Happy Thanksgiving to all who are celebrating [via Celia]

Q. “What does President Bush think about Roe vs. Wade?
A. He doesn’t care how people get out of New Orleans.”

The very best of the internet: An Ask MetaFilter thread starts off as a search for a Vienna phonebook from circa 1938 but goes on to a sweet ending that’ll have you choking back the tears.

And a quote for the day:

“The fragrance always stays in the hand that gives the rose”

– Hada Bejar

Burglar With Conscience Returns Items

ENID, Okla. (AP) - There may be a burglar with a conscience. A television, stereo, and VCR were stolen over the weekend from a house in the small town of Kremlin.

Undersheriff Jerry Niles said the woman who lives at the house called deputies Monday night to say that someone broke into her house again while she was away, returned the electronics gear, even restoring the wiring and repairing a door jamb damaged in the original break-in.

“It was spooky,” Niles said.

He said it was the first time he has ever seen all of the property taken in a burglary returned like that. Deputies are still investigating the case.

[via non blogging Matt] [who now tells me it was via Fark so most of you will’ve read it already. ‘pologies]

English is a funny old language. When an area of a city is populated by the (mostly non white) poor, it’s called a ghetto. If it’s populated by (mostly white) rich folks it’s referred to as exclusive.

When people move to another country in search of a better life they’re called economic immigrants. Unless of course they’re moving from a predominantly white, western country. Then the term is ex-pats.

When English speaking people move to another country they’re applauded if they learn even a smattering of the local language. When people move to English speaking countries they are expected to speak faultless, accentless English from day one. I know several Asian doctors who have lived in this country since their early twenties, speak better English than 98% of the population and yet still have patients who turn to the nursing staff and ask “What’s he saying? Can’t understand a word he’s saying”.

Despite criticism [of the BBC at least], journalists continue to use the term “… no-one has claimed responsibility for the attack” rather than the (to me, preferred) “admitted responsibility”. And I’ve noticed that “asserted responsibility” seems to be gaining a little popularity recently, as in this Washington Post article.
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What’s the difference between Anne Robinson and a weeping boil?

One’s a nasty, red-topped, puss-filled sore, the product of over-exposure to booze, fags and an inflated sense of self loathing.

The other’s a nasty, red-topped, puss-filled sore, the product of over-exposure to booze, fags and the constant pressure of self loathing.

from Jann at Fuddland RND05 : The Donate 50p Per Comment Malarky

Anyone want to improve on it? Suggest another? Off you go!

I’m an atheist, thank God.

According to Radio 4 (and the BBC website), comedian Dave Allen has just died. Although he hasn’t been on television these past few years, he will be much missed.

May your God go with you.

Update: He toured with the Beatles!

Customer: A bottle of Worcester sauce please mate.

Shop Keeper: Sorry sir, it’s off the shelves, cancer scare.

C: Oh right, uh - Chinese Chicken Wings?

SK: Ah that’s the same mate, cancer scare

C: Hamburger Relish?

SK: Cancer scare

C: Sausage and Mash?
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Do you carry a donor card? I know it’s not something we like to talk about much but I was just visiting Rhea and found that fellow blogger Serendipitee Jo died recently. I’d only visited Jo’s site once before but her death is a huge loss to her mother and family and has reminded me that there is a dreadful shortage of transplantable organs worldwide.

Every year hundreds of people die while waiting for a transplant and many others lose their lives before they even get on to the transplant list. There is a serious shortage of organs and the gap between the number of organs donated and the number of people waiting for a transplant is increasing.

If you’ve ever considered carrying a donor card but haven’t quite gotten round to it, go now and register [it doesn’t like Firefox I’m afraid, you’ll have to use Internet Explorer].

If you’ve never thought about it before, here are some questions and answers.

An update from Neil: you can have the Organ Donor logo on your Boots Advantage Card - the application form is here. I don’t normally sign up for loyalty cards but Boots have so many special offers (double points, triple points) that they soon mount up and you can treat yourself fairly regularly to a new lipstick, a cd or bottle of perfume. Well done Boots.

Tip: they currently offer triple points on all purchases until 8 March so you could zip down to your local branch, stock up on all your favourite toiletries, buy your mum a present for Mothering Sunday, sign up for a Boots Donor Logo Advantage Card and earn lots of points while you’re doing it. And what do points make? Prizes!

Update #2: Ed mentions that in the US you can sign up as a donor when you renew your drivers licence. Can you do that in the UK? Oh yes indeedy. You can also let your GP know that you wish to be an organ donor and fill in the registration form there.

Picture from Radio Times.com

Channel 4 in the UK are showing a season of programmes on the use of torture this week. Starting tonight with Is Torture a Good Idea? and Torture: The Guantánamo Guidebook. The latter programme is (unfairly?) being referred to in some quarters as a “reality tv” show. From the Guardian tv listing:

…a re-creation of conditions in Guantánamo Bay, as seven volunteers are submitted to the interrogation techniques commonly practised at the camp — all endorsed by the US government* — to determine whether these treatments constitute a denial of human rights. The subjects, some of whom began as a supporter of the process, are put through painful stress positions, sleep deprivation, religious and sexual humiliation, enforced nudity, extremes of temperature and “non-injurious physical contact”, with disturbing results.

* And by the British government.

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As we hit for a cold snap here in the UK, thanks to non blogging Jane for sending some pictures predicting the sort of weather we’re going to get…

Update: Hang on, this is getting serious:

Flights to Paris ahead of the weekend’s rugby are leaving Cardiff after being cancelled on Wednesday due to snow.