BBC magazine picks out snippets from the news, and compiles them into 10 Things We Didn't Know This Time Last Week. Here's an end of year almanac with my favourite 14 below:

1. The UK's first mobile phone call was made 20 years ago this year, when Ernie Wise rang the Vodafone head office, which was then above a curry shop in Newbury. More details
2. While it's an offence to drop litter on the pavement, it's not an offence to throw it over someone's garden wall. More details
3. An average record shop needs to sell at least two copies of a CD per year to make it worth stocking, according to Wired magazine.
4. One in 10 Europeans is allegedly conceived in an Ikea bed. More details
5. Bosses at Madame Tussauds spent £10,000 separating the models of Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston when they separated. It was the first time the museum had two people's waxworks joined together.
6. If all the Smarties eaten in one year were laid end to end it would equal almost 63,380 miles, more than two-and-a-half times around the Earth's equator. More details
7. One in four people does not know 192, the old number for directory inquiries in the UK, has been abolished.
8. "Restaurant" is the most mis-spelled word in search engines.
9. Tactically, the best Monopoly properties to buy are the orange ones: Vine Street, Marlborough Street and Bow Street. More details
10. The Very Hungry Caterpillar has sold one copy every minute since its 1969 publication. More details
11. Britain produces 700 regional cheeses, more even than France. More details
12. Pulling your foot out of quicksand takes a force equivalent to that needed to lift a medium-sized car.
13. Nettles growing on land where bodies are buried will reach a foot higher than those growing elsewhere. More details
14. Musical instrument shops must pay an annual royalty to cover shoppers who perform a recognisable riff before they buy, thereby making a "public performance".

NASA scientists have observed an explosion on the moon. The blast, equal in energy to about 70 kg of TNT, occurred near the edge of Mare Imbrium (the Sea of Rains) on Nov. 7, 2005, when a 12-centimeter-wide meteoroid slammed into the ground traveling 27 km/s (6,000 mph)



Look out Cute piccy to end year on - Sixteen panda cubs, shown here in this picture with their expert caretakers, debuted at the Wolong Panda Research Center in southwestern China's Sichuan Province, Friday, December 16, 2005.

these guys have done a fair bit of worl pulling all these together and are well worth a mention

The idea of creating DoCopenhagen came up in the spring of 2000. Our website started out as a "where to go" guide for Copenhagen but has over the years developed into an alternative music blog.

An Inverness man was arrested Saturday after breaking into his neighbors' house and threatening them, shocking himself by sticking his fingers into a lamp socket, threatening a deputy with a metal rod, running naked through his yard and chewing through a cable in a patrol car, authorities said.

Authorities arrested Shyne Harris Phelps, 39, of 2510 Jupiter St., at 1:45 a.m., on charges of kidnapping, burglary of a dwelling, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer with intent to commit a felony, resisting an officer with violence, battery and criminal mischief, an arrest report said.Deputies were called to a home on East Dawson Drive, just behind Beall's, at 1:35 a.m. after getting a call of a burglary in progress. On arrival, Deputy Lynn Tabb saw several people standing in the yard, pointing and yelling. Then he heard something hit the rear passenger side of the patrol car. When Tabb turned, he saw a man holding a metal rod and wearing only a sheet wrapped around his waist, a report said. He was yelling that he was "ready to go to jail."Tabb got out of his car and ordered the man to drop the rod. He did, but quickly picked it up again and made a threatening gesture. Tabb pulled his gun. The man dropped the rod but shouted that he was "ready to die" and took off running.

The man tried to scale a chain-link fence to get back to his home on the adjoining property. The deputy fired a Taser at him, but it didn't connect. The man threw dirt and rocks in the deputy's face, the report said. The suspect made it over the fence, losing his sheet in the process and sprinted, naked, into his home, the report said. Neighbors told Tabb that the man had several guns in the house, but the suspect soon came out of the house and was arrested without further incident.

Four people told deputies that the man came into their home after the family called the Sheriff's Office to complain about noise at Phelps' house. The man came in through the back door, they said, and grabbed them and shouted, "It is time for you to die." As he tried to force one of the family members out of the home, one of the victims shot him with a Taser.

