mandragora

He's flanked by Bush and Chirac, with the other leaders fanning out. I'm glad to see the rallying round - the squabble with Chirac is overshadowed by today.

Have just learned am due in court tomorrow. Luckily, it's a north London court, so if need be I'll drive there if public transport is still not running. I can't get the file, so will have to wing tomorrow's hearing. The office are faxing through the basics but the file is too big to take everything. I expect the opposition to be sympathetic and let me read their papers. That's what happens in situations like this.

The courts are still running, although obviously lots of clients won't be turning up.

The police are trying to downplay it as much as possible. They're saying that you wouldn't notice anything unusual unless you're in the affected areas.

Mainline trains are running.

Many, many injuried. At least 95 at one hospital alone, and that doesn't account for those treated at the scene. At least one more fatality.

Blair is just speaking. He looks gutted.

Pizza on the Park. John Barrowman. In cabaret!

Should be good. *g* Is it very wrong of me to hope that he gets his kit off? Okay, he probably won't strip down completely. But, topless at least. Shorts would be nice...

Oh God. That was absolutely brilliant. I can't wait for next week.

Have just learnt from Dr Who Confidential that ( Spoiler )

Let me join in the general squeeing over this week's Doctor Who. Scary and funny and well, the Doctor dances, you know. He really does.

Otherwise, am so very, very tired. This week I have:
Been to court.
Gone away to the Midlands on business for a couple of days.
Attended my great aunt's funeral.
Witnessed a family feud in action at the funeral, in which mother was at the heart.
Driven back from the Midlands in 32C (90F) heat in a car with no air conditioning (found out on journey that air con is broken, will be repaired on Wednesday).
Discovered The Other Side have got leave to appeal in one of my cases from the Court of Appeal (leave was refused at first instance), which has buggered us tactically, and has necessitated much running around, including having to haul leading counsel out of court where he was sitting as a judge to discuss next tactical move.
Suffered the telly in the bedroom breaking down.
Bought a new telly to replace the knackered one, tried to fit it into car, failed, arranged for delivery instead.
Spent an hour and a half trying to unscrew a door-stop to make room to get old TV out and new one into the bedroom, discovered power screwdriver is also knackered, failed to unscrew doorstop.
Cut hand, bruised arms and took chunk out of wall trying to get knackered TV off TV wallstand.
Bribed TV deliveryman to unscrew doorstop (noted with some bitterness that as has bloke's strength he had no difficulty in unscrewing it at all), and put new TV onto wallstand and take old one downstairs.
Dashed out to get electrical extension lead because new TV lead is on other side to old one and TV cord didn't reach plug.
Tried to tune TV in, failed because there is no aerial, only cable box, contacted manufacturer, finally got cable tuned in.
Collapsed onto couch to watch Doctor Who.

The great aunt was a very sweet and lovely person, who was that rare being, a lifelong churchgoer who actually lived by the tenets of the Christian faith, in that she always showed compassion and love and charity to all, and never judged others. She was never prejudiced, about anybody. She died, suddenly, of a heart attack, which is much the best way to go IMO. Her elder sister, my grandmother, is still going strong at the age of 97 and has just had her drivers' licence renewed! (No, I don't know What They Were Thinking, either). So, er, if you're ever down at Land's End in Cornwall you might want to watch out for a little old lady bombing along the lanes.

The funeral was at the family church, which was fitted out by now-deceased family members, and at which one of my great-great grandfathers was the vicar. Went to the family mausoleum, where great-great-great grandparents on down are buried. Great aunt was cremated, though. Before that there was a church service and I was very touched that the church (which is pretty big) was full, of both family and friends. Not bad for a 90 years old woman and a testament to how much she was loved. It's also unusual in Britain to attend a funeral where the vicar actually does know the deceased person, in this case for 27 years. Heathen though I am, I was very touched by the service, possibly because the vicar spoke from the heart.

Anyhow, yes, I shall miss her but, 90 years isn't a bad age and she lived a long, fruitful and mostly happy life in which she raised 2 sons and now has 5 grandchildren who are all doing well. We should all be so lucky.

Yesterday went to the cinema in the West End, the Odeon Leicester Square, no less. I don't tend to go to see a film in the West End because it's so damn expensive. Last time I went it was £12 a ticket - that's about US$23 at present exchange rates. That was last year.

So I was thinking that the ticket might be, say, £12.50. It wasn't. It was... wait for it £17 (about US$32). Jesus Christ. I could buy a DVD for that - less than that in most cases. I was gobsmacked. That is a gigantic rip-off par none. It's back to Wood Green (tickets £5.50, or £3.50 during the week) for me. Oh sure, the screens aren't quite as big and the sound quality perhaps not quite as good. But, it's at least £11.50 cheaper!

