The theory that the internet phrase lol,meaning “laugh out loud”, can be placed at any part in any sentence and make said sentence lose all credibilty and seriousness.
ex 1
Doc: We need to operate on your colon lol, you have cancer.
ex 2
Jesus: Take this all of you and eat it, it is my body, lol.
ex 3
Me: Will you marry me? Lol.
ex 4
Me: I just had a great idea to make a million bucks, lol.
^Lol theory in action
MS sacks 1,400 workers. Miscalculates the severance payemnts. Asks for money back. Here’s the result of the poll on ZDnet asking…
What would you do?
Total Votes: 946
“A report on cannabis prepared for next year’s UN drug policy review will suggest that a “regulated market” would cause less harm than the current international prohibition. The report, which is likely to reopen the debate about cannabis laws, suggests that controls such as taxation, minimum age requirements and labelling could be explored.” Guardian, 2 October.
Yeah, been there done that while working at Release on a project funded by Rowntree from 1994-1996. It still won’t happen because cannabis law reform is a taboo for the US. And the US controls the UN. Alright?
Link to conference at the House of Lords discussing the report here, today and tomorrow 3 October.
“B&B has been hit hard by fears that its portfolio of buy-to-let and self-certified mortgages will generate huge losses as the credit crunch begins to bite and house prices fall. Rich-ard Pym, B&B’s new chief executive, has axed 370 jobs, in effect wiping out its sales force.” (B&B CEO’s troubles given a typographic twist in the Times.)
A couple of classic 80s TV beer adverts.
Have a lovely evening on the Dixie Queen, smoking a nice Nicaraguan cigar.
Photo by Stuart Glendinning Hall
Congratulations to Apple on the 3G iPhone launch. Sadly as I was late with my employer NI payments, and have to pay a fine, I won’t be able to afford one for a while. 
Anyhow, Jake Fudge puts it into perspective..
Revealed after 50 years: The secret of the greatest-ever student prank at Gonville & Caius, revealed by the Daily Mail, back when Rob was a student there. Wonder if he knew any of them? 
Reply from Rob, off to Perth in Oz via Dubai on Emirates, tomorrow out of Birmingham Airport:
“I remember Peter Davey as a very bight student with particular interest in motor transport . Both he and Hugh Montfiore were in my year of 1955….. Hugh was a mature student who had a room inthe same courtyard as Mike Canon and I in the first year…….. Caius students at that time had a high percentage of Engineers and medics.”
Inspired by a comment on the Daily Mail piece that MIT had done much better pranks I left a comment on my own top prank when at Christ’s College, but they weren’t interested it seems, probably rightly as it was the most ridiculous attempt by me to claim a hand in ending the Cold War! 
A few dry thoughts as to why setting up a social networking site for nerds/scientists/geeks/ etc can be a tad more difficult than high school students. Borrowed and adapted from:
Nerds have different objectives when it comes to social interaction.
“Normal” people expect to accomplish several unrealistic things from social
interaction:
* Stimulating and thought provoking conversation;
* Important social contacts;
* A feeling of connectedness with other humans.
In contrast to “normal” people, nerds have rational objectives for
social interactions:
* Get it over with as soon as possible;
* Avoid getting invited to something unpleasant;
* Demonstrate mental superiority and mastery of all subjects.