Category Archives: News
Free Willy from Cornwall
Free Willy from Cornwall. He must have gotten lost.
I thought it was odd when the earthquake hit Cornwall last weekend. But today, when news broke that killer whales were spotted near Padstow? *Cue ‘Twilight Zone’ music* Just what in tarnation is going on in the West Country?
What next? Locusts? Unicorns? Dodos?
Distraught, I turned to ThisistheWestCountry.co.uk for the real scoop.
Strangely enough, I couldn’t find any news about the whales or the earthquake, although I was able to find an interesting story headlined “Man Arrested After Late Night Rant.”
Perhaps, I’ll wake up tomorrow and learn that I’ve just dreamt it all.
All shook up
Bodmin - Before Earthquake
Bodmin - After Earthquake
An earthquake in Cornwall? Who knew?
Well, apparently they do happen – and one struck the town of Bodmin early Sunday morning, registering 2.2 and lasting a few seconds, according to news reports.
I’ve lived through quite a few earthquakes here in California, but can’t recall anything along a 2.2. It’s the kind of geologic activity that probably doesn’t make big news here and makes me realize that I really am a hardened Californian at heart. I can’t help referencing the earthquake scene in “L.A. Story.”
So funny I forgot to laugh
“Top Gear” host Jeremy Clarkson is all over the British media for what he now recants as a joke that he made about public sector workers who staged a strike on Wednesday.
But, wait! Aren’t jokes supposed to be funny? At least a little? It’s doubtful that this would even make it as a gag on “I Hate My Teenage Daughter,” which I had the misfortune of catching last night, like one would catch rabies.
As the public is now calling for Clarkson to be fired, maybe he can get a job as a writer for that show. I’m pretty sure they’ll think he’s God’s gift to comedy.
Another chance for Ricky Gervais
Thank goodness for third chances.
I was happy to read yesterday that Ricky Gervais will be hosting next year’s Golden Globe Awards, despite the mixed reviews (okay, I’m probably being a little too kind) that he received for his last stab at hosting the Golden Globes earlier this year (in which I do believe most of Hollywood wanted to stab him.)
I happen to like his devil-may-care attitude, in the face of frosty A-listers. I’m drawn to the awkwardness. The audible outrage from the audience and yes, even the boos.
He’s a funny guy and “The Office” is living proof of that (both the U.K. and U.S. versions). Let’s hope that he knocks it out of the park next time. I’ll be watching.
Bum envy
Everyone wants to be Pippa Middleton. Or at the very least they want her bum (translation: bottom).
Last month, British retailer Debenhams launched a line of derriere enhancing padded underpants and they’ve been flying off the shelves. This week, Debenhams released sales figures indicating that they’re outselling their non-padded counterparts by 148 percent.
Brits are actually paying for more junk in their trunk. Who would’ve thought? That’s Pippa power, folks. Don’t doubt her sphere of influence.
Why else would the Huffington Post this week dedicate an article, not to her recent breakup with longtime boyfriend Alex Loudon (or anything else), but on her bold decision to wear leggings as pants? (On that note, let’s all hope that is a trend that she doesn’t help start…).
New money
Today the Bank of England has begun circulation of a brand spanking new £50 banknote. Behold!
I’ve previously discussed the beauty of British money. The latest banknote features the portraits of Matthew Boulton and James Watt, inventors of the steam engine, which later led to the manufacturing of coins that were difficult to counterfeit.
Note that this is the first time that two portraits have appeared side by side on the back of a Bank of England banknote. Real history in the making and fodder for future Jeopardy episodes.
Even more impressive is the fancy stuff. Since I’m not in the inner circle to get my mitts on one of the first £50 banknotes, I’ll leave the description to the BBC:
“The new version of the £50 banknote has a thread woven into the paper, rather than printed on it.
There are images on the thread of a £ symbol and the number 50 which move up and down when the banknote is tilted from side to side.
When the note is tilted up and down, the images move from side to side and the symbols switch.”
What??!! Numbers moving up and down?! Images moving side to side?! Symbols switching?! Is this currency or something courtesy of David Blane?! Why can’t the US put this kind of thing together? Oh US Treasury, I know you’ve got a lot on your plate, but please step up your game.
Time after time
Come this Sunday, the UK will be “falling back” an hour, thanks to daylight savings time, whereas the US won’t change their clocks until next weekend.
Why don’t they just schedule daylight savings time on one date worldwide? Why stagger it? Does it even matter? I’ve always felt a strange discord in this in-between week. Britain actually feels strangely even farther away, with the addition of that extra hour.
If you’re in the UK, don’t forget to set your clocks back and enjoy that extra lie-in (translation: sleeping in). We’ll be with you next week!
Hope Amidst the Wreckage
A Sainsburys worker dishes out free pastries to clean-up volunteers in Clapham. Photo credit: Kay Burgess Twitpic
As the news and images coming out of the UK continue to horrify us all, Paperblog has posted seven examples of humanity amid all of the violence and madness that we have seen in the past few days.
Again, please be safe, all.
The London Riots
A masked rioter is seen in front of a burning car in Hackney, North London. Photo credit: EPA/Kerim Okten
This weekend, my family and I were in San Francisco for a mini-vacation. No Internet. No newspapers. No TV. Just a heavy dose of rest and relaxation.
When we returned home, we were shocked to hear the latest news out of London. All of the headlines of looting, arson and violence were too much to stomach.
I know North London. Less than ten years ago, we were living in the small neighborhood of Harringay, only a stone’s throw from Tottenham, where 29-year-old gangster Mark Duggan was fatally shot last Thursday by police after resisting arrest. It was this incident that spurred this weekend’s riots. I would routinely take the bus to Wood Green Tube Station to commute to work – another area that has been targeted by rioters in London.
And these riots have continued to spread far beyond the North London borders. To Lewisham, Peckham, Clapham, to the northern cities of Birmingham, Leeds and Liverpool. I’ve been watching the #londonriots tweets today, still in disbelief by how much destruction is taking place and the momentum at which it is spreading.
To my friends and family in the UK, please stay safe.
BRITRISH.COM 