Keeping tabs on Dad
There’s a very nice piece in the New York Times about a brother and sister who devised an ingenious way of keeping tabs on their ageing and determinedly independent father. Here are some extracts to whet your appetite: My brother and I created a shared Google calendar — an online calendar in which we could both make […]
Lily sees off vicar
From the i. More in the Telegraph here. Hat-tip to Michael Jarvis
Shoot thy neighbour
In the US, The Onion mischievously reports: NEWTOWN, CT—As the nation continues to mourn the women and children who lost their lives in last month’s shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, the National Rifle Association has reportedly joined the outpouring of support for families of victims by sending each household a bereavement gun basket. “On behalf […]
Let’s hear it for the mui fa koon choy
Sad news here from the New Straits Times: THE traditional Chinese coffin is not a popular option for funerals anymore mainly due to its daunting size and medieval shape. New Cham Fei Casket operator, Cham Swee Hung, 36, said the demand for mui fa koon choy, which in Chinese means plum blossom flower has dropped […]
Tea, cakes, death and a movie
The Natural Death Centre Charity proudly presents: The NDC Death Café Film Event 2.30pm – 5pm Sunday 24 February 2013 London NW2 6AA (near Willesden Green underground station) Suggested donation : £5 As part of this Death Café, young documentary filmmaker Olivia Humphreys will show her 20 minute film ‘Noctuaries’. Josefine Speyer, psychotherapist and […]
Dead cert
From the Sunday Times, 13 January: Punters in Taiwan are betting on when the terminally sick will die. According to the China Press newspaper, more than 10 syndicates have been set up in senior citizens’ clubs in the city of Taichung to bet on the longevity of cancer patients. The paper claims that gamblers even […]
Someone
Someone someone is dressing up for death today, a change of skirt or tie eating a final feast of buttered sliced pan, tea scarcely having noticed the erection that was his last shaving his face to marble for the icy laying out spraying with deodorant her coarse armpit grass someone today is leaving home on […]
Famous last tip
From a letter by Roger Mortimer, onetime (horse) racing correspondent of The Sunday Times: Racing has always contained some odd characters not invariably on the side of the law. One such was John Stewart who, when times were bad, used to do a bit of housebreaking in the Kensington area. One afternoon the flat owner […]
Dead bowler takes three for 47
From a report by Andy Bull in The Spin: Congratulations to Rangana Herath, the roly-poly Sri Lankan spinner whose 12 wickets at 33 each against Australia have bumped him up to fourth in the ICC’s Test bowling rankings. Herath took three for 47 in the fourth innings last Sunday, an exceptional feat for a dead […]
Nobody knows anything
The old year is dead and buried (thank you, gentlemen). The lights are on once more in the GFG-Batesville Shard. We’re back at our desks. And we’re full of zest and zing. We hope you are, too. You have our best wishes for success, happiness in 2013 and the survival of your new year resolutions […]
