An English primary school wants children and parents to think positive about it, so it is dropping the word school from its name.
Watercliffe Meadow in Sheffield wants to be known as a “place of learning.” The word school was considered too “institutional.”
“We wanted to de-institutionalise the place and bring the school closer to real life,” [...]
Foolocracy
Government by fools, silliness and unintelligent people
Prince William Recognized For His Beard
Posted in December 28th, 2008
Prince William may be heir to the British throne, but he is just a runner-up in the annual Beard of the Year Award.
For the last 14 years, the Beard Liberation Front has recognized Britain’s best beards. This year’s winners are the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, and singer Tom Jones.
The award is given against beardism, [...]
British Pet Owners Threatened With New Law: A Litter Box For Every Cat And New Toys For The Dog
Posted in December 21st, 2008
by Glenn Church in Great Britain
Pet owners in the UK are concerned about proposed new laws requiring pet owners to take special care of their four-legged friends.
Three separate codes of practice for dogs, cats and horses explain how people should treat their pets according to the 2006 Animal Welfare Act.
The Telegraph reports that a rebellion is growing over the proposed [...]
Taliban Takes Out British Turkey Convoy
Posted in December 19th, 2008
The Taliban have attacked an essential British convoy in Afghanistan. British troops, facing a dire shortage of an essential supply, were resupplied by an airlift.
What did this crucial Taliban attack take out?
That would be close to half-a-ton of turkey rolls destined for Christmas dinner.
No need to worry. The British military responded quickly and decisively as [...]
Small Vegetable Vendors Harassed By Vegetable Police In UK
Posted in December 7th, 2008
by Glenn Church in Great Britain
The vegetable police are alive in well in the U.K. Several small vegetable vendors have been pursued by trading standards officials because they do not sell their produce by metric standards. According to the Telegraph:
Under EU legislation introduced eight years ago, market traders and shopkeepers in Britain are only permitted to sell loose fruit and vegetables [...]
British Tortured Obama’s Grandfather
Posted in December 3rd, 2008
The Times is reporting that the British tortured Barack Obama’s grandfather during the Mau Mau uprising in Kenya.
Hussein Onyango Obama, Mr Obama’s paternal grandfather, became involved in the Kenyan independence movement while working as a cook for a British army officer after the war. He was arrested in 1949 and jailed for two years in [...]
British Government Plans To Monitor All Phone Calls, Emails, Internet Traffic
Posted in November 29th, 2008
by Glenn Church in Great Britain
Big Brother is set to intrude on the people of the British Isles a bit more. In efforts to combat terrorism, the UK is already covered with cameras in sensitive urban areas. Now the British government wants more than just seeing what is going on, but knowing whom is communicating with whom.
Now Home Office officials [...]
Town Ends 400 Year Tradition Because Gun Firing Scares Children
Posted in November 28th, 2008
by Glenn Church in Great Britain
Wimborne will no longer continue a 400-year-old tradition of firing musket shots over the town’s Christmas tree. John Burden, the acting mayor, announced that the town’s Militia would cease the firing of muskets because the shots scare children.
The town’s Militia, one of only two in the UK, expressed disappointment with the decision. According to the [...]
Terrorist Takes Comedy Class While In Prison
Posted in November 23rd, 2008
Zia ul-Haq, a convicted al-Queda terrorist who planned a dirty bomb attack in London, enrolled with 17 other inmates for a comedy class while in prison.
ul-Haq, serving 18 years in high-security detention, attended the class for three days, learning stand-up comedy, improvisation, visual arts and creative writing.
When Justice Secretary Jack Straw learned of the comedy [...]
British City Councils Ban Latin Phrases From English Language
Posted in November 17th, 2008
by Glenn Church in Great Britain
The protectors of the English language are at it again in Britain.
Several city councils in Britain have banned the use of Latin words in official business. Advocates of the change say the Latin words are no longer understood, but others call the change ridiculous.
Critics point out that English is a hybrid language that derived many of its [...]