exercise restraint in dealing with the demonstrations”

“Since the Chinese Government has accused me of orchestrating these protests in Tibet, I call for a thorough investigation by a respected body, which should include Chinese representatives, to look into these allegations.”

“Whether it was intended or not, I believe that a form of cultural genocide has taken place in Tibet, where the Tibetan identity has been under constant attack.”

“The distinctive Tibetan cultural heritage with its characteristic language, customs and traditions is fading away.”

“In reality, there is no religious freedom in Tibet. Even to call for a little more freedom is to risk being labeled a separatist. Nor is there any real autonomy in Tibet, even though these basic freedoms are guaranteed by the Chinese constitution.”

“I believe the demonstrations and protests taking place in Tibet are a spontaneous outburst of public resentment built up by years of repression”

“We remain committed to taking the Middle Way approach and pursuing a process of dialogue in order to find a mutually beneficial solution to the Tibetan issue”

http://www.dalailama.com/news.218.htm FULL SPEECH

Just A little more information

Alexsander Solzhenitsyn calls the Chinese rule in Tibet "more brutal and inhumane than any other communist regime in the world."

One-sixth of the Tibetan population has been exterminated in prison camps or by starvation

Chinese soldiers garrison every major town in Tibet to prevent rebellion. Elite soldiers watch the regular troops, to keep them from revolting.

President Bush led the United States into war against Saddam Hussein and his Hitlerian practices of genocide and ecocide. Yet the President has refused to take any action against the Chinese government, whose pillage of Kuwait is at least as destructive of human rights and the environment as was Saddam's pillage of Kuwait. Instead, President Bush has urged Congress to give "Most Favoured Nation" trading status to China

Granting China easy access to U.S. export markets exacerbates Chinese demand for Tibetan natural resources

The American government has not always been so callous about Tibet. Until the early 1970s, the U.S. government provided a training camp for Tibetan freedom fighters near the Colorado mountain town of Leadville!

Can we help? What can we do?
http://www.freetibet.org/ FREE TIBET - Online link to petition, news reports etc

http://www.tibet.com/Action/index.html THE GOVERNMENT OF TIBET IN EXILE - how to write to your local congressman/PM. Make your voice heard!

http://www.helptibet.org.uk/ HELP TIBET - Practical support for Tibetan refugees living in Nepal and India

SORRY FOR LONG ENTRY.

Easter Hols And Oz Send Us Their Paedophiles!

2008-03-21T06:13:00.007Z

My kids are now off till April 115th..........Or its going to feel like that.

Days of bickeringing, shouting, ' the patronization of the younger brother by the elder sister, the 'setting up of the elder sister up like a spinning tot, and watching her go, by the younger one.

Can't wait..........

Celebrity - Hell NO?

Yesterday the camera lights flashed, the reporters got the notebooks and mini recorders out and you could had thought a celebrity had emerged from the Cathay Pacific flight from Australia with the fabulous arrival he received.

It now does not matter which website or which newspaper you go to, they all have the story, serial paedophile Raymond Horne, who spent 14 years in jail for offences against boys, is now in our country after being deported from Australia. He is a free man.

Raymond Kenneth Horne, 61, has been handed to police by Australian immigration officials, who accompanied him on a flight from Oz. He was released from a Brisbane jail after serving a 12-year sentence for 14 child sex offences committed after he lured two homeless boys to his apartment while volunteering for a charity.

He should be put on the sex offenders register for life as soon as he arrived in the country and I would have no doubt that a multi-agency team made up of police, probation officers and others, including doctors and social workers will be looking into how they deal with this man immediately. "Where it is known that a sex offender convicted in another country is to be deported to the UK, he is met at the port of entry by the police, who interview him and pass any relevant information to the police in the area to which the offender is proposing to live." (And he can move to wherever he chooses). Breaching the sex offenders register carries a five year sentence.

Raymond Horne started on his road to deviant crime at a young age;

By the time Horne was 21, he was a repeat offender in Queensland, with convictions for assault, drugs and sexual offences.

He served two months for abusing boys in 1968. In 1992 he was behind bars again for indecent assault of children aged under 14

He was paroled the following year but jailed again after abusing more boys within a month

In 1995 he lured two homeless boys aged 13 and 15 back to his flat and subjected them to repeated brutal rapes

And There Are More

Horne has left behind a 43-year criminal history in Queensland, but he is not the only paedophile to be sent back from Australia. An article in the Times not only tells us about Horne but enlightens us about another man by the name of Robert Excell. A similar situation occurred in 2005 when Robert Excell, 66, (pictured left), deported from Australia. “Police were powerless to hold Excell”, He had spent the past 37 out of 39 years in various jails in Australia for a string of child sex convictions dating back to 1965, when he was found guilty of a sexual assault against a boy aged 7. They would had sent him back sooner but the case was delayed by a police investigation into allegations that he had committed rape while in jail in the state capital, Perth.

The Sun also add another name to the list when in May last year, Keith Jamieson, 56, (no picture)arrived back in Britain after more than ten years in jail for raping boys aged ten to 18. The depraved bastards.

What Now?

UK-based RWA Child Protection Service director Paul Roffey, accused the Queensland Police and Corrective Services Minister Judy Spence of simply “shifting the problem offshore” and warned that Horne is likely to re-offend, why? Because he has “no social network” and will feel “isolated”.

Is this compared to the thousands of paedophiles who have lived all their lives in this country?
What stops then re-offending? Roffey claims that Horne’s loneliness could lead him to commit offences. You might as well give him an excuse then?

Judy Spence, said after the decision to deport Horne, he should be closely watched and that Australia “would be well rid of him”. “If he wasn’t being thrown out of the country we would have applied to the court to have him kept in jail,” she said. “I’m told UK authorities know he’s coming. My advice to them is to keep him under close supervision.”

Horne, who has lived in Australia since he was five years old, may not have gained Aussie citizenship but he was an Aussie by default living an Aussie life, albeit a debauched one. Roffey went on to say, “Had Horne been convicted in Britain he would have been likely to receive an indeterminate sentence because of his persistent offending and lack of remorse” (so bit critical of Aussie rules Mr Roffey, ours are not so perfect), and continued “But it appears that no special conditions will be imposed on him other than having to sign the Sex Offenders Register”.
OK, that reassures me I say, my tongue firmly in cheek.

