04/03/2004 – Leeds's Singing Organ-Grinder

established religion/balls

Ronaldinho was following a venerable tradition when he broke a window in Santiago de Compostela’s cathedral while attempting a fancy kick for a TV spot. Bryan Griffiths tells us that back in 1330 the priest of Winkfield, William Pagula, wrote a Latin poem proposing an end to churchyard games: Bat & bares and suche play…

Planning

More moderately good stuff from the new regional government: they’re forcing local councils to withdraw building permits issued in contravention of planning procedures, which will presumably also lead to a few bribes being recalled. What they need to do now is what the Flemish started doing a while back: demolish existing illegal developments with bulldozers.

Aramaic phrasepage

From The Guardian, including handy stuff like “Which ones are the Orcs?” and “This film is terrible. I want my blood-money back.”