Rabbit Thought of the Day

Zookeeper  Friedrich Riesfeldt ( Paderborn, Germany) who fed his constipated elephant 22 doses of animal laxative and more than a bushel of berries, figs and prunes before the plugged-up  pachyderm finally got relief.  Investigators say ill-fated Friedrich, 46, was attempting to give the ailing elephant an olive oil enema when the beast unloaded.  

The sheer force of the elephant's unexpected defecation knocked Mr. Riesfeldt to the ground where he struck his head on a rock as the elephant continued to evacuate 200 pounds of dung on top of him. 
  

Not a good way to leave this world.

LONDON (Reuters) - A centuries-old tradition of wearing a white horse-hair wig in court ended for many judges on Wednesday when a simpler new dress code came into force.

While judges in criminal cases will still wear them, those in civil and family hearings will appear bare-headed in court, wearing a new-style plain black robe, the government said.

After a long debate that divided the legal profession, the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Phillips, head of the judiciary in England and Wales, finally ordered the changes in an attempt to modernise the courts.

Wigs have been an emblem of the British legal system since the 17th century when the fashion for wearing them in wider society filtered through to the courts.

For hundreds of years before the reign of Charles II, judges and lawyers were expected to come to court with short hair and a beard.

The decision to abandon wigs has dismayed traditionalists who argue that they give judges an air of authority and impartiality. The degree of anonymity that wigs provided could also protect them from angry members of the public.

John Mortimer, the barrister and author of the "Rumpole of the Bailey" books, opposed the changes.

"The idea's ridiculous! A barrister without his wig would be like a doctor without a stethoscope," he wrote in a newspaper article when the changes were first proposed.

However, modernists argue that wigs are a hangover from the past that could intimidate people in court.

In a newspaper interview, Lord Phillips described wigs as an anachronism that gave the public a false impression of judges.

A Ministry of Justice survey last year found 70 percent of court workers wanted to keep wigs, compared to 42 percent of the public.

On this day in 1908 the Ford model T went on sale, a 100 years on we advanced so far it would make Mr Ford’s head spin. But since the first car took to the roads have things improved. I suppose the average speed around our cities is probably about the same despite the advances in technology our cars have gone through, and in the early 1900’s pollution was very bad mainly caused by smoke from factories. But now the pollution from our very advanced car is just as bad.

So in the 100 years since the first car took to the streets have things improved, apparently not!

I have made to the London office without any incidents, although my walk to the station was in the pouring rain. Thankfully I did have my umbrella so I didn’t get wet at all, unlike last week when my brolly fell to pieces.

I fell asleep for a little while on the train journey in, probably because I was up at 4:30 this morning. I was trying to read a magazine and the next thing I know we were approaching Fenchurch Street. At least it’s dry now but still very windy, it will probably wait until I set for home until it starts to rain again.

A group of retired Gurkhas fighting for the right to settle in Britain have won their immigration test case at London's High Court.

"This is a victory that restores honour and dignity to deserving soldiers who faithfully served in Her Majesty's armed forces. "It is a victory for common sense; a victory for fairness; and a victory for the British sense of what is right."

Well am back from early morning bike, I have showered dressed and made myself a little breakfast, I am now ready for the day ahead. As I guessed the bike ride was very difficult the wind was stronger than I thought and it was almost impossible to make ground riding into the wind. However since I was over 3 miles from home I had little choice but to struggle into that gale force wind, no hurricane force wind (ok I might be exaggerating a little, but it was a strong wind).  

At least the strong wind as blown the clouds away, it looks like it might be bright and sunny day, although the weather forecast is predicting showers, so I have put my umbrella in my bag, I hope this one survives the day, unlike the one I had last week, which just abut made it to the station before falling to pieces.

I lost another 3 pounds again this week, well the scales were flashing and it indicated 15st 5lbs or 15st 6lbs, so I amusing the higher amount. Last weeks weight was 15st 9lb, that’s unofficial of course. Next Tuesday is when I see the nurse again and I take my official for her measurements.   

But I am still pleased, my clothes are now too big for me and I am able to get into some of my older clothed which of course is very pleasing. My jeans for instance are far too big me, and I can’t wear them any more for fear of embarrassment if they fall down, lol.  

Once again I find myself awake at some ungodly hour, well it 04:30 in the morning and it still very dark out there. I am normally up at 05:30 so an hour early is not too bad. In the past I have been up at 3 or even early earlier. 

My electrical work did go too bad yesterday it took me about 3 hours it would have been quicker but for time climbing up and down the mobile scaffold tower and moving it around. In truth it was a pain in the arse, it was climb up the tower do 3 minutes work, then climb down the tower move 2m climb the tower and do the same work again. Repeat the process about 50 times, and you can what a pain the arse it was.  

Today, I will make a regular trip into London, for my weekly M&E design meeting, hopefully fingers crossed this will be the last one, with a little over 2 weeks before I finish with this company, I hope to god I don’t have to go any more. Before my day though, I plan to go out on bike, the rain has ceased but it still seems quite windy out there so it will make it quite difficult.