housework

hoovered downstairs and the stairs
done some washing up
got a load (dark fabrics0 in the washing machine
a transwoman's work is never done ;)

Doctor Who: Rose (a review)

The revamp, the relaunch, the rebranding, the return, call it what you will it was the first episode of Doctor Who on the telly box in nine years. It had so much to do, it had to reintroduce the concept of the series (weird guy who wanders through time and space in a blue police box fighting aliens, monsters, saving innocent people and meeting historical figures) as well as introduce the new cast members (Christopher Eccleston as the Doctor and Billie Piper as Rose Tyler) while also not radically disagreeing with the past series, yet being upto date thematically and visually to be attractive to the die hard fans and the casual viewer alike. Rose manages all of this and brings back an old enemy (The Autons were last seen on the telly in 1974!) and it manages to say something new about them too. The slow build up as the layers of the mystery of the Doctor are explored helps draw the audience into the storyline, the simplicity of the character scenes doesn't overwhealm with info dumps of exposition, it's all done masterfully so that by the time the story arrives at the epic confrontation the audience are ready to go with Rose with the Doctor in the TARDIS to new adventures. At the time many thought the story was weak but in hindsight its easy to see that the so-called weakness was not a weakness but a strength, after all if new viewers couldn't get into the series then it would not have become the monster success again that it's always been. Special mention must be made to the fantastic London Eye gag which is my favourite scene.

7 Autons out of 10 :)

spending

the dress i wanted was sold out of my size, so I got some cute girly jeans I've had my eye on as well and I've also pre-ordered season 3 of the new 8th Doctor audio series, saving £28 over buying them as seperates :)

car insurance

just saved nearly £100 on my car insurance :) Now I can buy that dress I've had my eye on :)

tired

I'm so tired this morning, the usual lack of sleep combined with early mornings but I have a 3 day weekend to make up for it and later starts again next week so I get more time in bed :) I just wish sometimes i had someone to cuddle me and hold me when I need comforting (and more than hugging too) but right now I'm happy enough being single, I can leave my clothes lying all over the floor where I discard them on a night and there's no one to tell me off for it :)

Agents find billionaire Stanford

FBI agents in the US state of Virginia have served Texan billionaire Sir Allen Stanford with civil legal papers from the US financial watchdog, the SEC. Sir Allen, who disappeared from public view on Tuesday when he was accused by the SEC of an $8bn (£5.6bn) fraud, is believed to be in the Richmond area. The SEC filed a civil case in court describing the case as a "fraud of shocking magnitude". He is not in custody and has not been charged with any criminal violations!

How much do you have to steal to be arrested?

Anti-gay preachers banned from UK

A father and daughter from a US church which preaches hatred of homosexuals have been banned from entering the UK.

Brits - Iron Maiden Best Live Act

I'm a long time rock chick and I'm glad that Iron Maiden wond this award because they are easily the best live band ever, combining great music, fantastic sets and weird onstange dramatics to make the best concerts ever, check out the youtube video of them playing football on stage to amuse their audience during a powercut at one of their concerts!

EU court attacks GM crop secrecy

Europe's top court has ruled that EU governments have no right to conceal the location of field trials of genetically modified (GM) crops.

about time too. There's vital clinical research needed into the safety of these crops and the companies making GM foods don't seem to want to do it...

the next companion

fresh on the heels of Zoe from EastEnders is Lindsay Duncan...

The BBC has confirmed that acclaimed actress, Lindsay Duncan will guest star in the second Doctor Who special of 2009. Lindsay is best known for her roles across stage and screen, including Shooting the Past and GBH and is soon to star as Margaret Thatcher in the highly anticipated BBC Two drama, Margaret. In Doctor Who she will play Adelaide - the Doctor's cleverest and most strong-minded companion yet. "I'm thrilled to be involved in Doctor Who," said Lindsay. "I've never done anything like this before and I'm really looking forward to working with David Tennant and the Doctor Who team." Lindsay joins David Tennant as he continues his role as The Doctor in the second of four Doctor Who Specials to be screened throughout 2009. This will follow Planet of the Dead, due to air this Easter on BBC One. Executive Producer and writer Russell T Davies said: "Lindsay is an incredibly talented actress and I've been an admirer of her work for some time. We are delighted to announce that she will be joining the team and playing the Doctor's most strong-minded companion yet." Due to go into production in Spring 2009, the second episode written by Russell T Davies and Phil Ford will be produced by Nikki Wilson and will be screened on BBC One later this year.

Two sexes 'sin in different ways'

Women 1. Pride 2. Envy 3. Anger 4. Lust 5. Gluttony 6. Avarice 7. Sloth

Men 1. Lust 2. Gluttony 3. Sloth 4. Anger 5. Pride 6. Envy 7. Greed

Envy, Anger and Lust are my top three in that order, I don't think I'm that prideful except in my appearance, my home, my sudoku skill and my work...

Staff return 'see-through' shirts

Female staff on National Express trains between London and Edinburgh will not wear new uniforms because the blouses are too revealing, a union has said. The outfits were "simply too thin and too cheap", making them virtually "see-through", the Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) has claimed. The blouses, given to more than 500 women who work on the East Coast Main Line, have been sent back to the firm. National Express said it would change the fabric "if there is a problem". And it accused the union of "mischief-making" as the blouses followed "a standard shirt design from the manufacturers' catalogue".

