Marmora Man

Why does the public even have to know that the individual in question has been arrested? Ww're not told of every "on licence" re-offender - this is simply prurience dressed up as right to know. The individual, the victim's mother and the public would all have been better off if he information had not been made public.

I may be late on this but late last night I had the best expresso I have ever drunk outside Italy - at Caffe Vergnano in Charing CRoss Road. They seem to have just three outlets so not, yet, a nationwide chain but I predict a great future if my experience of their wares is anything to go by. Highly recommended if you're near one of the three branches - Charing Cross Road, Southbank and Chancery Lane. PS: I have nothing to do with the company - but if they're selling franchises I'd be tempted.

Have identified the location Penon de Velez de la Gomera which is about 60 - 100 miles east of the Starits of Gibraltar on N. Africa coast.

Theoretically I suppose but, if successful, everyone's Council Tax will rise even further than it is currently planned to do. It will cost the council a hell of a lot to repair potholes caused primarily by the adverse weather not negligence on the part of the council - let's not add to the cost by making foolish claims.

Great - thanks everyone. Friend not worried about value, just interested in artist and subject. I thought it might be, as I said, Cueta - the style makes almost certainly Edward Tucker

The signature

I'm trying to help a friend identify both the subject and the artist of a mid 19th C watercolour. The painting is almost certainly of a Mediterranean scene - definitely not Gibraltar, but possibly Cueta - the Spanish enclave on N. Africa. The artist's name might be E Tuck(e)y - tho' the signature is somewhat faded / blurry. I attach a photo of the picture on this post and of the signature on the follow up post. I would be grateful for any clues - or ideas as to where I might seek further advice. Cheers MM

MP - The three Quantas airhostesses doing a striptease on the roof of the public lavatory in the middle of Bugis Street was a particular highlight. Being a serviceman I didn't get involved in the narcotics, tho regulartop ups of Tiger beer did feature heavily.

Mr B - it's not what it was when I was 21 and there. Visiting 30 years later it all seemed so sanitised with no exoticism left.

A further thought - the gov't is proposing licensing people to own a dog, checking that will be competent pet owners. No one has proposed licensing people to have children, but arguably more harm is wrought by irresponsible parents (Victori Climbie, Baby P, and literally thousands of other cases). However, this would certainly be seen as improper gov't interference.

It has been reported that DEFRA is considering requiring all dog owners to complete a "dog owner's competency" test and registration - that would include compulsory microchipping of the dog, registration of owner's address, knowledge of how to control the dog, dog diet and more. The aim being to ensure more responsible dog ownership. Estimated cost ?60.00 in the planning stages. To me this seems totally unnecessary, bureaucratic and, to add insult, almost certainly completely unworkable. Can anyone persuade me otherwise?

Marmora Man Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Pepper & Salt Squid > > So quick, so tasty > > Forgot to add - don't forget the tentacles - with a really hot wok they'll crisp up and perhaps char at he edges and really add flavour. Cooked this on Saturday for the family - excellent.

The fall is mostly in response to uncertainty about forthcoming election - encourage everyone to vote, in my opinion for Conservatives but at least for anything but a hung parliament.

Pepper & Salt Squid So quick, so tasty 750 gm prepared squid (or buy 1kg of squid, gut and clean) Score the "inside" of the squid with diamond pattern - cutting to approx 1/2 or 2/3 way thru flesh Cut into 2cm squares Heat teaspoon of black (or better mixed) peppercorns in a fry pan. Once aromatic crush in mortar & pestle. Add teaspoon of sea salt. Chop one red chilli into slices (leave in seeds for hotter flavour or leave out for milder flavour) Chop 4 spring onions into slices Take Wok - heat to smoking, add tablespoon oil. Add half of squid - stir fry for 2 mins. Tip out onto warm plate. Reheat wok - add a little more oil fry rest of squid (2 mins), add half the salt & pepper - toss for 15 secs. Add chilli & onion, toss and stir for 30 secs. Serve - enough for 4 as a starter or two as a main course. Garnish with salad / noodles to taste.

