Donald Rumsfeld is giving the President his daily briefing. He
concludes by saying: “Yesterday, 3 Brazilian soldiers were killed.”
“OH NO!” the President exclaims. “That’s terrible!”
His staff sits stunned at this display of emotion, nervously watching
as the President sits, head in hands.
Finally, the President looks up and asks, “How many is a brazillion?”

I’ve tried to resist, but I just can’t help blogging the giant squid. And thanks to Foo, I’ve discovered you can get ‘vampire squid’.

Where would we bee without the internet?

I got spam with the subject line, “Proclivity to servitude” this morning. I think I should write back, “Proclivity to panic” as I had a moment of panic having too many deadlines and too many responsibilities for too many different projects at work.
Thank god October is comparatively quiet – I don’t even have any trips booked away, though I do have some leave for a wedding.

“A West Yorkshire hospital has banned visitors from cooing at new-born babies over fears their human rights are being breached and to reduce infection.” (BBC)

Words, lovely words. Someone has produced a book of words from other languages that English doesn’t have words for.
Killer dolphins?

How moral are you?

Words fail me. Bush needs a bathroom break.

“Enthusiast uses Google to reveal Roman ruins
Google Earth programme leads to remains of ancient villa.” (Nature)

My brother is such a dag. He sent me a parcel from Canada, but I had no idea what it was, and it took weeks to arrive.
And it turned out to be… a stuffed toy snake. It’s really cute!

A Russel’s Viper, in fact. It’s now draped over my monitor, but I think it would also make a handy scarf for the first of this colder weather.
Here are more pictures of plush snakes.