That just caused the intruder to demand to be shocked some more. He grabbed a lamp, unscrewed the bulb and stuck his fingers in, shocking himself and yelling. After Phelps was arrested, deputies say he damaged the patrol car by biting through a cable cord in the back seat. Phelps was taken to Citrus Memorial Hospital and then booked into the county jail. He was held without bail.

http://www.sptimes.com/2005/05/02/Citrus/Deputies_report_rampa.shtml

Kelly Brook
Cheryl Tweedy
Angelina Jolie
Michelle Ryan - no soap stars replaced with Kylie Minogue
Elisha Cuthbert
Britney Spears
Abi Titmuss - not having this replaced with Nadine Coyle
Sarah Harding
Beyonce Knowles
Charlotte Church - no drunk Welsh chick in my 25 replaced with Jessica Alba
Eva Longoria
Jennifer Love Hewitt
Rachel Stevens
Lindsay Lohan - way too skinny replaced by Billie Piper
Carmen Electra
Lucy Pinder
Jennifer Ellison
Keira Knightley
Alyssa Milano
Christina Aguilera
Louise Redknapp - lucky Jamie
Jennifer Lopez - sorry does nothing for me replaced by Jennifer Anniston
Paris Hilton - not in a million years easily outdone by Rebecca Romijn-Stamos
Kirsty Gallagher
Katie Holmes

Reading will be hoping to make it 10 Championship wins on the trot against Leicester City. The Royals impressively extended their Championship lead on Boxing Day at Wolves while nearest rivals Sheffield United lost at home to Norwich City.
John Oster is set to start the contest after Glen Little limped out of Reading's 2-0 win at Molineux. Manager Steve Coppell is boosted by the availability of midfielder Steve Sidwell following suspension.
Leicester boss Craig Levein will be without Danny Tiatto for the trip to The Madejski for his red card against Millwall on Boxing Day. Defender Alan Sheehan is still out suspended while James Wesolowski is touch and go to feature against the league leaders.

OK perhaps I am a little late with this but ...

Victoria and David Beckham's wax doubles have been given starring roles in a celebrity nativity scene at Madame Tussauds in London.
The pair play Mary and Joseph, while Tony Blair, George Bush and the Duke of Edinburgh make up the three wise men.
Actors Hugh Grant, Samuel L Jackson and comedian Graham Norton play shepherds and singer Kylie Minogue is the angel. But church leaders are said to be unimpressed. A Vatican spokesman told The Times it was "in very poor taste".
The celebrities were voted into the roles by 300 people who visited the attraction in October.
According to The Times, some senior church officials had reacted angrily to the tableau, with one calling it "a nativity stunt too far".
A spokesman for the Archbishop of Canterbury also said he was not impressed.
The Rev Jonathan Jennings told BBC News: "There is a tradition in which each generation tries to re-enact the nativity, but oh deary me."

http://www.divine-interventions.com/baby.php

if so then get them a fish highway, FAQ's include: Why doesn't the water spill out of the highway?
The highway tube is completely sealed except for the openings at each end which are submerged below the tank water levels. Like a large drinking straw, when the air is sucked out of the tube the water rises inside it and will stay there unless you let the air back in.
Does it harm the fish?
As the fish swim higher the pressure drops a little but it's only slightly lower than the pressure pressure in the tank.
How do you fill it?
When the air is sucked out of the sealed tube the water from the tanks flows into it. Eventually, after all the air is removed the tube is filled with water.
How do you clean it?
Water flows through the highway continuously so the tank filters clean the water in the highway. Algea is removed using cleaning magnets for acrylic tanks.
How does water flow through the highway?
Water is pumped through a separate pipe from one tank to the other using a small pump. As the tank water levels change (one rises and the other falls) flow is induced through the highway by the force of gravity.

in no particular order ...

1. I am now a season ticket holder at Reading FC, managed to get a half-season ticket with some friends and we get to see 12 home games, bargain !

2. Rachel, our youngest at 6 years old, lost her first tooth yesterday

3. Pulled in my biggest order yet at easynet for a cool £ 326,000 over 3 years

To promote Durex condoms with ribs or with knobs, in some cities in belgium condoms were painted on paving stones with the according pattern. (found on ads of the world)

Police in Newcastle, Australia, reported a spate of frozen chickens smashing into house roofs with great force. They suspected a prankster with a powerful catapult.

