Tuber Mirum

Of course he found Hitler charming. Hitler probably was very charming much of the time. He was a very popular leader and you don't get to be one of those by being a surly git all the time. That he was also a psychopathic nutter wasn't apparent to most people until later on. I don't think Heesters need apologise for his remarks. Although I'll freely admit I don't actually know what he said. In other news, I went to see the Film 1 1/2 Knights the other day, which features Johannes Heesters in the role of an extremely old man. An excellent piece of typecasting by all accounts.

Well Banshees, I was aware that Anita Page had died, but I wasn't really in a hurry to award any points. The site is now updated, the 2009 game in preparation. There should be some (only slightly revised) rules and an entry form sometime this evening.

I hear the Queen's Christmas message is going to be shorter this year. Just the one finger.

The name rings a bell LG. What did they look like? I have particularly fond memories of 49ers which looked a bit like wagon wheels and tasted like Pickled Onion Monster Munch. Monster Munch is also not the same since they made them smaller. And where can I get a pint of beer with a head that sticks out more than an inch above the rim of the glass? I remember getting such a pint of Cameron's Strongarm in a family room in the Blacksmith's Arms in Hartlepool back in the 80's. Last time I was there they'd modernised the place and it wasn't the same at all.

This virtual dead monkey: can we see it? Surely it's not the one that's on the site. I mean if I won a virtual dead monkey I'd want it to do something, such as swing a bit. And my personal rank: where does it come in the scheme of things? Is it quite high? High enough to throw my weight around and throw buns at Canadian Paul? Does it entitle me to some virtual buns? And if one day I managed to work out the scoring system might that get me a new rank? If so, what would it be? I must admit that being a Groat Crusted Newt doesn't make me feel very important or special. But I suppose it's preferable to "sad w*nker." Yes you can see the VDM. All you have to do is win the Hartlepool Deadlypool. Can someone remind me who has died and in what order? I think I may update the site soon since some cheeky bugger has already sent in an entry for next year. There will be a 2009 HDP. But it may very well start on the 15th of January or thereabouts.

come to reclaim its

? It is the beast,

God bless the British Museum. I think I'll do all my shopping there in future.

I've been quite pleased about the relatively low price of petrol here recently (1,20 EUR a Litre) until I realised what they are up to. Until a few months ago, diesel was 20-30 cents cheaper than petrol. Super and Normal (2 and 3 star or whatever) were a couple of cents different. Then they made Super and Normal the same price. And the price of diesel started slowly creeping up to within a couple of cents of petrol. Not for any economic reason, just because they could. And now they have cunningly lowered the price of petrol a bit more so it's the same as diesel. Just so you can't say diesel costs more than before, because at the moment it doesn't. I expect there to be a big price hike soon, now that petrol and diesel have achieved parity. Bastards.

Yes I got there on time, thank you for asking. I was pretty hung over but a well-judged tactical chunder at 5am kept it within the bounds of endurableness. As regards next year, as LG pointed out Dublin Airport is one of the easiest and cheapest places in Europe to get to. So how about having it there?

No, but the bus was on the way from Berlin to Hanover, not the other way round, and it's now being examined at the (other) police barracks directly next to where I work. One of our bus drivers has been to see it already. Perhaps I'll go this afternoon just before I have to get in a bus to drive down the A2 Autobahn.

Well I had an excellent time and though that everybody present contributed with steadily increasing lucidity and articulateness as the event progressed. I was particularly pleased to meet those I'd never met before, only a little disappointed that more people didn't attend. I expect it was the weather putting people off. So who has Anubis' ****** now? Is it on a world tour like the garden gnome in Amelie?

Thank goodness for that. I think Lady Grendel has one too, perhaps if she brings it along as well we can do without Anubis' one until it turns up. I can only assume my kids have pinched it, but I can't get hold of them at the moment. Probably out demanding sweeties with menaces.

Can't find the bastard thing anywhere. Bugger.

Funny you should say that. I was somewhat distraught not to be able to find it today. Still tomorrow is another day.

I expect I'll be looking in at some stage. Check everyone's behaving themselves and all that.

I'm on there. Never used it though. Can I join in if too I can remember my login?

*cough*

Sir Jonathan Miller shares some thoughts on his own impending death. (about 6 minutes in)

Here in Germany we've never been averse to a spot of Anschluss.

Now come Windsor, let's not get too previous. Perhaps the bus just didn't have the heating on. Did you try asking the driver? Nicely? Or perhaps the heating was broken or the (very likely immigrant and not too good at English yet) driver hadn't learned how to work it yet. Really Windsor you are such an old wifie sometimes.