Did you say something Mr Flibble?

That's CRAZY Red dwarf could never return to earth. Only --

http://scifiwire.com/2009/01/red-dwarf-finally-returns-to-earthand-to-uk-tv.php

So there you go. Assign me three weeks W.O.O. and hand me a dose of antivirus. 

OK so it's ten years too late and the BBC has finally realized how much money they threw away by ignoring Red Dwarf's rather rabid cult following but at least the red dwarf team is finally getting the proper farewell they deserve..

Tell me it isn't a dream.

Actually this is article is more fun!  http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/features/return-of-the-red-dwarf-space-cats-971254.html

Smegging-tastic!

For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.
 

 Mark 4.25

I remembered this quote from a book, and it seemed to fit with the tragedy unravelling in the Gaza strip. But there are also other places in which children suffer dreadfully, so I thought perhaps it being the beginning of a new year that promises financial difficulties it would be worth spending a moment to consider that which we have, but also the plight of those who truly hath not.

It struck me with great force, the idea that in Edwardian times the women's rights movement was fueled by the two staples of my childhood - ginger beer and vegetarian fare. Ok yes, I was watching a stupid program with kids and it might have slightly overstated the case -- that at such restaurants in the 1800's the heroes of the women's rights movement  drew up their strategy and prepared to take on the establishment. But it's an image that should turn up in a fantasy book somewhere, or an "historical novel" or I don't know, but I could just imagine an (old-fashioned) Dr Who bumbling into one of those establishments, dashing off a cup of ginger beer, and being charming to all the ladies before they go and chain themselves to fences and throw themselves under carriages.
 

It's just like a big weight has been lifted off my shoulders. The kids have reverted right back to second childhood. I'm reading bed-time stories, partly because they want more "mum time" and partly because of the horror of the Horton hears a Who movie. It moved my daughter to tears. "They butchered it." Sadly I agreed. It was no longer about the smallest person making a difference, it was about emo, and well, I'm not entirely sure what it was really about, but I guess at least poor old Horton was faithful one hundred percent, although the writing wasn't. Not that I expected them to have a good handle on the poetry but mangling the characters and the point so badly -- well it exceeded my expectations of dreadful.

And sometimes I wonder if schools haven't been doing the same thing. Mangling the point and the characters for the sake of  the ideal that students should be left at school for as long as possible, but without direction, without a point, it's just an airy fairy well-meaning expectation that somehow being at school is all you need to make a difference. It isn't. It wont, and it prevents others from learning.   Fortunately there does seem to be increasing awareness that students have different needs and that some would be better off learning better workhabits in an environment that can give more immediate results for effort -- or lack thereof. 

Someone needs acknowledge that Jo Jo is a twerp, that he can do better, and that however good he might be with that yoyo it takes more than one skill on which to build a life, including the knowledge that sometimes, just sometimes you have to do things, not because they're fun, but because you should -- and that it's often those little things that make a difference between success and failure.

Yes. School's out. 
But for the smallest of us learning never really stops.
So for every parent out there think, what values do you want your children to own? It's your job to live by those values, demonstrate them, be clear about your expectations of them - and I guess expose your children to good books because they'll  take those books and those morals and the characters to heart. Unfortunately I think what most children are learning is that money is important, and children are something that are meant to be picked up, dropped off, and left in front of the tv. Then TV teaches even those who have somehow gained good interpersonal skills that they should be moody and capricious and unable to communicate with adults.

Yep it's the difference between Horton the book and Horton the movie.

Still, it's not all bad. Horton was faithful One hundred percent. And perhaps the lesson Maizie learned (in Horton Hatches the Egg) is as good as any other in today's world.

I picked this, it must have been a year ago (no - longer ) when I heard David Tennant was doing a shortened 2009 season because of other interests. I was p!ssed off then - and I'm still p!ssed off. Don't get me wrong - Tennant was great. Is great. But either you're Dr Who or you're not. Either you're making a commitment or you're not, and maybe it's just me, but there was no real surprise only disappointment. Expecting everyone to go into hiatus and then deciding you're not coming back ... great. 

But then I'm only Joe public (not to be confused with the plumber) - I have to wonder how many of the cast and crew feel. Especially after the expectation that he would come back - and look I wasn't the only one to pick this as being too damned obvious a thing to happen --

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/tv_and_radio/article2379603.ece


Pleasant dreams - maybe now we'll have something radical. Hubby's picking a black Dr Who. I'd pick a female but that's obviously not going to fly because lots of people have a hang up about sex even though Dr Who is an ALIEN. Maybe one day. Still whatever happens, and however grumpy I might be, it's still exciting isn't it?