The "Argy" scrap metal merchants were an Argentian ruse, not the trigger for the conflict. Invasions require planning and the Argentians must have been planning it for a while. It was the then First Sea Lord - Admiral Lewin who advised the Prime Minister that the Falklands could be recovered, backed by other military men that persuaded Margaret Thatcher to set the re-invasion in train. This subject has been debated here before - at length. There was no UK / Conservative gov't conspiracy to initiate the conflict. It was a brave decision, taken in the face of international pressure to negotiate a compromise, to retake the islands by military force. That the Thatcher gov't subsequently tok political advantage of the successful outcome of that brave decision is just politics. The opposition would have taken a similar advantage if the decision youse military force had failed.

Plus the gov't will receive 50% of ?1,400,000,000 in tax from Barclays + 50% of ?1,40,000,000 in tax from individuals + 28% corporation tax on Barclay's profits of ?6,000,000,000 so Barclay's success and the success of the individual's within Barclays will enrich gov't coffers to the tune of just over ?3,000,000,000 - surely something to applaud. Whether this gov't or any gov't will spend it wisely is another matter - but it's a sum of tax that will offset that raised from more ordinary individuals on less stratospheric salaries.

Use the Flower Shop on Northcross Road - always excellent service.

The Conservative candidate for Camberwell & Peckham (includes Peckham Rye ward) will be on the Politics show, Sunday 28 Feb at 13.00

After having dug to a depth of 10 feet last year, Irish scientists found traces of copper wire dating back 100 years and came to the conclusion that their ancestors already had a telephone network more than 100 years ago. Not to be outdone by the Irish, in the weeks that followed, an English archaeologist dug to a depth of 20 feet, and shortly after, a story published in the Sassenach Morning Herald read: "English archaeologists, finding traces of 130-year-old copper wire, have concluded that their ancestors already had an advanced high-tech communications network 30 years earlier than the Irish". One week later, the Banffshire Courier in Buckie, Scotland, reported the following: "After digging as deep as 30 feet in his pasture near Enzie, Banffshire, Jock Broon, a self-taught archaeologist, reported that he found absolutely bugger all. Jock has therefore concluded that 130 years ago, Scotland had already gone wireless."

It's called capitalism - any good has a cost, which you Rosie have paid. It also has a value, best decided by the market. Your buyer is presumably satisfied else they would have bought at that price. They may value the joy (??) of buying on ebay, the fact that they didn't have to go out to the shops, that they live 200 miles from a Boots. Hang on to your profit and use it wisely - beer, wine, chocolates, washing up liquid, charity donation, garden seeds, the choice is yours.

Simon M said On that basis Alaska would be Canadian, Monaco French, Gibraltar Spanish, etc etc. A foolish basis for establishing sovereignty. Regardless of who actually first settled the islands the British took occupation of previously unoccupied islands in 1833 and have been living there and administering the Falklands continuously since then supporting UK shipping and Royal Navy interests as they rounded the Horn. UK therefore has the best claim to sovereignty. Additionally there is no undersea geological link between the islands and Argentina, the islands being a unique entity rising from the ocean bed and not from any extension of Argentinian geology.

Most consultant ophthalmologists won't have it done.

1. MPs have recomme3nded the NHS cease funding homeopathy. Good for them. 2. Ben Goldacre's article on Homeopathy Guardian - Bad Science

SteveT Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Homeopathy seems to be full of failed hippies > striving for a career. > > It would be most unlikely of the NHS to > participate in homeopathy when they haven't the > funds to maintain there core services. Regrettably the NHS does fund at least four "Homeopathic Hospitals" which is a total waste of scarce NHS resources. For once, and possibly the only time, I am in complete agreement with Hugenot's sane and rational responses to the question. Homeopathy is a total sham - physically and medically impossible - no more than a con trick on gullible people.

Ukraine's Got Talent This is rather long but quite amazing - a form of art that I have never seen before. This video shows the winner of 'Ukraines's Got Talent' with Kseniya Simonova, aged 24, drawing a series of pictures on a sand table linked to a projection system. The series of pictures, which is obviously scripted and rehearsed to synchronise with the background sound track, is intended to show how the ordinary people were affected by the German invasion during World War II.