Workers in a German post office thought they had a bomb on their hands when a parcel began vibrating and making strange noises. It turned out to contain an inflatable sex toy.
more wacky news stories here

Are you fed up with not having a life outside of the internet? Well now you can put an end to all of that by shutting down the internet. But be carefull, do you want to guy down as the guy who shut down the internet for all eternity? Click here

What has a woman got in common with a box of Kentucky Fried Chicken?
Once you get past the tender breast and the juicy thigh, all you're left with is a greasy box.

THEY are called echizen kurage and they sound like monsters from the trashier reaches of Japanese science fiction.
They are 6ft wide and weigh 450lb (200kg), with countless poisonous tentacles, they have drifted across the void to terrorise the people of Japan. Vast armadas of the slimy horrors have cut off the country’s food supply. As soon as one is killed more appear to take its place.
Finally, the quarrelsome governments of the region are banding together to unite against the enemy.
Echizen kurage is not an extraterrestrial invader, but a giant jellyfish that is devastating the livelihoods of fishermen in the Sea of Japan. Nomura’s jellyfish, as it is known in English, is the biggest creature of its kind off Japan and for reasons that remain mysterious its numbers have surged in the past few months ... more here ...

Due to the inepitude of British TV to screen any American series at the same time here most of us resort to torrents of our favourite shows (i.e. Lost , Alias, Desperate Housewives, Family Guy etc etc)

Seems there schedules are worse than ours in a bid to keep their high ratings ..

Lost had a two week gap due to some baseball game so repeated two earlier episodes and now is off the screen until Jan 11 2006 :-(

Threshold has been pulled completely

Alias seems to have moved to Weds nights rather than Friday

Desperate Housewives seems to have gone off for a while but is now back on Dec 18th

Family Guy - Have started watching Series 3 now but they are on series 4 in USA

Compilation video of Series 4 of Family Guy

Rebecca Loos Nude in PlayBoy [ NSFW ]

Lisa Guerrero in Playboy [NSFW]

Jenny McCarthy in Boss Magazine [NSFW]

things you can get away with saying at Xmas

1. I prefer breasts to legs
2. Tying the legs together keeps the inside moist.
3. Smother the butter all over the breasts!
4. If I don't undo my trousers, I'll burst!
5. I've never seen a better spread!
6. I'm in the mood for a little dark meat.
7. Are you ready for seconds yet?
8. It's a little dry, do you still want to eat it?
9. Just wait your turn, you'll get some!
10. Don't play with your meat.
11. Stuff it up between the legs as far as it will go.
12. Do you think you'll be able to handle all these people at once
13.I didn't expect everyone to come at the same time!
14.You still have a little bit on your chin.
15. How long will it take after you put it in?
16. You'll know it's ready when it pops up.
17. Just pull the end and wait for the bang.
18. That's the biggest bird I've ever had!
19. I'm so full, I've been gobbling nuts all morning
20. Wow, I didn't think I could handle all that and still want more!

but ...



Hand knitted to your specifications. Luxurious and hand knitted by experts in Bulgaria knitted with special attention being paid to detail. This luxurious Poncho is made with the highest quality yarns and impeccable craftsmanship. Please use Custom color(s) or specifications box for any comments.
Takes approximately 25 days - 200 hours. Only costs: $565

and then this ...



Santa's merry charm makes the season bright as he decorates the bathroom! With plush white beard and twinkly eyes, Santa tank cover's hat holds a boutique-size tissue box.

and finally ...



Unique (??) timer for those who collect timers or nativities. Resin 1 hour timer, approx. 3 3/4" tall by 2 3/4" in diameter.

Simple. Just touch the white spot with your mouse pointer and move it to the white square. Avoid the obstacles. You can do it.

Yeti Sports - A really cool five-in-one winter olympics compliation game.

Pi to one MILLION decimal places

A Christmas Story

'Twas the night before Christmas--Old Santa was pissed.
He cussed out the elves and threw down his list.
Miserable little brats, ungrateful little jerks.
I have a good mind to scrap the whole works!