Books wat I've red recently.

Right that should have the grammar and spelling nazis well and truly annoyed.

Verdigris Deep by Francis Hardinge is unmissable, it's crisp clear test and darkly edged brilliance is somewhat akin to a stained glass window, or the most perfect of summer apples as the wicked juice dribbles down your chin. And then the sweet, sweet core. It's harsh funny inciteful, clever, a rollicking yarn, and just ignore all the trite cover bullshit, once I picked it up I only put this book down once!!

The latest in the fire within series. The Fire Eternal by Chris De Lacey, Verdict - hints of brilliance but pulled down with all the arctic polar ice sermonising - although I've been advised by a very good source that you just skip the polar bear sections and the rest of the book is brillaint as you don't keep on getting bogged down by boring bits. As far as I was concerned Chris DeLacey has spoilt the mythos by having David Rain be not an ordinary boy. 

And I read a couple of other books, one was even written for adults actaully the adult one was O.K but the other kids one, I just remembered was The Alchemist by Michael Scott, now I'm just angling if I can get a reading copy of the Magician, because the ALchemist was such a great rollicking fun yarn, not nearly as well, deep, as Verdigris Deep, but a world of characters that kind of did exist and do have their own mythos, like Nicholas Flamel and his nemisis, and the two main characters are kids that are cool and into sport so it might well appeal to some of the more reluctant readers. Oh and for the older, boy reluctant reader the cherub series 13+ in content, 8+ in reading age.

Anyway this is my big sign off. But of there's no money back guarantee on how long I'll be gone,  just that I'll be back.

Yeah,  It's me. I want to be angry. It just feels right.
There's nothing like waiting for people you love to die, watching their personality wither and knowing it was preventable and that it is now too late to do anything about it. 
According to  http://www.aihw.gov.au/cdarf/index.cfm chronic diseases are largely preventable. I guess they're correct. There is nothing on that list that isn't heavily smoking and/or gluten related, but surely the system needs to do their job instead of waffling on about diet and weight. Change the crappy old food pyramids that are still taught in schools for a start.
Oh, and the current celiac tests are useless. http://ezinearticles.com/?Celiac-Disease-and-Gluten-Linked-to-Brain-Disease-by-Deposits-in-Intestine-and-Brain&id=399309-is just one example. I could give way more sites. Dr Gluten etc. Can't be bothered.  I'm just angry, because we're dying here http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/163/13/1566 just the same as in scandinavia - except by all accounts there is a higher actual incidence. Far higher. 

I know I only fell into this because I was convinced I was going to a massive infection was going to kill me and it was just a matter of time. I was prepared to try any flakey cure and run with it. But it's changed my life, it's changed my children's lives (not always conveniently) but hell it beats massive moodswings and anxiety and coughing up blood and bits of throat as well as the interminable ear/nose/throat infections that would last all winter, oh yeah and the aneamia and depression and and and and...

The average time in NZ is 27-28 YEARS before a diagnosis. It's not good enough. A Christchurch study showed AT LEAST three percent of the population will test positive on the traditional tests - which are laughably useless for screening coeliac (especially as people are not warned that they need to be eating an av of 4 plus slices of bread for a month for it to work) and only good for confirming you have it.

So anyway. I'll go back to quietly dying. I wont even be a statistic. Just yet another self diagnosed flake. I'll go quietly back to watching people slowly kill themselves because I don't want to screw up whatever is left of their lives, or they don't want to give up bread or beer. And I'll be able to do that because I got rid of some of anger onto the internet. Hope you don't mind and thanks for listening. And if you have any long term chronic health problems,  - do me a favour. Make sure you eat four slices of bread a day for a while and GET TESTED. 

Diseases associated with celiac

 

* Allergies including rashes, eczema, allergic rhinitis etc.

 Alzheimers (possibly there is a connection here with B12 deficiency but as yet it is unproven)

* Anaemia that will not respond to treatment, or recurs soon after.

Anorexia (this issue has come up on several discussion groups, and while it would be very hard to prove or disprove, due to the nature of the current tests, the unpleasant feeling that food gives some celiacs would exacerbate such a condition.)

* Asthma

Ataxia

Bipolar disorder/Anxiety

Calcium Metabolism problems including: osteoporosis and calcium oxalate

kidney stones, bone and joint pains. Low blood calcium levels with muscle spasms.

