Three Years for Murder

Well, what else would you call it?

Life's Little Ironies

A government complicit in the slaughter of thousands arrests a teacher for naming a teddy bear. In a more enlightened part of the world, Christians campaign against a children's film that "bashes atheism and promotes Christianity. To kids". A deliberate misquote, but what difference would it really make if I swapped those two words back?

I guess some people just don't like competition.

There May Be Trouble Ahead

According to a new survey, two million British people have run up debts they can't afford to repay, eight million are "stretched to breaking point" and another nine and a half million are just a mobile phone bill or two away from their credit limit - and yet one in ten plan to borrow more to pay for Christmas.

Happy New Year!

Only in Japan

I can't imagine this catching on around here: you'd only end up getting smacked about by some ten-year-old in hooped earrings, a stripey jumper and a pair of knock-off trainers.

And deserving it.

Korean Crackdown

In their ongoing campaign against the scourge of "native English teachers who disrupt social order with taking drugs, committing sexual harassment and alcohol intoxication" the South Korean government have come up with more stringent visa application procedures, including face-to-face interviews with consular staff, criminal record checks, and medical examinations before and after arrival. I doubt the latest crackdown will last: at the first teacher shortage it'll disappear as fast as a bottle of soju down a salaryman's throat.

Open Goal

This looks interesting. And published in Newcastle too.

Outclassed

An utter shambles from start to finish. Predictable tactics that failed from the first minute of the game, no leadership on or off the pitch and barely a scrap of passion all afternoon. Is Allardyce the last expensive blunder of Freddy Shepherd's time in charge? On today's performance, we're no better off than we were under Glenn Roeder - or even Graeme Souness.

False Sense of Security

Just wait until we all have biometric ID cards: no more fretting about computer disks gone missing in the post and identity theft a thing of the past.

Or maybe not.

Freedocumentaries.org

John Pilger's The War on Democracy, Palestine is Still the Issue and Stealing a Nation, the complete series of The Trap, and Robert MacNamara talking through The Fog of War. All free - which is more than be said for most of the people they portray.

After the Snow

When I woke up it started to snow: brief flurries continuing on and off for the rest of the morning, turning to water the moment they hit the ground.