Groan. “Celebrations of Scotland’s 1-0 win over Holland last weekend have now been put down as a case of premature jock elation.”
The leaves falling from the ground are at exactly the right stage of swooshiness for you to run through them, but it two days they’ll be slush or in crushed scrappy pieces.
Last weekend was comedy French accents, Garlic and Shots, monster impersonations in public and dancing like Kate Bush in the street at 2am. This weekend starts at Late at Tate, if it didn’t start with the bus conductor playing blues harmonica last night.

Did I dream a ‘be nice on the tube’ ad about not sitting with your legs wide open and taking up too much space? At the risk of sounding sexist, I hate the way men do that. Cos it’s nearly always men. They’ll shut their legs when another man sits next to them, but not when a woman sits next to them. It drives me insane.
I’m always amused by the ‘don’t eat smelly food’ ad – what’s smelly to me is different to what’s smelly to you.

“Celebrations are being held this week to mark 30 years of the internet making its first international links.” (BBC)

I should be reading my book group books but I can’t put down Restoration London by Liza Picard. She’s also written one called ‘Elizabeth’s London’ so I’ll probably have to read that next.
So in celebration of London, enjoy Hidden London (including Shakespeare’s and Dicken’s London) and City of London churches.

Some links in (dis)honour of Bush’s visit: sign up and register your protest in a virtual march.
Or read One Thousand Reasons to Dump George Bush.
While we have your attention, Mr President… 60 Brits and Americans write to George Bush in the Guardian.
Or get ready to defend gay rights in the USA: “US President George W Bush today vowed to defend the sanctity of marriage after Massachusetts’ highest court struck down the state’s ban on same-sex unions.” (Age) I really don’t understand this – surely marriage is only strengthened by more people wanting to be married?
On Monday night I dreamt that we were all blown up by terrorists taking the chance to get Bush.

Woohoo! “The [Victorian] State Government yesterday delighted environmentalists but troubled developers when it drew its final boundary around Melbourne to slow urban sprawl.” (Age)

Given recent conversations about swearing in other languages, I was amused to see this piracy report mention the ‘Malacca straits’. (At the risk of being insensitive, I’m also amused to see real live piracy reports.)

“One of Britain’s most important archaeological finds is under threat – from North Yorkshire potato farmers.
Scientists have discovered a vast area of buried buildings and villages spanning 6,000 years, under fields at West Heslerton, near Malton in North Yorkshire.
But the land is used by farmers who are being urged to start digging it up to plant potatoes for the nearby McCain chips factory.” (BBC)

Could this be the best site on the internet?
Celebrity tea cosy or extraordinary chicken?

Someone on the Big Chill started a thread about making false factoids, turns out it’s really fun:
One in twenty-eight people are born with extra toes but doctors remove them soon after birth and advise parents not to tell their kids.
In 1973 there was a total eclipse of the sun that could only be seen from Nbomque, a tiny island in the Pacific Ocean. However, the accompanying worldwide disruption to television reception is said to account for a baby boom nine months later.
Celine Dion is an alien.
76% of office keyboards contain traces of semen.
The French welcome any opportunity to practice their English. Even if you speak French, they’ll thank you for only addressing them in English.