A Feline Love Story .....

I'm normally not one to get all teary eyed when hearing about "long lost lovers" reunited, but when it involves two city gents and a lion called Christian I have to admit I found it hard not to be moved.

Check out the following link (especially the video):

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14284320

The video, apparently, is also a major hit on YouTube but I think the BBC present a good back story to it (sorry - it's CNN who do back stories, isn't it, with that insufferable, irritating Australian presenter who taps the screen all the time).

Anyway, I digress. The story is heartwarming and wonderfully uplifting.

Norway

I've been to Norway possibly 25 times for work and pleasure. I've seen the northern lights light up the snowy landscape above the arctic circle, the majestic fjords around the picturesque Hanseatic town of Bergen, the rolling hills and valleys in the interior and the relaxed capital, Oslo.

To say that Norway is blessed as a paradise is not to sell that word short.

Knowing Norway so well, I am aghast that such a lovely country could be the scene of such a horror as the recent bombing and shootings.

My thoughts go out to all those who have lost loved ones or have been involved in such a tragedy.

Having been to Norway so many times, not only do I know the land, I know the people there too. Such a resiliant people as the Norwegians will not bow to the acts of one crazed zealot. The pledge by their Prime Minister to react with "even more democracy" could not be a more true reaction from a stoically strong people.

If there is any country in the world I would rely upon to pick itself up and get on with its way of life, it would be Norway.

But for the time being, I lend my support to such a brave nation by saying:

I dag er vi alle norske.

News of the World .....

I didn't buy the last ever copy of the News of the World. It was a souvenir copy, advert free (except for charitible ads) and all money was going to charity. Despite all of this, I'd rather give my money to charity directly than support an organisation which condones its newspapers to hack into vulnerable people's lives.

Just what did the NotW think they would achieve by listening to the voice mail of a murdered girl; or reading emails of a soldier who died in battle?

Just what did they think they could report?

It is quite sickening.

Oman has quite strict press censorship. I raged against it when I lived there, aching for the time when the press opened up and reported what was really happening, rather than what the government wanted to tell the people.

Well, if the greedy need for information from a liberated press pushes news reporters to infiltrate into people's lives without consent, compounding the grief of recently bereaved relatives or reveal personal details of those in the public eye, then I'd rather stay with the state controlled media.

I want to read news, not scandal.