There is a sad irony in Horne, Excell and others being sent to the UK. Many years ago it was the UK sending its unwanted convicts to Australia and did Australia have any choice? No. They were stuffed as to who they received. We should be learning from Oz and we should send more ‘immigrant prisoners’ back to their own countries; after all, ours are prisons are fit to bursting and our laws seem to allow immigrants back on to the streets once they have served their sentence.

Why are these men being deported now and not when they committed the crimes?

Australian authorities, (would Judy pictured here had been involved in this judgely huddle?) had planned to keep Horne behind bars indefinitely but last week declared him an "unlawful citizen" and sent him to Britain. The Immigration Department has not explained why Horne was not been deported before.

In other words it is cheaper to send him to the UK?

I feel so safe this morning, (again tongue in cheek) so safe that our government can run this country and have rules to keep us safe in return........

Oh and it's Good Friday and I had forgotten the importance of this day for so many people.

Porridge to Last Of The Summer Wine, Foggy Dies In His Sleep

2008-03-20T22:09:00.006Z

Brian Wilde, the 80 year old actor best known for playing Foggy in Last of the Summer Wine and mild mannered, prison officer Mr Barrowclough, in Porridge has died.

The actor's son, Andrew Wilde, said his father died in the early hours of Thursday morning. Apparently Wilde suffered a fall around seven weeks ago and never fully recovered.

"He was shaky the last few days but nobody expected this. He went to bed and didn't wake up.’
Wilde's agent Nick Young said: "He will be sadly missed by family and colleagues alike.
"He brought a great deal of laughter into everyone's lives over the course of his career."

Wilde's Last of the Summer Wine co-star Peter Sallis said: "He was great fun to be with and to work with so I'm very, very sorry to hear the news."

Lancashire-born Wilde started his comedy career in the Sixties, supporting Tony Hancock in episodes of his 1963 ATV series followed by Room At The Bottom in 1966. He then started taking minor roles in films such as Carry On Doctor and The Jokers, both in 1967.

His first major TV success was in 1970 as depot manager Bloody Delilah, in the ITV sitcom The Dustbinmen, but Porridge was where he got his big break in 1973 playing the somewhat dopey prison officer who seemed to fall for Fletcher's antics every time.

He joined Last Of The Summer Wine in 1976, and left in 1985 because of ill health. He rallied and returned to the show after five years to quit for good in 1997.

Paul Schofield, Oscar Winning Actor Has Died

2008-03-20T11:52:00.004Z

Oscar-winning actor Paul Scofield has died, his agent Rosalind Chatto, announced today. He was 86.

He had been diagnosed with leukaemia and died peacefully yesterday in a hospital near to his Sussex home, Ms Chatto added.

Scofield won an oscar in 1966 for his portrayal of Sir Thomas More in the film of Robert Bolt's A Man For All Seasons and was considered one of the greatest actors of his generation.s

He went on to win several Baftas after playing many more famous roles on stage.

Paul Scofield was born on January 21, 1922, in Hurstpierpoint, Sussex where his father was the village schoolmaster.

He was educated at Varndean School in Brighton, where, his passion for acting began. He notoriously wore blond plaits when playing Juliet and Rosalind in school productions.

Killer Steve Wright To Appeal His Sentence

2008-03-20T07:46:00.006Z

This is making my blood boil and more to follow later.

Serial killer Steve Wright has applied for permission to appeal against his conviction for murdering five prostitutes, Suffolk police said.

Wright, 49-year-old former QE2 steward, from Ipswich, Norwich was found guilty last month of murdering Gemma Adams, 25, Tania Nicol, 19, Anneli Alderton, 24, Paula Clennell, 24 and Annette Nicholls, 29. Their bodies were found at various remote locations all around Ipswich over a 10-day period in December 2006.

A Suffolk police spokeswoman confirmed Wright's intention to appeal after he was handed a ‘whole-life sentence.’ "We have been informed by Ipswich Crown Court that Steve Wright has put in an application for leave to appeal against his convictions," Julie Crosby, manager of Ipswich Crown Court, said: "We received an application (on Tuesday) from Wright's representative to appeal against his convictions. He has also applied for a representation order for a new solicitor – Why?

"The paperwork has now been sent to the Court of Appeal in London, where it will be considered."

I wish a life meant a life and there were no tariffs. Wright - cannot say Steve Wright because I think of the DJ and not this murderer, was told he would spend his life behind bars. But I find it incredulous that a man who rapes and murders at least five women, and let us be under no misapprehension, this man must have attacked other women, is asking for the potential be released from prison to kill again.

Psychologists know enough about how perverts like these work and they know that it is likely that Wright started to find his victims many years ago, he was not caught. He knows his own danger; he is a sick menacing deviant. When did he start this lust for perversion?

Of course this brings up the question;“Is Steve Wright, Suzy Lamplugh’s killer, Mr Kipper”?

The media have been quick to jump on the link with Wright working with Miss Lamplugh on the QE2 together and Wright was on shore leave when Suzy was murdered; so did he do it? Wright’s DNA has been tested but there were no matches and the detective leading the case does not believe Wright is the fishy man we have looked for all these years. Besides he does not fit the physical description!

For those who cannot remember Suzy Lamplugh or were too young or were on a different planet; Suzy worked in an estate agents office and went to meet a client named “Mr Kipper” and was never seen again. In 2006 a site was investigated in Somerset but nothing came of it.
John Cannan is the police number one suspect.
Here’s a great article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2006/jul/30/ukcrime.theobserver

It was written in 2006 and talks about how Cannan was about to be released after 20 years in prison. Well written journalism.

There has been evidence to link Cannan since 1989 but I wonder how long there has been evidence to link Wright and how strong that evidence is if at all? Suzy Lamplugh’s father says in one newspaper article last month that Wright’s name was mentioned but it is unclear as to when it was? It may have been when he was arrested?Could it be that because the police have charged no one they wish to charge someone or is it a media charade?

Wright HAS been found guilty of five murders and is currently in prison and these are the ones he is appealing against. His father disowned him after he was convicted. Presumably his father thought he was innocent till that point?

Everyone is owed a duty to justice……….does this man deserve that justice? I suppose we all do.

