Nothing excuses the Cairo sexual assault on CBS TV reporter Lara Logan, 39, the former swimwear model but...
...she does have ‘form’ for dressing provocatively in inappropriate locations.
In 2002, she was rebuked by British military officers in Afghanistan for ‘flashing her cleavage’.
For the past 20-odd years, this column has made a decent living documenting the insanity and waste in Britain’s Town Halls.
For the past 15 years, this column has made a good living out of elf 'n' safety.
If all else failed, there was always the Guardian jobs pages on a Wednesday to dig me out of a hole.
These days, ‘climate change’ is the new Aids.
Haringey hired someone to give hopscotch lessons to Asian women.
Back in 1995, former Conservative Party Chairman Brian Mawhinney regaled his Party’s Conference with a story of how taxpayer’s money was being similarly spent on hopscotch for Asian women.
In fact, it later transpired that the public money had been given to the Hopscotch Asian Women’s Centre, a well-respected voluntary organisation that deals with domestic violence, language and integration issues in Camden, which neighbours Haringey.
So could a similar misunderstanding have been made by Richard Littlejohn?
We contacted Hanringey Borough Council to ask about the mysterious job, who weren’t aware of one fitting Mr Littlejohn’s description. We’ve also tried to get in touch with Mr Littlejohn himself to find out more about how he came across this vacancy, but have yet to hear back from him.
But the Hopscotch Asian Women's Centre did advertise for a management position in May last year.
So whilst as yet we’re unable to say with complete certainty that Haringey haven’t been engaging the services of Asian hopscotch specialists, given the claim’s history and the proximity of an Asian women’s voluntary centre named Hopscotch to Haringey, you might be advised to treat this particular “non-job” with some scepticism.
The rabid anti-capitalist film-maker Michael Moore, director of the global warming propaganda movie Fahrenheit 9/11, is suing his backers, Bob and Harvey Weinstein, claiming they cheated him out of £1.67million in profits. And there was me thinking he did it to save the planet.
Complaint:
Diocesan Director of Communications, Gavin Drake, complained to the Press Complaints Commission that the newspaper had published an online article about a vicar's prosecution for downloading child pornography which was accompanied by an inaccurate comment from a reader. The reader had asserted that the Church had been aware of the vicar's crimes for years when this was not the case. The complainant contacted the website moderator with his concerns but was aggrieved that no action was taken.
Resolution:
The newspaper explained that the comment had been post-moderated and the moderator was aware of the abuse report logged by the complainant. It acknowledged that there had been a lapse in moderation on this occasion. While the complainant remained disappointed that the newspaper had not responded when he first reported the problem, the complaint was resolved when the newspaper permanently removed the comment in question.
Thousands of illegal immigrants will flee riot-torn Egypt and flood to Britain, the leader of Nato has warned.
Many refugees are desperate to escape and head here to milk the benefits system.
Nato Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, 58, said the riots will fuel an “illegal migration wave” across the EU.
And the majority will head straight to Britain on the promise of free housing and better jobs.
Having said that, I do not consider the situation in Egypt or Tunisia, or elsewhere as a direct threat to NATO allies or the Alliance as such. But obviously the evolving situation in the Middle East and North Africa may have an impact on the Middle East peace process, and instability in the region as such may also, in a longer term perspective, have a negative impact on economy, which might lead to illegal immigration in Europe, etc. So of course indirectly there may be a negative impact on Europe caused by the evolving situation in North Africa and the Middle East. But I do not consider the situation as a direct threat to NATO.
instability in the region...might lead to illegal immigration in Europe
Thousands of illegal immigrants will flee riot-torn Egypt and flood to Britain
Gloucester City Council is sending out census forms in no fewer than 56 different languages.
...why waste time and public money printing leaflets in 56 different languages, many of them scribble?
The Irish edition of the Mail on Sunday published several thousand copies today with a spoof wrap-around as if it was the Sunday Tribune, the title that went into receivership last week.
It masqueraded as the Tribune by reproducing its masthead, as the picture above illustrates. Unsurprisingly, it outraged the Tribune's editor, Nóirín Hegarty, who called it "pernicious" and "a false representation".
I speak as one of the poor suckers who was duped into buying it this morning. On the run I picked up a copy of the Sunday Business Post and the Sunday Times....I saw "The Tribune" there and thought that it must have been a creative initiative by the journalists at the paper to keep the flag flying for the next few weeks. As a friend of mine works there I picked it up.
When I got home I almost spewed when I realised the con, and let's face it that's what it was. I will never buy a copy of the Mail in any form after this, nor a single of chips that is wrapped in it. Disgusting.
Ireland's edition of the Mail on Sunday faces prosecution over its cover that bore the masthead of the rival Sunday Tribune.
The Irish republic's National Consumer Agency confirmed it was investigating complaints against Associated Newspapers' Irish operation.
