(click picture for link)
All the major political parties say climate change is the biggest threat we face.

They all have ambitious targets for cutting the main cause of it - carbon dioxide gas (20% by 2010, 60% by 2050).
Yet emissions of carbon dioxide keep on rising. We need a different way. A new law is needed to make the Government cut carbon dioxide every year by 3% from now on.

Taking action
Over the past year, over 130,000 people across the country have asked their MP to do more about climate change.

The result? On November 15, in the Queen's Speech, the Government announced plans to introduce a Climate Change Bill.

This marks a huge milestone in The Big Ask campaign – one that would not have been achieved without your help. Thank you.

It’s only the beginning
We'll need to work hard over the next year to ensure the Bill is a decent one, delivering the year-on-year cuts in carbon dioxide needed.

Please help us by sending an email to the Environment Minister, David Miliband, to ask him to ensure the Bill is a tough one. (click picture for link)

(Information from Friends of The Earth)

I am getting so so so excited about the imminent (well, if you call 10 months away that) release of the first instalment of the Dark Materials trilogy. It looks as though not only have they got the casting spot on, but the look and feel seems just right too.

Toddle over here to see selections of images, and here for the latest movie stills.

Ooooh, I could crush a grape Im looking forward to it so much.

Peace, mofo's.

http://www.goldencompassmovie.com/

So, why not take 1 minute to click each of the following links and by clicking on the coloured tab you can ensure that foodstuffs, books, or care is donated to each of the groups. And it costs nothing to you:

The Hunger Site

The Animal Rescue Site

The Literacy Site

The Rainforest Site

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Also, please take the time to add your weight to these campaigns:

Control Arms campaign

Add your name to the 90,000 plus who have already mailed the Starbucks president to force them to play fair with the coffee farmers of Ethiopia

Want to improve your English, but have a little fun at the same time?

Play a bit of tennis during the week and also learn more English?

There are many London English Courses and London English Schools where you can meet other language learners and make friends.

So if you want to find an English Course in London or course elsewhere in England, then have a look at English for Fun.

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Backgammon

One of the worlds oldest games

Sophisticated in a way that evokes images of Bond, supercool suave people in tuxedos and glamorous femme fatales draped off your arm.

Well, you can now be a part of that. Partygammon.com gives you the chance to play for real or fun. Theres also a backgammon school where you can polish up on your skills.

If thats not enough, you can enter a tournament to walk away with $500,000 from the Bahamas.

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Yes, it gets worse. (see post below)

It appears that despite the closure of the beach and warnings about theft, scavengers are still descedning droves.

Not only that, but some of the containers appear to have been transporting peoples personal belongings which have also been looted.

Between this and Jade Goody (just in general, not specifically to do with recent events ) I despair for humanity!!! Lol

...I dont know, a cargo ship capsizes at sea, near the coast and causes all sorts of environmental disasters - including oil spillages, waste and the inevitable effect on the birds and wildlife - and what happens further down the beach?

Oh, no concern for helping with the clear up, just selfish people living up to this generations characteristic of 'want want want, deserve something for nothing' mentality and basically storm the beach to steal things. What right have you got to go and take something that is obviously not yours and is there as a result of a disaster? Cretins and thieves.

As Natalie Imbruglia once sang, ‘I’m torn’. I know ying cant exist without yang, just as with black and white, good and bad, ben and jerry, and Ant and Dec.

But I still have difficulties reconciling my eco instincts with my hedonist addictions.

On the one (mud encrusted) hand, I’m very aware of the problems with climate change, carbon footprints, damage to the environment, recycling needs, human rights plights and charitable concerns. And for my part, I do take some steps to incorporate all of these principles into my daily life.

On the other (vodka holding) hand, I do like the bright lights and the big city, trendy bars, nightlife, the seductive glow of neon, cinema, coffee shops, drinking out, dvd buying, shopping for shiny pretty things, fashion, media endorsed ‘in’ things and general living it glam ethos.

Which can sometimes be at odds with the tree hugging, green ethical me.

I mean, I recycle where I can. I’ve even got one of those orange Sainsburys old lady re-usable bags. Which admittedly I often forget to take with me. But, even then I’ll save the carrier bags and take them back next time.
The TV and monitor get switched off. Kettle is only filled with as much water as I need. I don’t drive, and either walk or use the train. I would like to cycle more but I’ve left my bike 93.4 miles away.

I support Amnesty International, Oxfam, Control Arms, Fair Trade (Ive checked and apparently Neros is safe on this score) and various others. But I tend to do so in a no cost to me kind of way.