As for the film, that was Kingdom of Heaven. For a review, I suggest that you check out musesfool's entry here, which I pretty much agree with and is a very nice summary. Although I think I liked the romance bit more than musesfool did.

Watching HIGNFY tonight I saw that The Fat Duck at Bray has been named the world's best restaurant for 2005.

Not exactly a surprise. Nor was it a surprise that Britain had 13 restaurants in the top 50 compared to France's 8 and the US's 6.

Arguments aside whether the 50 named restaurants are *really* the best in the world (doubtful, I mean, how would you know? Has any of the judges visited *every* possible contender - I think not), it is a sure sign of what is well known in Britain. Which is that the (well-deserved) past reputation of Britain as a culinary desert is just that. Past. Nowadays British cuisine is actually really rather good. Which is why Britain has more restaurants than any other country in a list of what are undoubtedly 50 very good restaurants (even if they're arguably not the 50 'best').

So, to anyone thinking of travelling to Britain and some local trots out the usual "Oh but the food is just *terrible*" rubbish, tell them just that - they're talking rubbish. (Mandragora thinking with irritation of the New York investment banker she met on a bus in Barcelona who *insisted* that British cusine is crap, even though he'd never actually been to Britain and even after Mandragora informed him that Britain has more Michelin starred restaurants than the US does.)

ETA: Actually, it wasn't 13 of the top 50 restaurants were British but 14. I had missed out the winner!

Are going cheap at Sendit.com. Seasons 1 to 4 are available for £17.99 each.

Which pleases me, as I'd been holding out for them to come down in price. *g*

Mandragora will from this day forth be known as 'Amazing Mastermind'.

However, should you wish to refer to me as Mandragora1 that's 'Fearless Dominator' to you.

Names obtained from The Wu-Name Generator which can be found here

Dr Who was just wonderful. Loved it and am really looking forward to next week's episode. And to make it even better, I watched it sitting on my mother's sofa, in the company of my mother.

Ah, memories...

Entry dedicated to raincitygirl. Thanks hon.

It's been ages since I made an LJ entry, but I so enjoyed reading everyone else's 'Ten things' entry that I've made one of my own:

( Ten things I've experienced that you may not have done. )

Yesterday one of the most dangerous people in Britain, the (former) Home Secretary, David Blunkett resigned. Lawyers (including me) loathe him for his refusal to take account of some pretty fundamental human rights in his fanaticism to pursue the 'War on Terror'. Not that there are plenty of people who aren't lawyers who don't loathe him, of course, but lawyers are some of Blunkett's favourite whipping boys.

Today, the Law Lords (in a court of nine, count 'em, nine - reserved only for the most serious cases and when the Law Lords *really* want to make a point) ruled that the disgraceful detention without trial of foreign nationals suspected of terrorist offences is contrary to human rights laws. The majority was eight to one. So, go the judiciary!

I quote from Lord Nicholls of Birkenhead, who in his ruling, said: "Indefinite imprisonment without charge or trial is anathema in any country which observes the rule of law.

Absolutely.

And, a not-yet-quite-belated Happy Birthday to temaris (sorry it's a bit late, Tem, but I've been away the past three days on business).

It really is. My new car, that is. It's been an extremely long time since I had a new car. Many years. My last one did sterling service but it really was time for a change.

So, I went and got one of these but in silver, like these pictures here.

I haven't driven it that much as yet, as I only picked it up this morning but it handles like an absolute dream. The four-wheel drive means that it holds the road like velcro and it leaps to obey when my foot presses down on the accelerator. I haven't taken it above 100 mph as yet, partly because the motorways were chocca and partly because I was driving far too close to *the* major urban conurbation of Great Britain, complete with lots and lots of traffic police, to risk it. I'll need to take it out early one weekend morning I think and really find out what it can do.

I am very happy right now.

Was listening to the Today programme on Radio 4 this morning whilst getting ready for work.

Amongst the matters being discussed with the Bush re-election was the impact on the environment. The Bush Government spokesperson who was trotted out was very dismissive of climate change. It's not going to be at all damaging you see. The vast majority of the world's scientists have greatly exaggerated the effects, including the British Chief Scientist who isn't an expert on the climate. Although no doubt he's very competent in his field...

And the reason why the vast majority of scientists have been exaggerating the effects of climate change? Well, it's because none of them are independent. They're all in the pay of their particular government, who fund their research. It's only in the good old US of A where you get truly independent scientists who are in the pay of Big Business.

And, when asked by a somewhat bemused interviewer what all the other countries in the world (assuming that they *all* have scientists who are *all* funded by their respective governments, of course) could possibly hope to gain by exaggerating the effect of pollution, climate change, global warming etc, given that it's going to be bloody expensive, difficult and damaging to the world economy to counteract. Assuming that we even can counteract it. What do you think the response was by the Bush Government spokesman?