Kerry Katona is back in The Priory

2008-03-19T23:47:00.003Z

MTV has confirmed that it has suspended filming Crazy In Love with Kerry Katona while the mum-to-be is treated for depression in The Priory.

Kerry's publicist Max Clifford, who I know is paid to do a job but personally I think is an unrepeatable sh*t, confirms she has been readmitted to the clinic. He said it was part of her regular treatment for bi-polar disorder and denied reports that she was having a nervous breakdown. As for those articles in certain tabloids that hubby Mark who looks like a third Mitchell brother has been cheating on her, Clifford said: "Absolute rubbish, everything is good in terms of her marriage and career-wise."

People with bi-polar disorder, or manic depression, suffer from dramatic mood swings.
Mr Clifford added: "She suffers from bi-polar disorder. Some days she is down. There is nothing different at the moment."

He denied that her treatment was anything to do with drug abuse saying that she had recently undergone tests that proved she was clean of illegal drugs.

The 27-year-old's fourth child is due at that beginning of May and anyone who uses their brain will realise that she will have to be off her normal medication. Because of that her moods will be all over the place and then to read her private life all over the gutter-tabloids cannot make her life easy.

A MTV spokesperson said that Kerry was one of the channels "most popular celebrities".
Filming of the reality show Crazy In Love has stopped this week while she receives treatment but the channel is still "looking forward to filming up to the birth of her child".

I feel Kerry courts public attention but I wish her well and hope she can get herself together, ignore the press and do what she needs to do to look after herself and her kids....Only problem is she cannot ignore the press because she adores the publicity.

£550k In The Maddy Fighting Fund

2008-03-19T23:15:00.007Z

Where’s Clarence the cross eyed lion today?

I can’t get over how anyone could ever name their child Clarence but that is not why I am writing this article….. No, the McCann’s are in the news again after laying low and giving some dignity to Shannon’s family (meow). Sorry, I shall be sued next.

More than a slap on the wrist

Yesterday four newspapers, The Daily Express, Sunday Express, Daily Star, and Daily Star Sunday were told they had lost a case brought against them in the High Court against them by Mr and Mrs McCann. The McCann’s will now put the £550k towards their fighting fund which must be dwindling fast by now – Is it me or am I the only one thinking their detectives could be leading their hopes up? How much are detectives costing them? I guess whatever it takes and if I were in the same boat I would probably do the same.

Back to the grovelling;- The Daily Express and the Star, both owned by Richard Desmond, carried their apologies in today’s (Wednesday's) editions. An apology was also read out outside the court by the news group representative. Between the newspapers, they had published over 100 articles on the disappearance of Madeleine, some of these articles suggested her parents were involved in her death. The papers said: "We acknowledge that there is no evidence whatsoever to support this theory and that Kate and Gerry are completely innocent of any involvement in their daughter's disappearance."

Very naughty! But didn’t many think this too? Did we not put two and two together to make five? We all judged because we are all human. I remember writing about Madeleine after she disappeared and saying that back in the 70’s at Pontin’s Holiday Camps, people used to go out at night for a drink or ten and leave nappies hanging on the door handles if a baby or young children were left in the cabins. The Pontin’s staff listened out for the children just as the Mark Warner staff listened out for Madeleine but do we recall the 70’s? Were we all in a drunken stupor? Not me I was a child…….who went to Pontins…….

70's is not always so retro chic then

I am not advertising sticking nappies on doors as a nanny minding service, it is a bad idea. There are too many paedos around nowadays with east access to transport, better roads and on occasion, better transport. It is highly likely that some sick bastard has taken Madeleine and she is probably and I have to say hopefully no longer alive. It is fantastic that Shannon has been found alive but to think of Madeleine now being found is actually quite horrific. While I am sure her parents would welcome it more than anything in the world, what trauma has their little girl suffered?

Gerry and Kate McCann did not hurt their own child, they were only guilty of leaving their children and being the unlucky ones. How many other parents have done what the McCann’s have done? Because they are middle class doctors and cold fish to boot, the press swarmed on them and were critical of them. It has been odd to watch how the press has been critical of Shannon’s parents for having the sin of being poor and I think that in the McCann’s case it was the sin of being rich – or at least ‘well off’. Lies upon lies were repeated but it was not just those newspapers mentioned in this blog entry was it?

The McCanns, from of Rothley, Leicestershire, have refused to rule out libel action against other publications and already have an ongoing case against a Portuguese publication who accused them of much the same things as The Express and the Star. They have never given hope of finding their daughter.

The amount of money is small £550k is tiny for a newspaper magnet. I realise that the McCann’s courted the press but they had no right to print information based on lies. People read papers because of headlines and if there is a juicy story (made up or not), people will buy the paper. The Express and the Star were found to be guilty yesterday of being the worst offenders.Lets hope that this may lead to changes but is that really likely? Like teaching an old dog new tricks.

Madeleine went missing last May while the family were on holiday in the Portuguese resort of Praia da Luz, no sign of her has been seen since.

Nearly £2 million has been raised in the fighting fund so far.

Shannon 19 March Update

2008-03-19T11:39:00.011Z

Channel 4 To Broadcast Shannon Family Movie

Associated Press has announced that Channel 4 will be broadcasting a behind-the-scenes film on Shannon Matthews' family. The Cutting Edge special will be broadcast on Thursday March 20 at 9pm.

A Channel 4 spokesman said: "With unprecedented access, the film follows Shannon's mother, Karen, and stepfather, Craig, as they deal with every parent's worst nightmare, a missing child, while finding themselves at the centre of a media storm."

He continued: "Filmed within the family home this documentary offers an intimate portrait of the Matthews family and a community united in worry - from moments of despair to relief as Shannon is found."

Channel spent five days with Shannon’s mother and stepfather before the missing schoolgirl was found.

Meanwhile the questioning goes on and on and on........

Shannon is said to be “bubbly, chatty and excited and police know now she did not run away"

Shannon apparently still has yet to see her family and this is the oddest situation I have ever heard of. As long as Shannon’s mother is happy with this then so should everyone else I suppose. But the process of questioning could take many weeks with police officers and female psychologists only allowed to speak to Shannon for up to ten minutes for a maximum of two hours per day. This would be in a comfortable, cosy, room made to look like a classroom. Mind you, since when is 'classroom' a comfortable setting for a nine-year-old? Shannon is said to be “bubbly, chatty and excited.” She has been provided with drawing materials to help her to express herself in pictures and has been given a kitten too. A source said; the story has been unravelling slowly, “She did not run away, she did not stay voluntarily in the flat and she was under no illusion that she was playing a game with her kidnapper.”

