How about the fact that they were first and foremost women. Women with families and friends and loved ones. And since when did it become acceptable to broadcast the fact that the two (then) missing women were sex workers before their families knew of the missing girl’s secret?

I was just about to write about the media coverage of the recent murders in Suffolk I stopped after typing the title to do a quick blog check and saw that Gert has summed up just exactly what I was thinking and expressed it far better than I could so could I point you over there instead?

A commenter over at MetaChat has an interesting theory too:

If I was an investigator..and this is purely the work of a mind who reads too much…I would wonder about the recent prostitute murders in New Jersey, and a link to the England murders. Now, just follow me for a second…The murders in Jersey apparantly took place over a couple of months. The bodies were all located in close proximity. So what if the murderer took a flight from Atlantic City airport to England to escape the investigations? And could not help his mania, and killed the English girls in quick time before he returns to the USA? Sound plausible?

I don’t know if there are many similarities and to be honest, I don’t want to do the research to find out but it’s something to ponder.

There’s a website devoted to this already?

To Phil Donahue for sticking it to the class bully.

“Two things have doubled in the past year: the number of US soldiers killed in Iraq and the price of Haliburton stock.”

I’ve just been reading a fascinating story on NPR A Voluble Visit with Two Talking Apes.

Kanzi [the bonobo] also has developed a skill closely associated with human language, Fields says. It’s called theory of mind — and a growing number of researchers believe it is at least as important as grammar.

Theory of mind means recognizing that other people have their own beliefs and desires. It also allows someone to imagine the world from another person’s point of view.

Next up is to listen to writer Ken Foster talk about his memoir, Rescuing Dogs, and Learning from Them.

Hmm. I’ve just realised that if there are any O’Reilly fans out there reading this they might be insulted at the implied slight in posting a story about chimps straight after one on O’Reilly. Nope. I have far too much respect for the bonobo to do that.

Then there’s a rather odd article in The Times by Jeremy “love ‘im or loathe ‘im” Clarkson, Arrested just for looking weird:

The main problem I suspect is a complete lack of knowledge about the world. I asked people in the streets of Vegas to name two European countries. The very first woman I spoke to said: “Oh yes. What’s that one with kangaroos?”

Off on a tangent and filed under “Reasons why I love the internet, #42,921″: Trazy Anderson’s 94 x magnification photographs of Velcro being pulled apart and Scotch tape being pulled from a dispenser. Beautiful.

Kate’s son is volunteering in New Orleans and in a recent phonecall has been describing conditions:

The volunteers are still finding dead bodies. They end up not being counted if no one claims them. The authorities issue no death certificates and there’s no attempt to identify them. They are not counted as among the dead. From what he’s being told (his co-workers, wearing full hazmat gear, are still finding bodies in the buildings they go in to gut), there are countless numbers who have been dealt with that way. The death toll is way higher than what we’ve been told.

Since there will be no repercussions (these are just poor black folk remember) (hell, I bet they’ll be re-elected in 2008), I just hope that there’s a special place in hell for the people responsible for this.

I can’t begin to imagine the heartache behind this dreadful story of mistaken identity:

A couple sat by their daughter’s hospital bedside for weeks after an auto accident until she came out of a coma and they realized she was not their daughter after all, but another blond-haired young woman injured in the wreck. Their own daughter, it turned out, was dead and buried.

Let’s find some happier news stories.

Ah, here we are, Missing dog hidden under bonnet

Or the sheep who thinks she’s a dog (file under “only in Wales…”)

I hope there’s a similar happy ending for this wee chap.

If you’ve ever been stuck for just the right picture (l’image juste?) to annoy someone online, take a look at Griffey’s diss pics.

And finally, aren’t some of you fans of the Pixies? Then how ’bout Matthew’s Celebrity Pixies Tribute, “covers of your favorite Pixes songs, by “other famous musicians”!”. They’re going down a storm over at MetaFilter.

I lay upon a grassy bank
my hands were all a quiver
I slowly removed her suspender belt
and her leg fell in the river

A poem by Sir Paul McCartney

From the BBC:

Windsurfer’s accidental crossing

A windsurfer who sailed across the Bristol Channel claims he did not intend to make the three-hour crossing.

Adam Cowles, 24, set out from Swansea Bay and realised he had gone further than planned only when he rounded a cargo ship.

Mr Cowles said he decided to press on in the direction of England after realising his starting point had all but disappeared from view.

…

“I then went past a cargo ship. I turned around and realised that I had gone too far.

…

Mr Cowles said that one of the most frightening parts of the day was having to call his wife and ask her for a lift home.

It might be time for Mr Cowles to buy one of these.

Or stick to a safer sort of surfing .

Light a candle for peace.

Click on an unlit candle to light your candle for peace.

[Via Ally Bean.]

If you’re in GMT-land don’t forget to set your clocks and watches forward an hour before going to the land of nod tonight.

This has been a public information announcement on behalf of the We’ll Have Less Sleep Tonight Dammit party.

How bird flu could have been avoided.[tags]Bird, flu, humour[/tags]

I want to go home.

Thanks to Andrew at Wonderful Electric for alerting me to the fact that the above is *ahem* an old news story. To the googler who arrived via this search, hope I haven’t given you false hope. Let’s hope they’re closed on Monday, eh?