I've busted my ass for damn near a year,
Instead of "Thanks Santa"--what do I hear?
The old lady bitches cause I work late at night.
The elves want more money--The reindeer all fight.

Rudolph got drunk and goosed all the maids.
Donner is pregnant and Vixen has AIDS.
And just when I thought that things would get better
Those assholes from the IRS sent me a letter,
They say I owe taxes--if that ain't damn funny
Who the hell ever sent Santa Claus any money?

And the kids these days--they all are the pits
They want the impossible--Those mean little shits
I spent a whole year making wagons and sleds
Assembling dolls...Their arms, legs and heads
I made a ton of yo yo's--No request for them,
They want computers and robots...they think - I'm IBM!

Flying through the air...dodging the trees
Falling down chimneys and skinning my knees
I'm quitting this job there's just no enjoyment
I'll sit on my fat ass and draw unemployment.
There's no Christmas this year now you know the reason,
I found me a blonde. I'm going SOUTH for the season

I'll never understand Women. How they can take boiling hot wax, pour it onto there upper thigh, rip the hair out by the root, yet still be afraid of a spider.

NORAD uses four high-tech systems to track Santa - radar, satellites, Santa Cams and jet fighter aircraft.

Push the blue button, at lvl 13 it saves your progress

A modern child's life is filled with unnecessary monitoring and mollycoddling from over-protective parents, says writer John O'Farrell, who sets out his opinion in the BBC Two series Backlash.
Once the kids were satellites orbiting around the parents; now the centre of the universe is the child.
Mothers feel guilty leaving their children to watch television on their own, so sit down and watch Pingu beside them, wasting valuable time that could be far better spent sitting in the kitchen smoking and doing Su Doku puzzles.
Parents volunteer to go in and read in the classroom, when all they really want to do is spy on the teachers and be with their precious ones during school hours as well.
They went to the pub and left me and my sister on our own fighting in the car.
Sitting in that pub car park taught me important lessons. I learnt what happens when you release the hand-brake on a hill. But of course I also used that time to read. I can still quote the AA Members handbook from 1968.

MAKING COFFEE
Making a cup of coffee is like making love to a beautiful woman. It's got to be hot. You've got to take your time. You've got to stir... gently and firmly. You've got to grind your beans until they squeak. And then you put in the milk.

LAYING A CARPET
Laying a carpet is... very much like making love to a beautiful woman. You check the dimensions, lay her out on the floor, pin her down, walk all over her. If you're adventurous - like me - you might like to try an underlay.

HANGING WALLPAPER
Well, hanging wallpaper is also very much like making love to a beautiful woman. Clean all the relevant surfaces, spread her out on the table, cover her with paste, and stick her up. Then you clean your brush, light your pipe, stand back and admire your handiwork.

PUTTING UP A TENT
Putting up a tent, is... very much like making love to a beautiful woman. You rent her, unzip the door, put up your pole an'... slip in to the old bag.WASHING A CARWashing a car, is very much like making love to a beautiful woman. You've got to caress the bodywork. Breathe softly and gently. And give every inch of it your loving attention. And make sure you've got a nice wet sponge.ANSWERING THE PHONEAnswering the phone, is... a little like making love to a beautiful woman. In that you've gotta... lift the receiver, put it to your ear, speak ...loudly and clearly ... oh, yes - and don't forget to state your name.

BEING IN THERAPY
And yet, having therapy is very much like making love to a beautiful woman. You ... get on the couch, string 'em along with some half-lies and evasions, probe some deep dark holes, and then hand over all your money.

BEING IN A CRASH
Going to the brink of death and back, in a nine car pile-up on a dual carriage-way, is ... very much like making love to a beautiful woman. First of all, brace yourself, hold on tight - particularly if it's a rear-ender. And pray you make contact with her twin airbags as soon as possible.

GOING FISHING
Of course, As you know, I'm a very keen fisherman myself. You know, I've often thought that going fishing was very much like making love to a beautiful woman. First of all, clean and inspect your tackle, carefully pull back your rod cover, and remove any dirt or gunge that may have built up whilst not in use. Then, extend your rod to its full length, and check that there are no kinks or any wear. Particularly at the base, where the grip is usually applied. Make sure you've got a decent float, the appropriate bait, and that there's plenty of shot in your bag.