The press have camped outside her house and neglected Karen Matthew’s feelings.

Perfect then, Shannon's needs looked after? all of them? Surely she would be asking why she has not seen her mother, stepfather (no matter what her reported feelings are for him), brothers, sisters, aunties uncles? Not great step-uncle Mick though. Maybe the police feel seeing family could confuse her? But speaking as a mother, I don’t know how I would be coping with what Mrs Matthews is going through. The press have camped outside her house and neglected Karen Matthew’s feelings.

If all Karen Matthews has been was allowed to do is look through a one-way mirror to confirm her daughter’s identity last Friday afternoon, she must be distraught. So close yet so far away from her little girl.

“The most important thing is that Shannon is safe”

“The police do not want to give any members of the family any opportunity to influence the girl’s evidence.” This is the official line and Karen Matthew’s is in support of this action and has accepted that her daughter might be away from home “for some time.”
“I fully understand that the police need to keep speaking to Shannon to establish exactly what has happened during the time that she has been missing and I appreciate that is not something that is going to happen overnight,” she said. “The most important thing is that Shannon is safe. I’ve seen her and I’m completely happy that she is being very well looked after and is being given all the care she needs.”
Link to FULL statement: http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30100-1309484,00.html

Almost all the medical tests have been completed, but some forensic science work is continuing.

Hmmmmmmm? OK I hear you………..But why can’t the police let mother and daughter have a reunion now? Karen told a pal: “I haven’t been able to cuddle Shannon.
I can’t wait. I am planning the biggest hug in the world.”
Shannon’s grandparents June and Gordon Matthews said they would prefer her to live with her real father instead. Maybe the comment by June and Gordon Matthews speaks volumes?

Once social services are involved you have a problem. I am not saying this will happen, but instead of having a social worker there to support the family in situ, the child/children are taken away and placed in a nice middle class foster family (if lucky). It takes away the problem and is ‘cost effective’. If you are very unlucky you end up in childrens homes such as the Jersey homes were terrible atrocities took place.

Sorry, I’m a cynic. We will all forget about Shannon and her family in a few weeks and it will be “Oh she’s still in care, with a foster family?” Oh for the best then.” Who are we to judge? I know I am judging those who have made decisions without me knowing the facts. I shall watch and see and hope for the best. The official line is “She is currently in the care of Kirklees Family Services on a voluntary basis (parents have agreed) and a decision on her future will not be reached until the interview process has been completed. It would be wrong to forget this family. I’ve said before and I’ll say it again, Karen Matthews needs support to keep her children with her not have another child taken from her by either the father or Kirklees Family Services.

No application for Bail

As for Michael Donovan, he’s 5ft 6ins, slightly built and an ex computer programmer apparently who now lives on state benefits claimed for disability. We know he was married to Susan Bird and we know he has two daughters and lost custody of those daughters. Read my old blog entries for further info. New stuff is this;

Michael Donovan, appeared at Dewsbury Magistrates Court yesterday. He was wearing the same dark blue sweater and grey jogger trousers he was wearing in the photo from the day before when the extension was granted. He spoke quietly when asked to confirm his name, date of birth and address.

Donovan appeared in with his solicitor, Malcolm Knowle, who made no application for bail and he was remanded in custody by the magistrates. Mr Donovan will next appear at Leeds Crown Court via video link from prison on March 26. Donovan has NO PREVIOUS CONVICTIONS FOR SEXUAL OFFENCES.

Donovan has been charged with two accounts, the first charge is that he "unlawfully and by force or fraud took away Shannon Matthews against her will" on Feb 19. The second charge is that between Feb 18 and March 15 he "unlawfully an injuriously imprisoned and detained her against her will" at his first floor flat at 26 Lidgate Gardens, Dewsbury.

Donovan was flanked by three male and one female security officers throughout the seven-minute hearing. Shannon's auntie Amanda Hyett, and her husband Neil, who live next door to Shannon, watched yesterday’s hearing. After the charges were read, a handcuffed and limping Donovan was led from the dock to an awaiting prison van. A few people waved the prison van off with a variety of abusive words to go with their hand gestures. Inside the van, Donovan covered his head with a blanket.

Complex Family Tree But The Police Got The In The End

He has now at her majesty’s pleasure ten miles away in Armley jail, Leeds. But blame Karen Matthews again, apparently her complex family tree held officers up. It is her fault for having had so many children with so many fathers. (Being sarcastic) Will link blog entry later but it is easy to find details of fathers etc on my blog. Also Karen Matthews did not register her eldest child's father so no lead there. You then Craig Meehan's mother being one of NINE children and think of that spider diagram!

A senior police source said: "We would have got to Donovan eventually but someone we spoke to told us something that pushed him up the list." Was that Mr Glew or Ms France or some other 'fantasist' hey officer Dibble? How insulting to those who bothered to pick up a telephone to try and help find this child for some thick police officer to say that. Yes there will be some out there to get fame and fortune but not all.

Forensics officers arrived at Mr Donovan's sister's house two days before they found Shannon in a divan bed at Mr Donovan's flat.

Alice Meehan, Mr Meehan's mother, had moved out of the house a week earlier, neighbours said - WHAT HOUSE? Michael Donvan's? Confused

The CPS has said the case is under constant review. More charges could be brought.

MP Praise

This morning Batley and Spen MP Mike Wood, whose constituency includes the Moorside estate, has praised police involved in the Shannon hunt in Parliament.

With thanks to the Ross Parry Agency......And Anorak

That photo (the one on the left with a 22-year-old Donovan with Craig Meehan), led to reporters finding out Donovan was related to Shannon Matthews and Ross Parry getting a plug every time the photo is published.

