Cats in my pants drawer
I told you that Mitzy sometimes sleeps in my underwear drawer. Here is the photographic evidence. And now, Tei-pei has started doing it too…

Andy Crab

Photo taken whilst I was doing a crab impression. Well, sort of. Erm, the photo doesn’t really … hmmm …
Speed Texting
A new (provisional) world record has been set for the fastest texting of a 160-character phrase, by a Singaporean student, Kimberly Yeo, aged 23.
She clocked in at 43.24 seconds.
The previous texting record was 67 seconds, by Briton James Trusler, who was not surprised that his record was beaten, but stunned that it was cracked by so much.
Those attempting the record must use the phrase “The razor-toothed piranhas of the genera Serrasalmus and Pygocentrus are the most ferocious freshwater fish in the world. In reality they seldom attack a human.” and are not allowed to use typing aids such as predictive text.
I’m not sure that my predictive text would cope with this mind-boggling sentence anyway. I can barely say it, letalone text it.
It probably helps if your keypad doesn’t stick occasionally, causing missed letters and really bizarre phone-guessed entries.
Foul-mouthed Philippoussis
We caught most of Tim Henman’s fourth round Wimbledon match against Mark Philippoussis today. Unfortunately, we had to witness a display from Mr P of disrespect and swearing towards the umpire.
I am sure it’s not on his mind at the time the effect he could have on his audience. In the UK, the match was being shown, live, at about 7.30 when the incident occurred. You can call me prudish, but younger children who may actually enjoy tennis and be looking to these sports stars for inspiration, are naturally picking up on how they behave. It’s not even the swearing per se - though this is uncalled for - but the general lack of respect for an umpire’s decision (leadership, authority). This is tennis - a sport - Mark. Fortune goes both ways. It’s what happens. Sometimes you get bad calls, sometimes you benefit from a bad call on an opponent.
Deal with it.
When a sportsman or woman behaves in this way they bring a certain amount of disrepute to the sport. OK, this isn’t a huge misdemeanour, but it’s all part of the problem.
Bad attitudes, violence, performance-enhancing drugs, poor role models.
I feel like writing to Mark and asking for an apology and a donation to a kids charity. I know he’s far from the only one - and there will likely be others in this tournament - but it isn’t acceptable.
Rant over.
Oh, Tim won. Gave us Brits a fright, but he came through.
Encouraging stress
We received an email at work today encouraging us all to do our utmost to get into work on Wednesday, when the Tube strike is on.
I am all in favour of people making an effort to get to work. However, the message finished “or take a day’s leave as a last resort”.
Bill Bailey
Bill Bailey’s home page.
The terrifying power of the bloggers
Paul Carr - Monday June 28, 2004
The Guardian
Last month, the Boston affiliate of America’s Fox TV network ran a news item about a new craze sweeping cyberspace. It turns out that, all over America, young people are using their “computers” to create “websites” full of information about their daily lives. Or, as Fox’s breathless reporter put it, “to catalogue the details of their lives on webpages created for them, by them … just blah-blah-blogging.” Yes, that’s right. Blah-blah-blogging. Incredible. I wonder what burgeoning technological trend Rupert Murdoch’s news machine will uncover next? Mobile tar-tar-telephony? The rah-rah-radio? Far-far-fire? The devil may have the best tunes but it’ll be a long time before he works out how to upload them to his aye-aye-iPod.
Sunday barbie
I initiated myself into the joys of British barbecue cooking yesterday. Unitl now, I have managed to leave the lighting and cooking to other people.
Actually, Dave did much of the firelighting. I just stood around and made appreciative noises, and grunts of disapproval as smoke and paper blew into my face.





