Geronimo

Great escape in the news this week, 65 years on. Frank Stone, one left behind, featured here may get an obit for his role as a witness to what happened.

If you want impossible levels, try level 42, but you need to get there first.

She looks like a Thunderbirds puppet. Is she?

Could I suggest that you ask everyone who wants to come to chip in £10 to a "starter kitty" for drinks and any room hire. No shows will simply forfeit their tenner which will help those who do go feel better about those who don't. A drinks kitty is also good for ensuring prompt arrivals since late arrivals will miss out on the early drinks. Those who just show up on the day without having paid ahead could be asked for £15 to join the kitty. Of course this would not prevent any tight bastard getting their own at the bar. But they could be suitably ridiculed or ostracised. Just a thought.

If only you knew the REAL truth about Mountbatten and his alleged killers? Oh, do tell us what you heard! It's more fun to just blaze away with at least a link to some un-sculorlus semi truths than just to leave us all hanging. Well I read somewhere that there was this alleged plotting by Mountbatten and Airey Neave, Thatcher's closest advisor, to take over the country. Neave was killed in March 1979 by an INLA bomb, while Mountbatten was killed by the IRA's hitherto unused aqua division five months later.... You mean their Navy? I tink they had a problem wit dat.

Probably running Crufts.

Have just been watching the Band of Brothers series again, that, apart from portraying the Brits as blithering idiots or in minor support roles and sometimes both, is one of the best pieces of war drama ever made. I was looking up Easy Company on Wiki and there are quite a few still left alive. I think Richard Winters would get a UK obit.

Even if it's authentic, removing someone like that is setting a precedent. They might walk under a bus tomorrow. If something has been written about the individual that's not true that's another matter, but you could still leave the name and biog. There was nothing wrong with Steve Irwin until a sting ray hurt his career prospects. I would publish his/her rebuttal then it's all out in the open.

I'm surprised Max Clifford hasn't begun campaigning through the Sun for Westminster Abbey with another exclusive OK mag deal split three ways between him, Goody's estate and the Church of England. Then there's the fountain that could spout genuine bile in her memory. Where will the grieving masses place their cellophane-wrapped garage flowers floral tributes? The Big Brother House?

Wrong. It will always be Chappaquiddick. I like one of the comments on that story:

Why did they play Queen songs when Elvis died? They didn't; they played Elvis songs when Elvis died Will they play Queen songs when the Queen dies?

Some good telly on Thatcher last night, Lindsay Duncan well worth catching on BBC iplayer if you didn't see it. Robert Hardy was looking old. A few old faces in a documentary later: Jim Pryor looked a bit too rosy cheeked and Jill Knight looked time ravaged. More interesting perhaps for those who were missing. No Hesseltine, Healey, Carrington, Hurd, Major, Lawson or Howe, only Tebbit looking quite spry. I think she will turn out to have been an inspired pick this year.

I'm not up on films but wasn't there a plot in the Adams Family where one of the characters agreed to an unfortunate marriage? Now who was it and why does it come to mind? Jade Goody. Uncle Fester

Thatcher. The old girl's had it so I expect they'll put something in her tea.

It will be interesting to see whether Mollie Sugden goes to the funeral. Neither Mollie nor her pussy have been seen in public for some time.

CarolAnn, you have a point. I still can't get over the fact that in this country women don't have a smear until the age of 25... and then every three years, and by their doctor's nurse. In other countries where I lived, including Argentina, you are checked once a year from the moment you become sexually active. And you are checked by a gynaecologist, not a nurse. Same with mammograms. I was told by my gynaecologist back in Vienna in 2000 that it was about time I had one done. I moved to the UK shortly after, and when I told this to my GP she said that I had to wait until the age of 55 WTF? Is it me, or most women who get breast cancer are dead by 55? And when I said this to my GP, instead of her saying "I know, but the NHS can't afford if. If you can, I suggest you pay for it privately" she replied "well, they are ALL wrong (The doctors in the US, Argentina, Austria) and we are right. There is no need to have these checks earlier or more often. I think it's something to do with younger breast tissue being denser (less saggy) thus it's difficult to detect tumours accurately and a significant ("insert random statistic here") number are missed giving false reassurance. That and as we know radiation can actually induce cancer so perhaps younger/premenopausal women are more susceptible to ionising radiation?. I'm sure wikipedia has the answers, as always, should someone care to search for the true reasons. There is of course another suggestion, perhaps doctors are making the assumption that those over 55 aren't getting regular touchy feely sessions so they don the latex gloves and take the honour. OK, but what about the smears? I've had a pap smear every year since I was 14, done by a gynecologist or internist. I had my first mammogram at 39 and have had one every year since then. The new digital mammograms transcend the problem of breast tissue - my last one found calcifications in my breast that are being watched closely. I will have another diagnostic mammogram in April (six months after my last one) and if there is any change I will have a stereotactic biopsy. I have to say I like our system for this much better. I thought Rooney should have been brought on earlier last night.