Ross Parry Agency, based in Pudsey near Leeds, 'acquired' a photo of Michael Donovan

Reporters started asking questions and discovered a family connection which led them to the suspect’s sister Alice Meehan, mother of Shannon’s step-father Craig Meehan

Staff at Ross Parry Agency then learned that Alice’s maiden name was Drake – the same as Michael Donovan’s former name, Paul Drake

Reporter Liam Miller visited Mrs Meehan Friday night, hours after Shannon had been found. He bought the old photograph of Michael Donovan and his young nephew Craig Meehan

It has since been used carrying the Ross Parry Agency byline on Sky and BBC News, their websites and countless other national news papers and news organisations, bringing the agency unparalleled exposure

The Girls With Too Much Skin

2008-03-19T10:48:00.006Z

The girls with too much skin, Wednesday 19th March 9pm on Five

“They looked like something from space - like an alien"

Lucy Betts, at eighteen years old, is the oldest surviving harlequin ichthyosis sufferer in Britain. Her survival is down to a life-saving ritual of scrubbing, bathing and creaming to keep the skin growth under control.

Tonight, in a documentary to be shown at 9pm on Five, Lucy and sister Hannah, who also suffers with the condition, will show how they have to live in a sterile environment and painfully exfoliate twice a day just to survive.

Many sufferers die within days of birth due to feeding issues, bacterial infection and/or respiratory diseases. But nowadays we are seeing more survivors with better neonatal care and treatments developing all the time.

A scaly suit of skin armour

Dana and Lara Bowen are also shown on tonight’s show, this is a photo of Dana.What is Harlequin Ichthyosis (HI)Harlequin Ichthyosis is a very rare, incurable, genetic skin condition. In it, the skin grows far faster than normal and dries out to form hard diamond shaped plaques. The whole body becomes completely encased in a very thickened, scaly 'suit of skin armour'. The skin becomes very tight causing severe restriction of movement of the arms and legs and in particularly, the fingers and toes. The face is deformed, the eyelids are inverted, the ears are bound down, and the mouth is very tight.

Research has been ongoing and the genetic cause of Harlequin Ichthyosis has recently been discovered by a team at Barts and the London, Queen Mary's School of Medicine and Dentistry. Mutations in the ABCA12 gene cause harlequin ichthyosis. The outcome was discovered after a seven year research program looking at children and families with the condition in Japan, USA and the UK.

It is hoped that now the mutation in the gene is known, new treatments can be offered to treat the condition as sufferers lives are constantly under threat from infection. It is also hoped that the discovery will lead to the possibility of prenatal screening.

"Just not compatible with living."

In a new documentary to be shown on Channel 5, Lucy and Hannah's father Clive tells of his shock at his daughters' appearance at birth, saying that they looked "like something from space - like an alien", and admitting that he did not expect them to live. Their paediatrician, Professor John Harper, feels similarly, saying that sufferers of the rare condition - only six cases are known in the UK - are "just not compatible with living."

The documentary follows the Betts and the Bowens, the bonds that the two families have developed in the face of their children's illness, and the insights that genetic analysis is giving into the disease.

Link to Telegraph's video portal - 4 minute video. Be warned, graphic images http://www.telegraph.co.uk/portal/ttv/news.jhtml?bcpid=1365202579&bclid=1155306408&bctid=1459170187
Photo 1 Lucy Betts
Photo 2 Dana Bowen
Photo 3 'The Harlequin sisters'

Dancing With Stars 2008 Line Up

2008-03-18T23:38:00.005Z

Dancing with Stars has started back in the USA and we will have to wait to watch it on UK Gold. Oh how I wish UK Gold was free on Freeview then I could watch it from the comfort of my bedroom too!

Want to see a photo line up?

Here goes:

Monica Seles

PROFESSION:Grand Slam tennis champion

PARTNER:Jonathan Roberts

BACKGROUND:Tennis champ, Monica Seles, is the holder of nine grand slam singles titles and was the top-ranked player in the world. She turned pro in 1988 at the age of fourteen and won her first grand slam championship, the French Open, just two years later

Mario

PROFESSION:R&B star

PARTNER:Karina Smirnoff

BACKGROUND:Twenty-one year-old, multi-platinum selling R&B/Pop singer and actor Mario is known for such hit singles as "Just a Friend (2002)" and "Let Me Love You."

Marlee Martin

PROFESSION:Academy Award winning actress
PARTNER:Fabian Sanchez

BACKGROUND:Marlee Matlin received worldwide critical acclaim for her film debut in Children of a Lesser God, for which she received the Academy Award for Best Actress. At 21

Steve Guttenberg

PROFESSION:Movie star

PARTNER:Anna Trebunskaya

BACKGROUND:Actor Steve Guttenberg has starred in blockbusters such as Police Academy, Three Men And A Baby, Short Circuit and Cocoon and many others

Pricilla Presley

PROFESSION:Actress, producer and entrepreneur

PARTNER:Louis van Amstel

BACKGROUND:Actress, producer and entrepreneur Priscilla Presley starred in the Naked Gun films and the internationally popular television series Dallas

Adam Corolla

PROFESSION:Comedian and radio host

PARTNER:Julianne Hough
BACKGROUND:Television and Radio personality Adam Carolla is the host of the Los Angeles based and nationally syndicated morning radio program, The Adam Carolla Show. The actor/comedian has his first starring film role soon to be released in The Hammer (in theaters March 21st),

Jason Taylor

PROFESSION:NFL Man of the Year

PARTNER:Edyta Sliwinska

BACKGROUND:This year's NFL Man of the Year Award Winner and last year's NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Taylor has played defensive end for the Miami Dolphins for over a decade

Christian De La Fuente

PROFESSION:International film star

PARTNER:Cheryl Burke

BACKGROUND:Having started his acting career in his native Chile, the international film and television star's Spanish language projects include: Univisión's mini series, Como ama una mujer and Sony television's Reyes y Rey which aired on Telemundo

Shannon Elizabeth

PROFESSION:Film and television star

PARTNER:Derek Hough

BACKGROUND:Actress/model Shannon Elizabeth starred in the box office hits, American Pie and Scary Movie. Some of her other credits include Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, Love Actually, Cuts and That 70s Show.