Another victory for common sense and against exploitation in the work place...

Smith asked to explain expenses

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has said she will "answer any questions" Parliament's sleaze watchdog has about £116,000 in "second home" expenses. Ms Smith named her sister's London home as her main residence and her family home in Redditch as her "second home". She insists she has done nothing wrong and that she followed the rules. But Standards Commissioner John Lyon has asked her to explain claims by her London neighbours she spends as little as two nights a week at that address. Mr Lyon has previously turned down two requests to investigate Ms Smith over her decision to designate her sister's house - where she stays when she is in London - as her main home. The decision has enabled her to claim at least £116,000 in second home allowances on her constituency home in Redditch, Worcestershire, since becoming an MP. Mr Cameron told BBC 5 Live: "I think that what we need to know is what is her main home." Lib Dem MP Norman Baker, who campaigns for greater parliamentary accountability, welcomed Mr Lyon's decision to look into Ms Smith's allowances.

Pratchett becomes a Sir

Author Terry Pratchett has been knighted by the Queen at Buckingham Palace for services to literature. Sir Terry, 60, was named in the New Year Honours list. Best known for his hugely popular Discworld series of comic fantasy novels, he has sold more than 55 million books worldwide. In 2007 Sir Terry was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease and has since campaigned to raise awareness of the condition.

he should have been sired years ago, he should at least be a lord by now...

Jupiter in space agencies' sights

Nasa and the European Space Agency have decided to forge ahead with an ambitious plan to send a probe to the Jupiter system and its icy moon Europa.

Open the pod bay please HAL...

Indian charmers want their snakes

Some 1,000 snake charmers have staged a rally in eastern India, protesting against a law that has made their profession illegal.

They should ask the snakes opinions...

Kissing allowed, passengers told

A sign informing rail passengers kissing is welcome has been put up at a train station days after a ban was imposed at another stop. The notice placed at the entrance to High Wycombe station in Buckinghamshire shows a cartoon couple in a pink heart sharing an embrace and tells customers: "Kissing is welcome here!" It was put up after revelations earlier this week that petting had been outlawed at a passenger drop-off point at Warrington Bank Quay Station in Cheshire because it holds up commuters. No-kissing signs appeared in the taxi rank forcing couples to use "designated areas" only. But in High Wycombe, passion is being encouraged by train operator Chiltern Railways which stated on the poster: "Unlike other train companies, we would never dream of banning kissing at our stations." The operator, which serves the station, is even now running a competition to find their most romantic passengers. Kirsteen Robertson, of Chiltern Railways, said: "Railway stations are romantic places. They are where fond farewells and emotional reunions take place, where relationships start with a glance and even, in the case of our Marylebone station last November, where one passenger will propose to another over the public address system. "So our passengers are more than welcome to share a kiss in our stations." Chiltern Railways, which runs services between Birmingham Moor Street and London Marylebone, is now encouraging passengers to send in pictures of them kissing at one of their stations. The couple in the winning photograph will win free travel to and from London and a romantic champagne afternoon tea at London's Landmark Hotel.

I just need someone to snog...

BNP teacher faces sack

A County Durham teacher could be permanently banned from teaching if found guilty of posting homophobic and racist comments on a website during lesson-time.

I'd say sack all BNP members from their jobs and throw them out of the country but that would make me as bad as them, so instead we need to re-educate them by showing them some good films that show just how weird their ideas are. Maybe Babylon 5, because if we don't look after each other and help one another, who will?

shopping :)

bought the expanded version of The Colour and the Shape and the regular version of Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace, both by Foo Fighters today :)

Galaxy has 'billions of Earths'

There could be one hundred billion Earth-like planets in our galaxy, a US conference has heard. Dr Alan Boss of the Carnegie Institution of Science said many of these worlds could be inhabited by simple lifeforms. He was speaking at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Chicago. So far, telescopes have been able to detect just over 300 planets outside our Solar System. Very few of these would be capable of supporting life, however. Most are gas giants like our Jupiter; and many orbit so close to their parent stars that any microbes would have to survive roasting temperatures. But, based on the limited numbers of planets found so far, Dr Boss has estimated that each Sun-like star has on average one "Earth-like" planet. This simple calculation means there would be huge numbers capable of supporting life.

Good news then, we can expect alien tourists to visit us soon :)

Another award for Tennant's Hamlet

David Tennant's return to the stage as Hamlet was named the Theatre Event of the Year at an awards ceremony. The Whatsonstage.com Theatregoers' Choice Awards, hosted by Gavin and Stacey stars James Corden and Sheridan Smith, were voted for by 35,000 theatre fans online. Doctor Who star Tennant was forced to spend much of the acclaimed Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) production out of action with a bad back, but after undergoing surgery he gamely returned to the stage before the end of the run.

David is rapidly becoming one of the best actors in the world :)

Global warming 'worse than thought'

The climate is heating up far faster than scientists predicted, a top climate scientist has said. Chris Field, a member of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), said it is being spurred on by sharp increases in greenhouse gas emissions from developing countries like China and India.

This is alarming news and will shut up those who try to deny it's happening, it's happening, get over it and do something about it!

Red Dwarf Marathon pt2

Just the one episode last night...

Confidence and Paranoia 6/10 gets off to a slow start and why to they portray a moyor as a town crier? Still it gets better and creepier until the explosive finale and then the shock ending with the arrival of a second Rimmer!