Backburner

Some people think the commercial Christmas arrives when the first cards appear in the shops. Others think it’s here when they see the first gaudily decorated house. Being me, though, I mark the arrival when I hear the first Christmas song being piped through a shop.

And this very lunchtime my buying of scanner cleaner was made slightly more annoying by Paul McCartney, telling me that he was simply having a wonderful Christmas time (What, on November 18th, Paul? Blimey, the celebrations must never end round your house…) So Christmas must be here. Slightly earlier than last year too, … Continue Reading

Seeing the awesome tale of a man who barbecued his modem to try and make it go faster – a story almost South Walian in its a) cheapskateness, b) stupidity – reminded me of the tale of Simon and his key.

Now Simon (not his real name) had something of a reputation for gullibility, of the “Have you heard that…” “No! Really?” “No.” variety. It was him who, persuaded that none of his friends could possibly have swapped the labels on a can of Irish stew with one from a tin of rice pudding, wrote to Tyne Brand … Continue Reading