But, I also smoke. Actually, I now ‘smo’ as Im in the middle of my giving up regime of cutting down each week until my pledge date. I buy dvds and magazines. I love clothes shopping and am proud to champion the cheap designer-lite offerings I pick up from Primark, which I have to say I make look very funky but I don’t always check the ethical values of their production. Same goes for food products. I’m vegetarian so thankfully don’t add to the cheap unhygienic ‘economy’ meat debacle. But again, maybe I need to be better at checking the origins of my fruit and veg to minimise the food miles.
Sticking with the veg theme, Id love to do a ‘Dick Strawbridge’ and live in a self sufficient farmhouse. But Id also love to live in a swanky pad in the capital with all the latest techno gadgets and uber cool furniture and lighting and entertain all the time. Or go to fancy bistros and coffee bars and jazz clubs and restaurants and eat out all the time. Which would involve lots of energy use in the house and also not necessarily knowing where my food and drinks and coffees come from.

So, you see, Im a confused contradictory wannabe eco guru with a penchant for living a swinging high life in the metropolis and partying and socialising, whilst also dreaming of an idyllic self sufficiency in some rural coastal farmhouse.

Perhaps with a bit of practice I can fulfil my ecological, ethical and environmental concerns within the lifestyle of the big smoke, then when that’s fulfilled buy a kaftan and some wellies and start work on the commune.

Im trying to be green, Im trying to be ethical and help where I can – but I cant help it if the lure of bright lights, big city and techno heaven also pulls at me.

Looks like my epitaph is going to be ‘he was a contradiction’ after all.

"A fashion designer has caused a row in Spain by using illegal African immigrants as models in his show, prompting accusations that he took advantage of their plight to sell clothes"

Source: The Guardian

So which is it? Social Commentary or Exploitation and self promotion?

Or is it possibly a mixture of both. And if so, is that necessarily bad? Most relationships are symbiotic, so even if there was an element of manipulation on his part, is that really so wrong if it was also done with a real intention of putting a message across. For all of the arguments that are made about taking advantage, surely the press coverage (and indeed blog commentary such as this) would not exist without the 'contentiousness' of the subject matter. So, given that the worlds media has now devoted hundreds of column inches mentioning the issues involving immigration in Spain, the topic is now in the open air more than it would have been before. Despite the reservations about his integrity.

Right, I've got Jack Johnson and Tom O'Leary here ready for action.

Which bastard went and slipped a couple of extra weeks into January without telling me????

How nice would it be to not only have your own home and life, um, at home, but also be able to invest in a propery abroad

Morocco is somewhere Id love to visit, and given the money it would be an ideal place to buy somewhere. Exotic AND cheaper than most similar European resorts by aound 50%, a Moroccan property investment would be sound business.

But why stop there - theres also property in Spain, Bulgaria, Romania, Dubai and Brazil to put your pennies into.

I can see it now, 5 years down the line, sipping a G & T out in the courtyard, smiling happily to myself in my lovely overseas property

(sponsored)

Awww just look at him, how cute.

Badgers saved from homelessness!
Hooray for the badgers now having a safe home.

So, why not take 1 minute to click each of the following links and by clicking on the coloured tab you can ensure that foodstuffs, books, or care is donated to each of the groups. And it costs nothing to you:

The Hunger Site

The Animal Rescue Site

The Literacy Site

The Rainforest Site

----

Also, please take the time to add your weight to these campaigns:

Control Arms campaign

Add your name to the 90,000 plus who have already mailed the Starbucks president to force them to play fair with the coffee farmers of Ethiopia

...turn your computer on, make yourself a nice martini. On with the tux. Get some Andy Williams or Tony Bennett on the stereo.

Then sit yourself down and log into Party Casino

Theres a fantastic range of games on here; from baccarat to poker, blackjack to roulette.

Its licensed and regulated and secure.

Not only that, you can download a poker game to practise at home with, before unleashing yourself to play for real stakes.

(sponsored)

I'd like to start a campaign to have a new verb / noun (voun? vern? norb?) recognised by the powers that be, and also brought into daily use.

---

"To Daily Mail"
"I'm going all Daily Mail"
" Christ Jeffrey, you Daily Mailing again? Stop moaning"
etc

Description - make a statement or perform an action that denotes you are thinking or becoming a dull, anally retentive twat.

---

Personal Example...I was walking home this evening and a guy had parked up in front of me. When he got out to get a ticket, the volume from his stereo was WAYYYYYY too loud. Before I could stop myself, I was thinking, 'surely thats not safe to be driving around like that, you cant hear a thing.' So, yes folks, without realising it, I was suddenly 'Daily Mailing'

So please, please, please add your support, name check where it came from and do your best to incorporate it into your daily speach from now on. Spread the word! Lets make history

(yes, I'm bored)

I'd like to start a campaign to have a new verb / noun (voun? vern? norb?) recognised by the powers that be, and also brought into daily use.

---

"To Daily Mail"
"I'm going all Daily Mail"
" Christ Jeffrey, you Daily Mailing again? Stop moaning"
etc

Description - make a statement or perform an action that denotes you are thinking or becoming a dull, anally retentive twat.

