In "Jersey wants a national anthem"

While we're about it, I'd like to plug my inactive (i.e. I rant about it in the pub occasionally) campaign to make the Archers Theme Tune the new English national anthem. Or the English anthem. The current one is very dull, and the Scots and Welsh have nice ones.

In "Dead baby comes back to life ... "

It's not at all an unexpected side-effect of Viagra - the drug is used for several kinds of cardiovascular problems, including impotence. The anti-impotence effect is a side-effect, really - sildenafil citrate was developed as an anti-hypertension drug, and then it was being tested for its effects on angina when male patients started asking for more... Turns out it's better at treating impotence than other problems, but it can still be useful in some cases, as we see here.

In "Cute Mother."

I smelled a rat at 'rare tiger triplets'. Google 'normal size litter tiger' and you find that tigers ordinarily have 2-4 cubs at a time.

In "Tom Waits Interview in the Observer"

The first time I stayed over at my boyfriend's house, he put on an album and said 'I really really hope you like this'. And he looked very nervous. It was Rain Dogs and I loved it. And I'm female.

In "Exporting green and leafy water"

roryk - I agree with your ideological point but surely the current water shortage (which we are not yet suffering from here in the Midlands, by the way) has something to do with the almost total lack of rain in Britain this winter?

In "Kill Your Television 2006"

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! They always do this. I hardly watch any TV but am always glued to the last week of the snooker world championships, which always falls during the last week of April...

In "Why obscure languages are more fun to learn."

cor, this is old. certainsome1, if you're still alive, French is indeed a minority language in Italy and Belgium (I think). Not 'minority of world' but 'minority of community'.

In "Chick tracts for a new generation"

wasn't trying to steal - I assumed that you lot would all get the reference... course, you've only got my word for that...

The Watergate Hotel It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by agnew. >_

In "The Top-10 Languages used on the Internet."

Lots of native English speakers in India, believe it or not - and there are hundreds of different 'local' languages.

In "Stolen Bikes."

True story - in my apartment block, we received letters from the managing agency telling us to stop storing bikes in the hallway as it was against fire regulations (no mention was made of pushchairs, but hey). Bf and I duly moved ours to the bin shed that had been converted for the purpose by the managing agent - it had those hoop stands. A few weeks later, every single bike in the store was stolen, and the thieves had unscrewed the hoop stands and removed the bikes that way. Every single bike, that is, except mine which has a wicker basket on the front... Moral - put a wicker basket on your bike.

In "Curious George: So how old are you really?"

Callaghan child here - 7 months old at the advent of la Thatcher. (but flashboy is more famous than I am)

In "Curious, George: Immigrating to France"

Agreed - negotiating the French bureaucracy is difficult enough if you a) are an EU citizen and b) speak French, but a million times harder if you don't have either of these attributes. You don't mention if either of you speak French, but be warned, there is not that much English spoken in France (despite the efforts of all those teachers). However, if you're dead set on it, do a job that's needed in France and have the language skills, then go for it and investigate.

In "Abandonded Britain"

Dr_Evil: Broadmoor is still open - it's a high-security mental hospital. Formerly 'Broadmoor Asylum for the Criminally Insane'. I stayed near there once - every Monday morning they test their escape sirens.

In "Curious George: What time is it "

17.34 here in London (coffee time)

In "Walken in 2008."

What? Entrust the country to a man who said "Sometimes when I'm driving... on the road at night... I see two headlights coming toward me. Fast. I have this sudden impulse to turn the wheel quickly, head-on into the oncoming car. I can anticipate the explosion. The sound of shattering glass. The... flames rising out of the flowing gasoline."
Seriously... hasn't everyone thought along these lines at some point in their lives? I know I have, but that doesn't mean I'd actually do it.

In "Is it Gutenberg 3 already? Summer's almost over..."

Sealand!

In "Curious George: Who's Dumb to You?"

People from Essex. I play viola. Bring it on!!!

In "Curious, George: Boys keep out"

jb - it won't cost you a thing. Contraceptives are free on the NHS - they want to stop us Brits breeding :) I had a horrible experience on two types of combined pill (weight gain and depression). When I saw my GP after I realised that the first type of pill was killing me, she said that this was common and I could try another kind of pill, which she prescribed. But she also recommended a hormone-free IUD - and she said this knowing that I am 26 and have no children. She said that not enough women consider this option. I hadn't even mentioned my relationship status (in a stable one). I liked the idea of hormone-free contraception, but opted to try the other kind of pill, as I preferred to think that I could stop birth control when I wanted to and not be dependent on going to the doctors to have it removed. Long story short - started the other kind of pill, nasty symptoms came back within a week so stopped immediately, now using condoms and therefore am watching this thread with interest!

In "The evil deeds of the Queen's favorite."

This isn't the Earl of Essex, it's his stepfather the Earl of Leicester. Clues - brother-in-law of Henry Sidney; uncle of Sir Philip Sidney. In answer to your last question; yes, undoubtedly.

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