Penn Jillette

PROFESSION:Magician

PARTNER:Kym Johnson

BACKGROUND:Penn Jillette is one-half of the famous illusionist team Penn & Teller. Penn & Teller have been performing together for thirty years and are currently headlining in their own theater at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas

Marisa Jaret Winokour

PROFESSION:Tony Award winning Broadway star

PARTNER:Tony Dovolani

BACKGROUND:Marissa Jaret Winokur is best known for creating the role of "Tracy Turnblad" in the hit Broadway musical Hairspray, a performance for which she won a Tony Award, Drama Desk Award and an Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actress

Kristi Yamaguchi

PROFESSION:Olympic champion figure skater

PARTNER:Mark Ballas

BACKGROUND:An Olympic Gold medalist and World Champion, Kristi Yamaguchi is one of the most popular and successful figure skaters of our time

JUDGES as usual are Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli and Len Goodman

OFFICIAL WEBSITE: http://abc.go.com/primetime/dancingwiththestars/index?pn=index Has more information about the contestants.

10.30pm UK time Breaking News

2008-03-18T22:34:00.004Z

Arthur C Carke the legendary fiction writer has died. He was 90

Clarke, who had battled debilitating post-polio syndrome since the 1960s and sometimes used a wheelchair, died at 1:30 a.m. local time after suffering breathing problems, aide Rohan De Silva said.
Clarke moved to Sri Lanka in 1956, lured by his interest in marine diving — which he said was as close as he could get to the weightless feeling of space. “I’m perfectly operational underwater,” he once said.

Arthur C. Clarke, a visionary science fiction writer who won worldwide acclaim with more than 100 books on space, science and the future, died Wednesday in his adopted home of Sri Lanka, an aide said. He was 90.
Clarke's best-known novel, "2001: A Space Odyssey," became the basis of the 1968 film of the same name, directed by Stanley Kubrick. The film and the book elevated the plot's mentally unbalanced computer, HAL 9000, into the pantheon of great fictional characters.
Three "2001" book sequels followed, and one of them — "2010" — was made into a movie as well.

In addition to the "2001" series, Clarke's best-known works included "Childhood's End" and "Rendezvous With Rama." The latter novel is reportedly being adapted for film, with actor Morgan Freeman as producer and star.

Clarke was regarded as a technological seer as well as a science-fiction writer. He was credited with the concept of communications satellites in 1945, decades before they became a reality. Geosynchronous orbits, which keep satellites in a fixed position relative to the ground, are called Clarke orbits.

Another novel of his, titled "The Fountains of Paradise," sparked the real-world efforts to build a space elevator from Earth to orbit. He joined American broadcaster Walter Cronkite as commentator on the U.S. Apollo moonshots in the late 1960s.

Clarke was born in the English coastal town of Minehead where he went to Huish Grammar school, but Sri Lanka was his adopted home.

On the occasion of his 90th birthday last December, one of Clarke's three wishes was to see lasting peace in the island nation, which has been divided by ethnic conflict.

Clarke also wished that the world would embrace cleaner energy resources — and that extraterrestrial beings would "call us or give us a sign."

"We have no way of guessing when this might happen," Clarke said in his birthday speech. "I hope sooner rather than later."

Report taken from AP and a little bit of info from the BBC
Updates coming through

Goodbye Carol Barnes

2008-03-18T20:30:00.003Z

Carol Barnes, the former ITN newscaster, was laid to rest yesterday.

She died on March 8 after reportedly suffering a massive stroke. Carol was 63. She spent the last week of her life in a coma before passing away at the Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton, Sussex.

Carol was laid to rest in a private funeral with family and close friends, including figures from the world of television news, biding her a final farewell. Former colleagues Nick Owen, Dermot Murnaghan, Alastair Stewart and Mark Webster joined with close family and friends for the funeral at the Downs Crematorium in Brighton near far from Carol's home.

The main chapel was used for the service and was filled to capacity for a short service which celebrated her love of life and laughter.

A candle was lit in her memory before family and friends recalled their memories of Carol and her life. Denis MacShane, Carol's former partner and father of her daughter Clare, said in a speech:
“Chin up, never cry, it will be bottom's up soon. It's Carol we're saying goodbye to. She wouldn't want weeping here.”
"If there's one thing that sums her up its laughter. She was always finding something to laugh at to get through a difficult situation.”
“Carol was someone who smiled and laughed her cares away. She was beautiful. Even in hospital her face was unlined, her blonde hair was still glowing, her beauty was undiminished."

Rev Jane Barton then read out words prepared by Carol's much loved son James Thompson 26, who talked about the difficulties his mother experienced during his teenage years:
"Where most would withdraw from the pain Mum endured, she did precisely the opposite, and opened her heart to the world, giving far more to our world than she kept in hers.
"She made me care, she made me love, she opened the world to me. If it wasn't for this, only God knows where I would be now."

What beautiful words, I wish I was able to think of such glorious things to say when I lost my mother. Brave lad.

A short excerpt from Jeff Buckley’s song ‘Alleluia’ was played, followed ‘With Or Without You’ by U2.

After the service, friends and colleagues paid tribute to her.David Mannion, editor in chief at ITN, who worked with Carol in her early years at ITN said:
"I think it was the most appropriate tribute to Carol I can ever imagine. There's no disputing this is a sad occasion but it has captured the essential Carol, which was someone who was always able to overcome difficulty in her life with a wonderful smile and laughter and would make everyone else laugh.”
“That smile that characterised Carol and the ability to laugh through adversity was the theme of the service. She was a tremendous professional and loving person to have as a friend.”

Close friend Alistair Stewart said:
“Carol had enormous love and laughter but enormous depth as well. I hope we celebrated all three.”

Dermot Murnaghan, who met Carol in 1989, said:
“I thought the service captured Carol's spirit. She was full of life and could always see the light at the end of the tunnel.”
“We're going to remember the joy and wonder she brought into our lives.”

Born in Norwich, Norfolk, Barnes graduated from Sheffield University and then went on to become one of Britain's best-known newscasters.

She started her working life as a teacher, before moving on to work in public relations and magazines and then into broadcasting, where she started in radio. Barnes was part of the launch team of radio station LBC in the early 1970s before she joined ITN as a reporter in 1976.

A memorial for Carol Barnes would be held on March 29 in Brighton.

Film Director Anthony Minghella Has Died

2008-03-18T14:01:00.010Z

British film director and writer Anthony Minghella, CBE, has died at the age of 54, his agent has said. Minghella, had been chairman of the British Film Institute and directed numerous films such as Truly, Madly, Deeply and Cold Mountain.

