Getting in to work this morning was fun. Trams were delayed (apparently a few drops of RAIN had fallen (yes, this really was the reason)) and I ended up being offered a lift by someone else who'd been standing at the stop. I and another person I didn't know got driven into town in her big BMW, which was cool of her. (Yes, mother, I did offer dosh for the petrol.)

People are awesome, and now I have to do a random favour for someone I don't know, because my code of honour says so. Maybe I'll get the opportunity this evening when I visit my mum in Wivven Hozza.

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For Mancunians, today's the 11th year after the Arndale terrorist bomb.

Lots of the injured folks were behind the police cordon and thought they were safe to rubberneck at the pitty kaboomsplosions.

This explains why I view St Patrick's Day with a sour moue. Ireland hurrah, is that right? So why are there terrorists in its parliament? (Perhaps that's why the day's so widely celebrated by a country with a bunch of war criminals in the cabinet.) (At least our war criminal is stepping down. [Or 'our lackey of their war criminal', if you prefer, but I attribute more responsibility to Blair. He's not stupid or weak.])

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More people want to learn English, so we're cutting funding.

What rubbish. English lessons should be compulsory for everyone who lives here. And I do include those born here, especially the Vicky Pollards and anyone who ever misused an apostrophe ever.

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Medic in India held for 'female foeticide'

Given my views on abortion (killed while still undifferentiated cells is a consideration-worthy alternative to being born into a crap life where you're unwanted), I'd be inclined to allow the idiots to abort their girlchildren and deal with the consequences. The word 'sister' might almost disappear from the language, and fewer of the spoiled boychildren would be able to find wives, but still.

Unfortunately it's naïf to think that those girls who are born will be valued more as a result.

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Howard to hold Dalai Lama meeting

So, someone tell me, what's the great fascination among religious figures for saying "There were prophets/great leaders/neat people before me, but [God says] I will be the last"? Because to me it seems like sulkily stamping your foot and declaring that all progress must stop at your death.

I ask because it's a common theme. The last Jain guy did it, Muhammad did it, I think Jesus tried to do it (but I'm not sure on that one), I can't remember offhand whether Bahà'u'llah did it, Guru Gobind definitely did it (he named a book as his successor, for Gwaed's sake), and even the current Dalai Lama has said he doesn't think he's going to bother being reborn. Reactionary tantrums? Outrage at the thought of things happening after you're gone that you won't be able to control? Plain incredible arrogance in the view that you have all the answers and they won't ever need anyone else? I'm curious.

P.S. China has no right to talk about anything. Ever.

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Men suffer from phantom pregnancy symptoms like morning sickness. Doesn't surprise me at all, for some reason.

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I know it's too late for Blog the Zombie Apocalypse Day...

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Admiration. So much.

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Late risers unite in Denmark

Given enough 24/7 shops and services, this would be the definition of awesome.

Hey, wasn't I going to write a sci-fi story once about a society along those lines? There was massive overcrowding in the cities, along with huge demand for labour for some reason - industry in general very unmechanised and un-automated, I think - and people shared houses by shifts. You owned your tiny flat for eight hours a day, in which you slept and used the shower and so on, and for the rest of the time you had to be out while each of the other two people had it. (If you want to do something with this idea, feel free; I doubt I'll get round to it very soon. Feel free to take the title I just came up with, too: Shiftless.)

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'Bland' British food goes Indian

There was a brilliant sketch on GGM in which some Indian louts visited an 'English' restaurant (a restaurant serving English food, as we call curry houses Indian restaurants) and drunkenly ordered "the blandest thing on the menu!" (a reversal of non-Asian British louts reeling in and asking for the spiciest thing on the menu out of bravado).

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Jihadi diary - this is fascinating.

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<3 Banksy.

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Only suspended?

Don't like to say what I'd do to the pair of them if they ever came into my power. I suspect it's a good thing I'm not in a law enforcement career. Clearly the priest is seriously sick and needs sectioning - the other one goes without saying. The approach I'm favouring at the moment, however, involves immobilisation, an electrical cord and Ichorite, the enchanted and very rusty-looking bound axe I made last night in Oblivion.

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Guide dog leads chapel's singing

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Rapid take-up on Windows' Safari (I couldn't download the blasted thing! I'm hearing very good things, though - it's supposedly much faster than IE.)

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NEW DESKTOP WALLPAPER

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Couldn't they have announced this on the 2nd March?

(2/3, important numbers for self-proclaimed Erisians.)

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Pickpocketry.

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Mmmm, subtle colours.

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Aus Muslim lifeguards (video, 28:48 minutes long).

My mother just got out of theatre and is fine.