Go on, take a wild guess.

It was... it's all a plot by those nasty Europeans to do in the American economy. Presumably because, as America is the world's biggest polluter, it's going to have to spend the most money to try and improve the situation. And that will divert precious money from going where it *really* matters, into the pockets of the obscenely rich who own most of America-- Ahem. I mean, away from the deserving American voters. Presumably, all of those who voted for Bush.

And that's why the vast majority of the world's scientists, in fact pretty much all of them who aren't funded by Big American Companies, are lying to us about climate change. They all want to ensure that precious monies are diverted from the innocent God-fearing American taxpayer into the pockets of the scheming, nefarious Europeans.

Yes, all of the scientists. They're all lying to us. Even the ones from Japan and Canada and Russia and Chile and Argentina and South Africa and Australia and Egypt and-- oh hell, you get the picture.

God. The insanity.

I've written before how much I enjoy Michelle West's work. And if you haven't read any of her books, what are you waiting for? They're wonderful. She also writes as Michelle Sagara BTW, although these are earlier works and less mature as a result than her later novels. They're well worth reading, though, IMO.

My impression of Michelle as a person is nothing but positive, as shown by her sympathetic response to the Anne Rice debacle. She's now posted her views on fanfiction here.

She's obviously sympathetic to the fannish impulse and if I felt the calling to write fanfiction about her novels I'm pleased that she'd have no problem in my doing so. In fact, though, I find her stories so densely layered and satisfying in themselves that the fanfiction impulse doesn't move me when reading them as I'm content to wait and see what she comes up with next, secure in the knowledge that anything I come up with won't be as good as anything Michelle writes. I just wish she could write faster so that the next instalment was now ready to be published. Sigh.

The first episode did not disappoint, with some intriguing questions and interesting set-up

( Here be spoilers )

There's a report in today's Independent concerning an attempt to open a 'Creationist' school in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The local state school was failing and a businessman who had set up 3 others of these schools offered to set up another to replace the failing school.

The parents and teachers protested. They would rather have a failing school than one which 'indoctrinates' the children into what they, presumably, regard as a crackpot theory. The Independent report is here

Sums up the British position on extreme Christianity rather nicely, I think.

First thing this morning, just when the news broke, I think, about 6.15am British time, when I was getting up to go to work. The Today programme said that they were just getting news that he'd died and I felt a sudden rush of grief. As did many people who heard the news, I think. I remembered how he had been as Superman and how touched and delighted I'd been to see him appear on Smallville. I also admired his courage.

I signed up to make a donation to the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation (CRPF) over a year ago and have been receiving regular communications from them ever since. The research it has been undertaking on spinal cord injuries is something about which I feel deeply, ever since a friend of mine was made a paraplegic by some cretin who drove his car round a bend on the wrong side of the road and knocked my friend off his motorbike. The car driver was unhurt. My friend had the worst injuries of anyone brought into the specialist spinal cord injuries hospital for ten years. Who lived.

If anyone is interested in learning more about the very worthwhile work the CRPF undertakes the website is: http://www.christopherreeve.org/

There's a leak in my bathroom to the room below. I get the plumber round and decide to work from home today. The plumber tells me that he does not need to get up into the loft. I go to make a call to the office. While I'm on the phone the fucking idiot of a plumber attempts to get into the loft using the loft ladder. It has a loose catch that I know about and if he had just fucking told me what he intended to do I would have got the ladder down and made sure it was safe.

He didn't tell me.

Result. One broken loft ladder and scraped through to the hall wallpaper. The loft ladder is at least 16 years old. What are the chances of finding a bracket to repair the one that's broken?

Yeah. That's what I thought.

I don't know exactly what colour the hall is painted to try and get some paint to repair the damage. Moreover, I can't even go to Homebase, or somewhere similar, today to go and see if I can match the colour because first thing this morning I took the car to the garage to have a leaking exhaust fixed.

The plumber says it's not his fault. How was he to know that the loft ladder was how it is? Well why the fuck did he tell me that he did not need to get into the loft then.

Pissed off.

Really very fucking pissed off.

even drowning in an ocean of work as I am. Why? Because apparently the new series, that is series proper as opposed to the mini-series, of Battlestar Galactica is starting on Sky One on 18 October 2004! And here was me thinking I'd have to wait until 2005 to see CKR and Jamie in all their glory. *g*

Looks like for some reason we're going to get the series here in Britain before the US. So, um, good for Sky then ;)

Thanks to foolme8 and prudentia for her tireless research.

Oh, if anyone wants to read the first episode synopsis, check out the Sky Battlestar Galactica website:
http://www.skyone.co.uk/programmes/battlestar/