Mr Minghella, born to Italian parents on the Isle of White, recently completed work on, The No 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, due to be screened this Easter. This is an adaptation of the Alexander McCall Smith novel that was filmed in Botswana and a full series is due to be shown in the UK and US next year.

Sadly one of our greatest film directors and writers passed away before he had the chance to build an even bigger dynasty.
"He had undergone an operation for cancer of the tonsils and neck last week and the operation seemed to have gone well. But he suffered a fatal haemorrhage at 5am today, his agent Leslee Dart said. "The surgery had gone well and they were very optimistic," she said. "But he developed a haemorrhage last night and they were not able to stop it."

FACTS and TRIBUTES
Anthony Minghella made his world debut in 6 January 1954. Born to Edward and Gloria on the Isle of Wight, United Kingdom . He was given a CBE in the Queen's New Year's Honours List.

Anthony Minghella won an Oscar in 1997 for directing The English Patient. It took Minghella three years to finish writing the script for this and in 1999 was Oscar-nominated for writing the screenplay for The Talented Mr Ripley.
He has also directed A 90-minute pilot, directed by Minghella and co-written with Richard Curtis, is due to be broadcast on BBC One.

He attended University of Hull, where he met his wife choreographer Carolyn Choa (who, choreographed the dance scenes in The English Patient). He also lectured in drama at Hull to until 1981

In 1986 while working as a well known TV writer and playwright, he won the Best New Play Award in 1986 for Made In Bangkok

His directorial debut was in 1991 with Truly, Madly, Deeply which one numerous accolades

He has since written and directed film adaptations of Michael Ondaatje's The English Patient and Patricia Highsmith's The Talented Mr Ripley.
Gwyneth Paltrow, said Minghella was "a wonderful man" who was "so interested in art and making the world better for art".

He directed 2003's Cold Mountain, starring Jude Law, Nicole Kidman and Renee Zellweger, who won the best supporting actress Oscar for the film.
Jude Law, who worked with Minghella on three films, said he was "deeply shocked and saddened" at the news.
The actor described him as "a brilliantly talented writer and director" and "a sweet, warm, bright and funny man".

Harvey Weinstein, who produced "Cold Mountain," "Ripley" and "Patient" with Miramax, said he was shocked and heartbroken."He was my mentor, my partner and, most of all, my brother. The grace, joy and tenderness he brought to his films were symbolic of his life and the many people he touched," Weinstein said. "There are many personal and professional moments we have shared together and I will treasure them for the rest of my life. Our thoughts and prayers are with his beautiful family at this difficult moment."

In 2003, he became the Chairman of the British Film Institute. He handed over the post last month.

2005, saw Minghella direct his first opera, an English National Opera production of Madama Butterfly, at the company's Coliseum home, in London.

Minghella directed the Labour Party broadcast before the 2005 General Election, UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown: "He was one of Britain's greatest creative talents, one of our finest screen writers and directors, a great champion of the British film industry and expert on literature and opera."

Film producer and friend Lord Puttnam said the industry would be "very shocked" to lose their "very well-loved" colleague.
"He started as a writer, he was not a stylist as a director," he said. "He saw himself as a storyteller and his films were very well told, beautifully made and beautifully acted."

Minghella's work is incomplete; he died while working on his segment of "New York, I Love You," a project announced during the Festival de Cannes in 2007.
Minghella had also written and was to direct a segment for the anthology of movies joining several love stories set in New York.

Minghella leaves behind hi wife Carolyn and his grown up children Max and Hannah.

Link to tributes: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7303411.stm
Video obituary link here:http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7302841.stm

Remanded In A Cell Not A Divan Bed

2008-03-18T13:40:00.006Z

Michael Donovan, 39-year-old from Lidgate Gardens, Dewsbury West Yorkshire, appeared in court today charged with the kidnapping and false imprisonment of Shannon Matthews.

It is alleged he snatched the nine-year-old schoolgirl on February 19 and this morning was remanded in custody at Dewsbury magistrates court and ordered to appear at Leeds crown court on March 25.

Donovan formally known as Paul Drake, was arrested after Shannon was discovered hidden in the drawer of a divan bed after police broke into Donovan's flat on Friday afternoon.

Shannon has been taken into care, while attempt to discover what happened during her 24 days with Donovan. They have said she is being questioned in sessions of up to 15 minutes and her parents have agreed that the care order is the best option for Shannon at this time. Press report that Shannon's mother, Karen Matthews, has still only seen her daughter briefly but Karen Matthews has left her home with the police liaison officers numerous times. Who is to say that she has not been reconciled with her child and kept the affair quiet?

Peter Mann, head of Crown Prosecution Service West and North Yorkshire Complex Case Unit, warned the press, "At this time I would like to remind you of the need to take care in reporting the events surrounding this case. Michael Donovan stands accused of this offence and has the right to a fair trial.
"It is extremely important that there should be responsible media reporting which should not prejudice the due process of law.

Heather’s £Mill-ion-s Won’t Buy Her Love

2008-03-18T12:52:00.012Z

I remember when I first read about Heather Mills. It was quite some years ago in a magazine article she had sold where she was talking about the loss of her leg in a ‘terrible traffic accident’. The article went on to detail what a rotten start to life, did things she later regrets, but how she was raising money for others who had lost limbs and I was inspired by her.

The magazine reporter enthused that Heather was about to marry some bloke with a nice smile. No this wasn’t Macca and I wouldn’t say Sir Paul of Beatledom has a nice smile as his dyed hair and botoxed face looks a little freaky nowadays.

Heather Mills went on to repeat that story over and over again. She has undertaken a huge amount of goodwill work, raised vast amounts for charity (see facts at the end of article); however, there’s an old saying that originates from world war one; “Do not stick your head out above the trenches or you are likely to get shot. Heather has been metaphorically shot by the media, over and over again. She hasn’t learnt to keep her head down yet and has been slaughtered. Sometimes I feel sorry for her. Sometimes I feel she deserves what she gets. After all she chose to be in the public eye.

Although I thought (and still do) that Heather has a big gob, I have admired her. But a lot of that admiration has disappeared as she seems to be on a mission of self destruct and is not listening to anyone around her. Her decision to represent herself in the divorce says it all.

