uk

BBC Radio is to air John Cage's 4'33". It could also air Mike Batt's identical piece a result of which, Cage's estate successfully sued for copyright infringement, the reason being that both pieces consist entirely of silence. For those that miss it, the same piece will be shown on BBC TV later.

Newspapers around the world are itching to print a story that Prince Charles is gay and was caught giving a blow job to a butler (so what, leave the poor man alone). According to Drudge: "New York times editors panicked and ordered a detailed story on the allegations to be killed. The result of all this is that all the print press have to reluctantly point people to weblogs and online discussion groups to find out the details. From alt.gossip.royalty: "What is it that Prince Charles didn't do? He was caught either giving oral sex or receiving oral sex with his favorite "manservant" by Michael Fawcett. In a seperate allegation, Michael Fawcett is being accused of homosexual rape. It is being speculated that the Fawcett rape was covered up because of Charles' relationship with the man."

The main reason I don't feel I need to live in the UK is that I can listen to BBC radio 4 all day via the excellent BBC radio website. Currently listening to BBC radio 4 piece on Cuba: "Havana must be a real student town, because there are pictures of Che Guevara everywhere"

The Atkins diet seems to work, but some nutritionists suggest this is only in the short term and with longer term health risks. We should perhaps be suspicious of anything that offers a quick fix. Smoking, for example, is a good way to lose weight. Even if there are factors which affect how we metabolize food, these will always be secondary effects, you get fat if you burn less calories than you eat, period. Unfortunately our appetites are calibrated for food scarcity, so the only effective diet, a balanced input of moderate quantity and plenty exercise, requires effort. "The [UK] Food Standards Agency, which is responsible for all the Government's nutritional guidance, has published a statement alerting the public to the health risks of low-carbohydrate diets, including Atkins, claiming that they are linked to heart disease, cancer and even obesity." Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | Official: Atkins diet can...

The Guardian has chosen 'a blogger' an anonymous representative of the weblogging community as one of its top 100 influential people in the UK media industry. MediaGuardian.co.uk | Top 100 | 94. A blogger

$130,000 gets you a 12 ft x 6 ft room in North London with no bathroom. Even prison cells have toilets. Shoe box in Islington via Simon Perry

Interviewer: Have you always prided yourself as a master of self-deprecation? Toby Young: I wouldn't describe myself as a master of anything. I guess that no means yes. mediabistro: content: so what do you do? via Gawker

Who's your daddy? "Prince Charles' private secretary, was forced to alert the police about an alleged plot to seize hair from Prince Harry for DNA testing, apparently to answer lingering questions about his paternity. It has long been rumored that Princess Diana's former lover, army officer James Hewitt - and not Prince Charles - is the father of Harry"

Even parents at the service in Maidenhead, Berkshire, were shocked to hear Mr Rayfield say it was scientifically impossible for Father Christmas to deliver so many presents so quickly.

Its that time of year again when I am missing one of the UKs more venerated traditions - the office Christmas party. In London, respectable restaurants will be chock full of lecherous, drunk, salivating bosses. Bars will be full of dangerous, chanting mobs and gangs of half-naked investment bankers carrying open bottles of liquor will stop traffic in the financial district. Ah, the Christmas spirit. But even if this year's celebrations will be dampened by the dreary economic climate, one British, office party institution is sure to remain - dropping your pants and photocopying your bum. According to a recent survey 4% have photocopied part of their body at an office party. Ananova - Two million workers embarrass themselves at Christmas party says survey

The press are having a field day in the UK over the latest royals scandal and conspiracy theorists will have a lot to chew on - Diana ready to convert to Islam - the Queen warning Diana's butler of mysterious powers at work. Every time the UK royal family picks itself up from humiliation, they are beaten down again by the press. I can't help thinking that this is an inevitable feature of an anachronistic institution, that was artificially bolstered by Victorian politicians from terminal decline. Lest anyone forget, the royals are no strangers to PR, the very name Windsor was invented to divert attention from the rather German sounding Saksen-Coburg. Google Search: cluster:Diana

Alain Robert has a hobby, he climbs very tall buildings with no safety equipment. A year ago I saw a documentary, where, half way up the outside of the Sears tower, he pauses, lets go one hand, reaches into his chalk bag, retrieves a cigarette and starts smoking - clearly unaware of the health risks. Canary beats the 'Spiderman'