the report of a woman in Perth, Scotland who started to speak with a French accent after a brain injury or a stroke (or both). She could not speak French, she just had ze aczent. She sounded good not at all like the Now Legendary TV show "Allo, Allo" (cultural oblique reference, sorry.), it was difficult not to laugh when she was interviewed on the radio.

Qbertino's analysis of the present situation is well observed and accurate and his English(!) is certainly vastly superior to my German, despite my long residence here. This is the hot topic of my friends and family here. They are not happy!
No hang on English understatement could be misunderstood.
THEY ARE ABSO- F@#KING-LUTELY OUTRAGED-SCREAMING BLUE MURDER!
That's better.
Kudos to the Chaos Computer Club for all their efforts on this and it really makes that 70 euro membership very, very justifiable what with the shop discount and the annual Geek Camp. I have had the application form in my in tray for about seven months. Perhaps I shall give myself an early Christmas present and join. Kudos to you too Qbertino.

"Now he belongs to the ages"

Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Under article 11. Since there are two different systems of Law in The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the European Convention on Human Rights is the final adjudication on this. So he can go to a water fight - however the possibility that a water fight could affect the "peace" it could be restricted on the grounds of possible public safety. In Scotland, which is the country with a different legal system, the possibility that a "water fight" could get out of hand would be classed as "intent to commit a breach of the peace". However a regular water fight in a sensible location would be hardly fall into that category.

However this is all academic because it appears to come from a collection of stories in today's Colchester gazette where it reports that a man was arrested for trying to organise a thousand strong water fight in the town centre or 'inciting public disorder.'http://mobile.gazette-news.co.uk/news/9194795.Man_charged_after_allegedly_trying_to_organise_a_mass_water_fight/
I'm reasonably certain that if their is any truth in the story, the local constabulary would have to take it seriously and avoid charges of complacency.The story appears to have been drawn from the Monday morning court calendar - the normal source of news on a Monday morning. The same report mentions another man, posting on facebook, one assumes he is the main feature of this post and he was released without charge.

I must be missing something about US air travel. I used to fly between the UK and Europe and between the UK and USA, economy I never ever had any problem getting a drink or six. Normally on a long haul flight overnight I would have a couple of drinks from the trolley and then I would ask for more whenever I wanted them. I was always cheerfully supplied with drinks (whisky and lemonade) and had a restful sleep. Same with the UK/European flights. I usually pushed the boat out on the way home since most of those flights land in the UK in the evening. On one flight from Heathrow to Edinburgh, I had so many miniatures of whisky and those little cans of 7 Up, I had all the refreshments necessary for the interminable train ride from Edinurgh to my then home. Now it is at least five years since my last trip to Asia and in Europe I prefer to drive anyway - European roads so good - but have things changed so drastically in economy class on BA, Lufthansa and Air France or is this just an American travel benefit?

Here in Europe the right to join a collective organisation is a legal right so Apple or any other employees can engage in free collective bargaining with the man. Heck, here we even have tenants unions where our lawyers are smarter and cheaper than their lawyers. This freedom can often be a huge surprise to some American Companies. For eight years Walmart attempted to colonise the German retail industry. They were unaware of a) cultural differences and b) the power of the Workers Committee. Their Orwellian behaviour, spying on employees, banning staff romances and trying to coerce the staff into informing on each other was not surprisingly resisted by ver.di (the union), the staff and the general consensus of popular opinion. The experience proved so unmanageable for them they eventually disposed of their German assets to Metro and left the country.
Sadly Huey Helicopters were not involved but would have looked so good.

having fun. It's called playing. Including in this activity are: climbing trees, playing in the park, kicking a ball around, swinging on the monkey bars, collecting enough deposit bottles to redeem for sweets, pretending to be pirates (ninjas, robots, turtles, jedi - you know the drill) playing with pets, feeding the ducks, looking at real things in the real world.
Having a life...

I go to mediamarkt and compare their prices to Mueller. Then I check amazon.de and last amazon.co.uk. The UK site is usually the cheapest although Mueller did have all four seasons of Supernatural for 10 euros each. Of course the UK DVD's don't have German overdub...

it's in The Sun. I remember when it used to funny but since it transformed itself into the world's leading scientific journal, Mystic Meg went off to work at the LHC and Zoe McConnell went from in front of the lens to behind the lens - its just never been quite the same.

especially for Tesla.
Top Gear is a comedy show. It contains British Satire. They rip the pish out of stuff. This is a national sport in which the British have no equal (re: Gervais Golden Globes http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=US&v=1Ryr5EqURkQ).
And why not? It's funny!
Oh for the benefits of a classical education.

Everyone knows that 2015 is already earmarked as the year of the Linux Desktop!

in the Property Room? Cos if he is, those comic books are history.

Glen Beck is the main reason I cancelled my Sky contract. I had had enough and I wasn't going to take it anymore. Well that and the fact that SG1 is a complete and inexpensive box set now and you can see police reality shows on FTA television.
Watching Fox News before was a) at least amusing and b) provided an insight into what American conservatives were thinking - well okay apart from Hannity.
But Glen Beck is like Elmer Gantry on crystal meth. He's like that guy in the pub who is an expert on warm beers. I drew the conclusion that he was being a character with the intention of making a lot of money a bit like that other Fox favourite Ann Wotsit the blonde woman who thinks Darwin made a monkey out of her. She seems to be making a sackful of money with her routine as well. If either were really committed to the rubbish they talk they would be over in Iran aiding revolution not doing another book tour.
Oh, and yes like a salivating dog, I cannot resist the temptation to add my t'pence worth to a story with, at the time of writing, 391 comments.
My Bad.

IANAL. But I was a professional press photographer - freelance and therefore well read of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/48/contents which was formulated in 1988 to keep the UK in line with European copyright laws.
The principle elements of this legislation are those that apply in the European Union and The Netherlands are part of that.
You can get an idea of what to charge them buy having a look at the London Freelance NUJ chapel site, which of course is not a church, http://www.londonfreelance.org/feesguide/index.php?section=Photography&subsect=Books.
You need to identify either the picture editor of the publication that used your pix (or the secretary to this person). If you can't find it on the internet, just phone them up and ask. Send the invoice directly to them. You can include a cover letter if you wish stating that you have enclosed the invoice for the use of the image with details of where and when. That's all a pro would do - because they are always TFB.
In your invoice you should identify the use of the image - Title, edition, date page number and with the price of your "reproduction fee". A legitimate newspaper will always pay because they know the law better than anyone. They know they would lose a court case, it would cost a lot of money and their unions wouldn't be to pleased with them either.
Oh and they are not stupid , they are unlikely to pay more than the going rate for a similar snap from Corbus.

A girlfriend once pointed out to me that A Certain UK Student Organisation had used one of my photographs without permission and had added the cross hairs of snipers rifle on to it. This modification is also protected against specifically, so I billed them 500 GBP for the use and another 500 for modifying the picture. Cheques arrived in three days.

A method of digitally replacing, Jon Pertwee, Peter Davidson, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy and Paul McGann with... I don't know ... Ewan McGregor or anyone!