Her greed for status and fame is all encompassing and by going back to court today, she has used her daughter to further gain publicity. Using children as pawns in a game is drooping to the lowest of the low and it is obvious she loves her daughter very much, nevertheless, anyone as eager for publicity as she is, will only think about number one.

In court, Sir Plonker of McBeatle, had offered £15.8 million. Heather declared she needed £125 million. What was this money for? School fees, nannies and bodyguards, that’s what. A bodyguard would be a good idea to protect Beatrice from her demented mother at the moment.

What else is the money for - School fees. Where does Heather live? Mars! Heather has demanded that Beatrice is privately educated because it is the only way to keep her safe; especially now the judge has given Heather nothing for her bodyguard demand.

All of Sir plonker’s other children, were sent to state schools and he feels if it is OK for them, it is OK for his youngest. I don’t think he realises how dire the state system has plummeted, plus it was never that good in the first place. It must have been hell for his kids at the local comp and I remember reading an interview with his son that testifies to that.

Sir Plank, may have working class ideals but he is no longer working class. Mind you, no school fees add up too £125 million?

The other cost factor is for nannies. If Heather is working, why can’t she pay for her own nannies? I suppose she is being the same as any other woman who divorces a man and has a child to look after. She is trying to get as much money out of this as possible but this relationship is in the public domain. If it wasn’t public, Heather would make sure it was anyway. Do I blame her for trying to get as much money as she can? Would I do the same? I’ve nearly been there; my husband and I, split for two days and have talked of divorce but we planned all amicably. We intended to split our assets so that we could both live a sensible life and look after our children. No private school fees, nannies or bodyguards to worry about. That as how it should be done, not with money grabbing lawyers sticking their oar in.

Heather left court yesterday saying she was; “Very, very happy with the decision” but was not happy with the small amount she got. Confused? Yes I was. Dear Miss Mills then went on to declare that poor Beatrice would have to travel “B class while her father travelled A class”, as she was only getting £35k a year. What she did not mention was her own £600k a year so I suppose it is up to her if she wants to pay for her own daughter (and the nanny) to upgrade isn’t it?

Why go back to court?
Is this a case of Heather doing ‘damage limitation’, after all look at Sir Plop’s lawyer, Fiona ‘Grrrrrrrr’ Shackleton and her weird probably very expensive hair do, leaving court yesterday. It is alleged that Heather grew so enraged that she threw a glass of water over her. Must have been a colossal glass of water, as Ms Shackleton’s golden mane was drenched. What would you do if your ex husband’s lawyer was calling you; “many, many names before even meeting me and I was in a wheelchair at the time,” little Heather, aged 6, screamed at the teacher. Oh for goodness sake Heather we are not in the playground now. Of course it could have been a great bit of publicity for the Beatle camp. As I said, no glass of water causes your hair to be THAT SOAKED. Naughty Sir Pleb.

Heather is continuing to represent herself and will go back into court and say how unhappy she is that Sir Plonker agreed to allow ALL the transcripts of the divorce proceedings to be made public. She HAS to go back to “Protect her daughter”. So Sir Pillock does not care about his daughter then? Only you care Heather? Oh please, I used to respect you, why are you allowing yourself to look so utterly stupid. Sir Paul’s growling lioness lawyer argued for publicity, which Heather yesterday claimed was “a breach of human rights.” (Oh I give up). Heather went on to say the judgment “involves private secure matters of my daughter”. Now hang on? I recall seeing Heather being interviewed on TV declaring the judgment MUST be public and that she was concerned that Sir Pollock would try to keep matters under wraps.

BREAKING NEWS - Heather has lost her appeal to have the court papers kept private. Judge quotes Miss Mills evidence was "Inconsistent, inaccurate and less than candid". Reporters are eagerly going through the evidence now and one point has come out that Heather claimed to be
'independently wealthy' being worth £2-3 million when she met Sir Pillock. There is no evidence or her claim that she gives 80-90% to charity. Heather Mills will be ripped apart by her own stupidity. Bet she wishes she had a lawyer now.

You cannot have your cake and eat it. Judge says NO.

FACTS (so far, will add more as they are known)
Heather requested £125 million

Sir Paul McCrafty offered £15.8 million

Judge decided on a lump sum of £16.5 million which included assets of £7.8 million – Total £24.3 million. (This sum includes a £500,000 to deal with “overspend” during separation)

£35,000 a year to cover maintenance, a nanny and school fees for Beatrice.

Lump sum of £16.5 million is £14 million as a ‘capitalised’ figure for wife’s income needs assessed as £600,000 a year plus £2.25 million to buy house in London

Sir Beatle’s assets, including business assets were valued at £400 million. Half of this was estimated. There is no evidence to say he is worth the £800 million Heather is claiming.

Heather Mills and Sir Paul McCartney met in 1999 but not cohabit formally until the date of their marriage, June 11 2002. They separated in April 2006

No allegations of conduct allowed, as irrelevant

Judge said “needs of wife” were a factor of “magnetic importance”

Seeing as I have bitched about Heather, here’s some charity facts to even things out

Heather Mills is a Patron of No More Landmines, she is the Founding Patron of No More Landmines UK and a United Nations Association Goodwill Ambassador. She has campaigned for over 14 years to raise funds and awareness to rid the world of landmines. Heather is also a patron of VIVA-Vegetarian International Voice for Animals.

Heather voluntarily counsels people from around the world who have lost limbs in accidents, through illness, natural disasters and terrorist atrocities. A year after her accident, Heather arranged for the first convoy of artificial limbs to be sent to Croatia. Over 400,000 amputees and survivors of landmine explosions around the world have been helped as well as millions indirectly since. No More Landmines has raised over $18.5 million to date.
Heather has also won numerous accolades and awards. See her website for further details: http://www.heathermillsmccartney.com/

Let’s hope she can put this divorce behind her and move on. I think what will come out from the evidence will give the media a field day and Heather will have to ride the storm. She chose this path, no one forced her into the public eye.

As for Sir Plonkety Plonk McBeatle – Let it Be. I don’t like you. You may have kept quiet but I don’t think you have won anything here. Dignity should have meant not going to court. I get the distinct impression that you are a miserly old man……who is trying to look younger but looks are deceiving. I could be wrong?

Who knows.