"For last year's words belong to last year's language And next year's words await another voice. And to make an end is to make a beginning." - T.S. Eliot, "Little Gidding"

2006 New Year's Resolutions Of Crowley And Aziraphale

Crowley and Aziraphale are, respectively, the demon and the angel who charmed their way through Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett's Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch, the dark parody comedic fantasy novel, published in 1990. I reckon it's due to the republication of the HarperColins version, that Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett has put together a special piece of New Year's Resolutions for the year 2006, from the two main characters (I might be wrong). Witty stuffs that definitely warrants a look, that is if you got a taste for cynical humour. For starters, this one's from Crowley. Resolution #3: Try to come up with something as good as cell phone ringtones, following one last stab at convincing Downstairs that cell phone ringtones are right up there in the whole Human Misery stakes. And iPods. Has anybody Down There even said thank you for iPods? Or "Googling yourself?" Frankly, I deserve some kind of award for "Googling yourself." By the by, happy new year... (Darn...still can't figure what's so happy about the new year...Life still get by, doesn't it?)

Quite Quitely

Frank Quitely ends his prolific year with a bang, reminding us why he can kick Joe Madureira and all his clone's collective asses.

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

Some Germans would rather spend Christmas with a tree than with their families, a new poll shows. The survey in Thursday's Focus weekly news magazine found 75 percent of Germans could not contemplate Christmas without their beloved "Tannenbaum," the traditional tree many cover lavishly with candles, lights and decorations. But only 65 percent said spending time with relatives was also essential for a good Christmas. Singing carols was the next most vital ingredient, with 57 percent saying they could not do without them, while 42 percent said Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas without presents. The modern tradition of the Christmas tree originated in Germany. Three percent of the 1,014 people polled about attitudes to Christmas wanted to skip the whole thing. Just in time to slot in a Christmas piece, the usual wacko style. Have yourself a merry little Christmas.

Y.ah.oo?

Yahoo buys del.cio.us. Flickr. del.cio.us. Who's next?

74-Year-Old Executioner Got The Boot

"It has been very, very difficult for me," he told The Sunday Telegraph. "I am not the hangman anymore." SINGAPORE has sacked its long-serving hangman on the eve of the execution of Australian drug courier Nguyen Tuong Van. A new executioner is expected to be flown into Singapore this week to carry out Nguyen's death sentence as scheduled on Friday despite pleas for mercy from Australia. It is believed the new hangman will be flown in from another Asian country, possibly Malaysia, with which Singapore has a close relationship. The 25-year old from Melbourne will become the first prisoner in Singapore in 46 years not to be sent to his death by Darshan Singh. The 74-year-old grandfather was dumped after his identity and picture was revealed by The Australian newspaper. Mr Singh said he was in big trouble and was out of a job. Mr Singh said he would miss the $400 fee for each execution but was relieved he would not be placing the noose around Nguyen's neck. "In a way I am happy," he said. Nguyen's lawyer Lex Lasry said the prospect of an inexperienced hangman was disturbing because mistakes could cause extended suffering. "If this must happen it must be done as humanely as possible. It just shows the high level of inhumanity of it." Nonsensical defense from the lawyer. "The prosepct of an inexperienced hangman"? What jabberwocky? Inexperienced in pressing a button? Absurd.