---

Personal Example...I was walking home this evening and a guy had parked up in front of me. When he got out to get a ticket, the volume from his stereo was WAYYYYYY too loud. Before I could stop myself, I was thinking, 'surely thats not safe to be driving around like that, you cant hear a thing.' So, yes folks, without realising it, I was suddenly 'Daily Mailing'

So please, please, please add your support, name check where it came from and do your best to incorporate it into your daily speech from now on. Spread the word! Lets make history

(yes, I'm bored)

I'd like to start a campaign to have a new verb / noun (voun? vern? norb?) recognised by the powers that be, and also brought into daily use.

---

"To Daily Mail"
"I'm going all Daily Mail"
" Christ Jeffrey, you Daily Mailing again? Stop moaning"
etc

Description - make a statement or perform an action that denotes you are thinking or becoming a dull, anally retentive twat.

---

Personal Example...I was walking home this evening and a guy had parked up in front of me. When he got out to get a ticket, the volume from his stereo was WAYYYYYY too loud. Before I could stop myself, I was thinking, 'surely thats not safe to be driving around like that, you cant hear a thing.' So, yes folks, without realising it, I was suddenly 'Daily Mailing'

So please, please, please add your support, name check where it came from and do your best to incorporate it into your daily speech from now on. Spread the word! Lets make history

(yes, I'm bored)

Make Trade Fair - sign up here

...Being kept awake all night by what sounded like the Jolly Green Giant standing on my roof, pissing out the result of a 48 hour bender onto my window.

...Step outside at 7:20 am to be confronted by monsoons that disorientate me so much, I feel Ive just stepped out from the Shopkeepers changing room as Mr Benn, and am in some strange climate.

...Realise my shoes have holes in the heels.

...Walk down the constant slope from my house towards town, which has now become a 2 inch stream instead of pavement.

...Get to the coffee shop ready for opening to find out they are shut. Ten minutes later, cue a wet (not from the rain) teenager apologising profusely as the other member of staff has rang in sick, and because his mummy wont let him, he cant open on his own.

...Defeated, get even more wet en route to Sainsburys to find yet again there are 10 shelfstackers and 0 stacked shelves. Also spot sweaty teenager putting the bread rolls out IN BARE HANDS so decide not to risk getting a wart on my tongue.

But, I am now safely in the dry ready to start work, so the day is looking up already...

Any regular readers out there (hello!) will know about my love of irony.

Whats even better than irony, is when its coupled with foot-in-mouth syndrome.

Take this for example:

The headline, quoted from Sir David Normington, is:

"One in five Home Office statistics are unreliable, says department head"

Is he sure about that?

I love sites like this

Who wouldnt?

Enter your details.
Complete some surveys.
Check out some offers.
Receive cash rewards and discounts.

Simple. Money for nothing. And who would say no to that?
I also like the fact I can discover little snippets of information, find out about new things, and receive something for your time.

God bless the internet and market offers!

Get free cash guaranteed? Yes please

(sponsored)

Battles with the coffee shop Guardian continued:

For today at least.

My reconnaissance paid off on two fronts. Firstly, I had two opportune encounters with my 'mole' (not the one on my face) over the weekend and she has pledged the support of the resistance. This is a great coup, as I now have an inside (wo)man on the case who is going to hide the disputed Guardian for me every morning she is in. We both feel this is fair as, a) the invading dictator(ess) is not abiding by NATO rules and is stockpiling papers and blocking free trade and b) shes rude.

Secondly, my mission timing was superb this morning. As my ally was detained en route, I managed to rendezvous at the drop point as soon as the border gates opened and not only did I successfully obtain the Guardian, but I managed to erm, annexe the annexe. Yes, I occupied the occupied territory and freed it from its stronghold.

I dont think this went down well with the invading party, for she took position on my borders and waited for a strike opportunity.

And true to form, no sooner had I folded the paper back up, out came an outstretched arm aiming to reclaim it. I could see this was being backed up by an evil glare along with a tensed left hand gripping her coffee cup dangerously. One false move and Id have had it.

I had no choice but to vacate the annexe and move on to my next mission at work, so alas, the troops once again occupised the territory, along with not only the Guardian, but the Times and two other papers. Power is going to her head and its only a matter of time before there is a newspaper genocide.

Survey for the bored 8

Feta spread lovingly on a wholeweat (not cheapo own brand) digestive.

Heaven or hell?

Hmmm, not sure of the logic in her thinking. But I love the irony, as always.

I was walking back to the office from lunch, and it had started spitting ("it's spitting, it's spitting!")

Across the road was a lady of a certain age, obviously extremely concerned of the hazardous effects of water reacting with her hair style. (Im the same)

However, her methods of ensuring the rain didnt ruin her looks and style, thereby keeping her looking well turned and smart, involved placing a Boots carrier bag over her head.

Not quite the right result shed hoped for Id guess.