In a statement released on Monday the agency said: "Following further consideration, the National Consumer Agency is now considering a prosecution for a breach of the Consumer Protection Act. Accordingly, the agency will be making no further comment on this issue."
Police chiefs have come under fire today for flying the rainbow flag for lesbians, gays and bisexuals outside its police stations - when they are forbidden to display the Union Jack.
The multi-coloured 'Freedom' flag adopted by the gay pride movement in the 1970's is now flying at Suffolk Police's Ipswich HQ and its stations at Bury St Edmunds and Lowestoft.
The flags - which include the force's badge - are to mark lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender history month.
But there was fierce criticism of the move after it was revealed that stations were not allowed, under force policy, to fly the Union Jack or the Cross of St George.
No one would mind that much, I imagine, if Chief Constable Ash didn’t also ban the flying of the Union Flag outside ‘his’ police stations — presumably on the grounds that it’s ‘racist’...
...he refuses to fly the Union Flag even on the Queen’s birthday — or any other special occasion, for that matter.
'This is not accurate. Both flags are flown from our headquarters.'
11 Flags
11.1 Police Headquarters and other stations with facilities for raising flags will fly the Union Flag on the following dates and on any special occasion notified:
6 February Accession of Her Majesty The Queen
19 February Birthday of Prince Andrew
10 March Birthday of Prince Edward
21 April Birthday of Her Majesty The Queen
23 April St George's Day
...
...we would like to clarify that Suffolk Police, like every other force in England and Wales, does hoist the Union and St George Cross flags on appropriate days of the year...
On other days, the force flag flies outside police stations and at force headquarters, but it is at the Chief Constable’s discretion as to when and if other flags are hoisted.
There has never been any ban on flying the Union Flag on Suffolk Constabulary buildings as has been reported.
Steve White reveals in the accompanying article:Crossbow Cannibal Stephen Griffiths is being urged to make a dramatic deathbed confession.
As he enters the fourth month of a prison hunger strike, detectives are quizzing the 41-year-old monster about the disappearance of seven women – including chef Claudia Lawrence, 35, who vanished in York two years ago.
A senior police source said: “There isn’t much time left to get the truth out of him.”
Teams of detectives have spent hours at his bedside, hoping to hear him whisper the terrible secrets of his grisly murder spree before he takes them to the grave...
Now, as he enters the fourth month of refusing to eat, police are questioning him about a string of other unsolved cases.
They include the disappearance of university chef Claudia Lawrence, 35, who vanished in York in March 2009.
North Yorkshire Police and West Yorkshire Police have dismissed reports as [a] "load of garbage".
A spokesman for North Yorkshire Police said: "This is simply not the case and whoever has provided the information is wrong.
"The reality is that neither West Yorkshire Police or North Yorkshire Police have spoken to Griffiths about the disappearance of Claudia Lawrence as he has refused to be interviewed since he was imprisoned.
"And as North Yorkshire Police has stated previously, there is no evidence to connect the two investigations together."
Some are calling it as significant as the day in 1788 that the first issue of The Times hit London's streets...
The American football coverage, ahead of this Sunday's Super Bowl, is presented brilliantly. There is a feature about what it's like to stand in the tunnel, accompanied by lovely 3D-style images. There is also a section on top plays which has video running through tactics. The prospect of using this technology with proper football is mouthwatering.
Fashion also works well, with the ability to click on outfits for a more detailed look...
The Daily runs smoothly, downloads quickly and is a promising glimpse into what the future holds.
Young women are developing premature wrinkles from staring at their smartphones all day...
...says a top cosmetic doctor.
"The natural tendency is to squint at the screen when reading messages and as a result some people develop this area of tightness/small frown lines between the brows, which is easily rectified with the light use of Botox by an experienced doctor."
noticed a huge difference over the past 18 months in my clients' faces
'Jordan and Pete kiss and make up'.Caring Kate Price last night issued a heartfelt plea to exhusband Peter Andre: "Please call me."
The glamour girl offered her old flame an olive branch, saying: "I’m just a phone call away. Enough is enough."
...made me a laughing stock. I earned a reputation within my community for being a fantasist and a liar, and spent the next two years learning the intricacies of the laws of defamation and in order to try and salvage what was left of my reputation.
Obviously, I wrote to complain. They responded that they were happy the article was an accurate reflection of what I’d said and were standing by it. I wrote again, pointing out in detail the discrepancies. Again, they stood by their article and told me that they would not enter into any further correspondence with me and considered the matter closed.
I certainly didn’t consider the matter closed. My name, image and brief details of my life had been used to fabricate a story which bore no resemblance to me or my life, then presented as fact, said by me, in my own words. It was damaging to me, my children, my friends and had a significantly negative impact on my life.