            Cancer - usually bowel or non Hodgkinson's lymphoma, but others have

been implicated including oesophageal and bladder.

Chrone's disease (misdiagnosis)

* Chronic poor health

Dementia

Dental enamel defects
Depression & anxiety, in fact many mental complaints are associated with coeliac, Dermatitis Herpetiformis

Diabetes (type 1 particularly but also type 1.5 often misdiagnosed as type 2)

* IBS

Kidney Disease

* Lactose intolerance

Learning disorders - ADD, ADHD as well as possibly autism and Aspergers, Although the medical profession doesn't seem to think so, there are cases where real gains have been made by the elimination of both casein and gluten.

Liver problems (in one study 1 in 20 people waiting for a liver transplant had celiac)

Epilepsy

Infertility & miscarriages

Multiple Sclerosis (misdiagnosis)

Nephritis (probably incidence of, but because it's rare and celiac is "rare" it's hard to be positive, but definitely there is an increased mortality from kidney failure, as well as the fact that the treatment is steroids, which are known to promote the growth of villi)

Nerve damage (Can vary from tingling and numbness in the feet to confusion, memory loss, dizziness and loss of balance)

* Obesity

Psoriasis

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Schizophrenia

Thyroid problems, including cancer.

* Vitamin and mineral deficiencies, most notably B 12, A, D, E and K

Other associated problems

·        Allergies, they just develop from nowhere

·        Bone and joint pains

·        Brainfog

·        Constipation (often alternating with diarrhoea, but not always)

·        Depression & anxiety, in fact many mental complaints are associated with coeliac, I've tried to cover the most common ones.

·        Diarrhoea 

·        Early Menopause/Late onset of periods

·        Easy bruising of the skin.

·        Fatigue, and lethargy

·        Flatulence, abdominal distension, cramping and bloating.

·        Floating and or oily/fatty stools.

·        Hair loss

·        Lactose intolerance

·        Mouth ulcers, (more often than reasonable).

·        Muscle spasms

·        Nausea, sometimes progressing to vomiting

·        Persistent ill health and infections.

·        Sinus problems

·        Stomach pains

·        Vitamin and mineral deficiencies, most notably B 12, A, D, E and K

·        Weight gain /Weight loss.

Read the George RR Martin Dreamsongs no 1 must be about a week ago, and finished it more or less at the same time as the last Dune book. 
What can I say? The good the bad and the ugly. Don't bother reading Dune unless you HAVE to know how it all ends. I think it's nicely plotted but the characterization was so hollow it was in a vacuum, and the writing just doesn't have the life of the chapterhouse Dune books earlier on in the Dune revival. 
The George RR Martin short stories though. Yep. Fantastic (although I think the first was the weakest, so don't be put off if you're not captured by it). I'd even read a couple of the stories before and they resonated all the stronger for it.  Interesting little segues (actaully segues is probably the wrong word but WTH)  to what was going on in his life and little writing bits and pieces about the short stories etc. I even found those quite readable, probably more interesting for authors than most, but a nice little insight nevertheless. So here I am having not picked up a book for a few days, contemplating the last of the Icefire series, or at least the most recent, it's hard to tell. Anyway I'm looking forward to it. Kids books rock so much more than adult books on the whole. And there's a new stravaganza out as well - I am SO looking forward to that, it's supposed to be briliant :) although in fantasy terms the concept is a little tired it's still a fun, well written, look at an alternate venice. 

Catch you lot all later, I have worlds to build, for I suddenly feel the overpowering need to avoid the one I'm in.

Age banding 'ill-conceived and damaging', say children's authors

Publishers to put age guide on children’s book covers

O.K. I'm a little slow. But surely at some point can't people just read stories because they enjoy them? I mean I enjoy "diary of a wombat" for christsakes, in my opinion the hobbit is far superior to the lord of the rings and quite frankly I think it would have been a majorly terrible economic decision if someone had tried to ageband harry potter (however terrible I might think the story is).  

Long live chaos. Long live bolshy authors and down with controlling attitudes. I mean really, do you remember the graded books at school? It'll be like they're all trying to bring school into what is supposed to be entertainment. Yaboo and sux

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EllgBW1kDL8

 

If only I could work out how to do a proper link -- the movie's pretty fun given we had a team of two and 48 hours. Anyway gotta move onto the next thing. Got a nice reject from fantasy magazine today. One day the nice rejects might turn into something. Gotta live in hope. Gotta keep going.