Lindi Lego

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

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

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

"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

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

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

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.

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?

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

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

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.

















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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

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

“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.