Monthly Archives: May 2006

TweetMany of us would have given our back teeth to have been a fly on the wall at 10 Downing Street on 5th May 2006 during Tony Blair’s cabinet reshuffle. Simon Hoggart commented that John Prescott was in there for … Continue reading →

Tweet Pictured: Rowan Atkinson as “Mr Bean” at Gare du Nord station, Paris, at 4.30pm today It may have been fluke, but, judging from our visit, Paris has more than its fair share of major film crews milling around. As … Continue reading →

TweetWatched a BBC World report on the emerging details of the Haditha massacre. It made me ashamed to be human. Though on a different scale, it is sickeningly reminiscent of Vitenam and Mai Lai, even to the extent that there … Continue reading →

Tweet We tend to take road-naming for granted. Trying to find our hotel here in Paris, we were confronted with Rue de Clihy, Boulevard de Clichy, Avenue de Clichy and Place de Clichy (pictured) all next to each other. It … Continue reading →

TweetThey’ve already done a version in the States. Now they’re doing “The Office” here in France. “David Brent” is a bit older but the dodgy humour is the same. The BBC tried out an episode on some office workers. One … Continue reading →

TweetAs I was queuing at the superb Victoria park cafe yesterday, I took advantage of a copy of the “Mail on Sunday” which they had available for customers. I wouldn’t otherwise buy such an organ. I read the story about … Continue reading →

TweetPart of “Songs of Praise” this evening featured a clip of David Cameron at a conference on climate change. He was asked what the Conservative party’s goals for reduction of carbon emissions are. He said they haven’t got any yet … Continue reading →

Tweet“Film director Michael Winner has said he turned down an OBE in the Queen’s 80th birthday honours’ list. He told the Sunday Times newspaper, for which he is a columnist: “An OBE is what you get if you clean the … Continue reading →

Tweet“Villagers have been left baffled by the discovery of a bugging device hidden in their parish hall. The electronic transmitter was found in a wall socket during a safety inspection at Malham village hall in the Yorkshire Dales. Speculation is … Continue reading →

Tweet“Film director Michael Winner has said he turned down an OBE in the Queen’s 80th birthday honours’ list. He told the Sunday Times newspaper, for which he is a columnist: “An OBE is what you get if you clean the … Continue reading →

TweetAlthough he doesn’t know it, I have recently appointed John Leech as patron of the new Liberal Democrat Association of Tradesmen’s Bell pressers. After his (to us) surprise election as MP for Manchester Withington last year, his wife was quoted … Continue reading →

TweetI am always very cautious about jumping to conclusions on “Bishop says” or “Bishop attacks” stories. Having read part of David Jenkins’ (former Bishop of Durham – yes, that one) autobiography, I am aware that he is a very thoughtful … Continue reading →

TweetDesmond Dekker, who has died, was very much a pioneer of reggae music in this country. With the Aces, he got to number one with the “Israelites” in March 1969. Up until then, it is hard to think of any … Continue reading →

TweetWhile I suppose we shouldn’t be surprised. David Cameron is a Benny Hill fan and knows all the words to “Ernie (The fastest milkman in the west)”. Crikey. I can remember a few of the words (Strange things happened on … Continue reading →

TweetI was genuinely impressed by the humility shown by George Bush when talking with Blair on television today. He said how he thought his language such as “wanted dead or alive” had been a mistake at the start of the … Continue reading →

TweetThis is straying into “you couldn’t make it up” territory. The town (which calls itself a “city” for some reason) of Black Jack, Missouri, USA has a law, recently confirmed by the local council, which bans unmarried couples with more … Continue reading →

TweetThis is straying into “you couldn’t make it up” territory. The town (which calls itself a “city” for some reason) of Black Jack, Missouri, USA has a law, recently confirmed by the local council, which bans unmarried couples with more … Continue reading →