Ever walked into a pub or a small shop in the middle of the day and been blasted by music that you don't like? It surprises me how many places I go to where the volume is pumped on music that is obviously chosen simply because the staff like it, not because it's going to make the customers or potential customers happy. It's especially annoying in pubs where it's so loud you can't have a conversation.

It's even more annoying than loud music in pubs. I've written about it before, but just this morning I encountered an even more virulent strain of whatever it is that makes people working in shops talk loudly and inanely to each other when they should be serving customers. This morning at the fruit and vege markets I had to endure a conversation that went something like this:

1st person: I've got Taurus rising
2nd person: I've got Taurus rising too
1st person: We'd be good together ...
1st person: I'm feeling a bit tired today
2nd person: Yes, I really need some of that Aries energy ...

It got to the point where I couldn't stand it any longer, and I wanted to shout out: "Get a grip. Take some responsibility for your own lives and do your job!" Instead, I ab

I was delighted to discover today that The Guardian published this commentary on the Lady Chatterley's Lover legal case on the very day I was born. Wayland Young wrote:

Sometimes one could not keep a straight face at all those skilful men seriously arguing whether it was safe for people to read words they all know describing things they all do.

The paper went on to publish, 46 years ago, a word that is still banned in many newspapers (and I won't publish here for fear of attracting the wrong kind of traffic to this blog).

I trialling a way to make a modest amount of money out of this website - an online store via Amazon.co.uk. I'm attempting to select products that will have some appeal to people who like this site and are happy to make purchases from Britain. You'll pay the normal price and I'll get a small commission on anything that you may want to buy. Don't buy anything unless you really want to, though. It's still in the testing phase, and there's very little there, but you can find the store here. I will add a link in the menu bar at left when I'm happy with it.