That Bloke In The Big Smoke

"The runner is no more, killed off by the International Cricket Council's anti-fun police, so there's no chance of a recurrence of one of the game's greatest ever scenes, which starred, as so many do, Gloucestershire's incorrigible spinner Bryan "Bomber" Wells. A poor judge of a run, he once found himself batting with a runner and a partner who also had need of one. Playing a push into the offside, he called for a single, forgot he had a runner and set off himself, as did the two men at the other end. "No" followed "Yes" and all four found themselves at the same end. A fielder dislodged the bails at the other end and the umpire, Alec Skelding, professed himself to be as confused as the four batsmen. "One of you buggers is out," he said. "I don't know which. You decide and inform the bloody scorers!"

They are the funniest I've ever come across. No country as a whole has a better set of creatively titled teams.

27 de Mayo (27 May)
31 de Octubre (31 October)
Alemán (Germany)
Always Ready
Bolivar (formerly known as Atletico Bolívar Literario Musical or Athletic Bolivar Literary Musical)
Atlético Ciclón (Athletic Cyclone)
Club Social, Cultural y Deportivo Blooming (Club Social, Cultural & Sporting Blooming)
Deportivo Ferroviario (Rail Sports)
Destroyers
Estudiantes del Oriente (Students of the East)
Jorge Wilstermann (a Bolivian aviator)
Fraternidad Tigres (Tiger Brotherhood)
Regatas Flamenco (Flamenco Racing)
Santos de Belén (Bethlehem Saints)
The Strongest

Click here for a full list on Wikipedia.

An American proposed to his girlfriend by popping the question in a customised crossword that appeared in the Washington Post. She picked up the hints and accepted immediately. Now that's what I call unique!

This picture appeared on my Facebook Wall through a mutual friend and has created a stir amongst a bunch of Muslims. I think it's just a bit of fun but the response reminds me of a Jyllands-Posten waiting to happen again.

@chrisgolds: Hilarious female tube driver whilst stuck in tube tunnel: "Can't get any information out of anyone, it's like talking to my husband ..." (From here.)

A delightful exchange between two Lib Dem peers in the House of Lords from Tuesday:

Lord Wallace of Tankerness (Lord-Advocate of Scotland): ... However, I think that those who are suggesting that, somehow or other, people in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and parts of England cannot cope with dealing with two issues on the one day are totally underestimating them. It is an insult for them to suggest that it is not possible to vote on both matters on the same day.

Lord Tyler: Will my noble friend confirm whether there is a precedent for holding a referendum on the same day as local elections? I have been informed that the voters of London were able to vote in a referendum about the future governance of the city at the same time as local elections were taking place. Will he confirm that the people of Scotland are quite as intelligent as the people of London?

Lord Wallace of Tankerness: I am certainly happy to give that confirmation. I think-I will need to check, but I think-that my noble friend is right that the referendum on the mayoral system for London was on the same day as the London local elections. I think that I was registered in London at that time, when I was a Member of the other place [House of Commons]. I remember going to the same polling station as my noble friend Lord Ashdown and, as we entered it, the then leader of my party asked, "Which way do we vote?".

I came across a BBC article yesterday that promised a different take from each of our esteemed Fleet Street establishments. I was right:

BBC - Schools advised against swimming lessons in Ramadan
Mirror - Schools consider cancelling swimming in Ramadan
Telegraph - Council tells schools to rearrange exams and cancel swimming for Ramadan
Daily Mail - Council forces schools to rearrange exams and cancel lessons to avoid offending Muslims during Ramadan
Express - SCHOOLS FORCED TO DELAY EXAMS TO AVOID INSULTING MUSLIMS AT RAMADAN
Daily Star - HEADTEACHERS TOLD TO STOP SEX ED LESSONS DURING RAMADAN

Aw, I miss being in England. :) (Also notice how most of the left-wing media ignored the story)