[spoiler] lit quiz answers

If you still haven't done the quiz on literature [below], you might as well do it forthwith and then the answers are here.

[britain] your turn for nine questions

1] Where did Sir Francis Drake land when he once claimed California for Queen Elizabeth I of England?

2] Which British sovereign first took up residence in Buckingham Palace and what was it then known as?

3] What happened in 1857 in Britain which eased the condition of women?

4] Which great city owes its existence to a little ford?

5] You know the Bank of England's nickname but what the actual name of the woman?

6] What do 1851 and public toilets have to do with each other?

7] What ship, designed for the Hungarian emigrant service, came to the rescue of another in 1912?

8] Who created the jingle for the Star Spangled Banner?

9] In the days of Peeping Tom, what was Godiva’s real name?

Answers tomorrow morning.

[usa] how much do you know about your nation

Anyone can ask you about 'Hoosiers' and 'Live Free or Die' but do you know these curly ones? Which places in the U.S. are either known [or should be] as the:

1] Red Flannel Capital of the World
Hint: lumberjack country

2] Cow Chip Throwing Capital of the World
Hint: tiny panhandle town

3] Troll Capital of the World
Hint: Wisconsin

4] Sock Capital of the World
Hint: DeKalb County

5] Cereal Capital of the World
Hint: snaps, crackles, and pops

6] Loon Capital of the World
Hint: more than 200 lakes

7] Mushroom Capital of the World
Hint: William W. Phillips

8] Decoy Capital of the World
Hint: Susquehanna River

9] Bratwurst Capital of the World
Hint: Cajun

Answers tomorrow morning.

[en france] promesses de miracles aujourd'hui

Chants gospel et promesses de miracles au programme de la campagne d'évangélisation du pasteur TL Osborn en région parisienne.

Le prédicateur américain TL Osborn achève aujourd'hui une tournée d'évangélisation en région parisienne, au cours de laquelle ses prêches ont attiré des milliers de fidèles. Au moins 10 000 personnes étaient attendues hier soir sur l'esplanade du château de Vincennes, dans l'Est parisien, pour une soirée de prières. Une deuxième est programmée ce soir. Les organisateurs ont promis des «guérisons» au cours de ces deux soirées.

Mon opinion - inquiet. Suivez ici.

[latest] winston says britain ready

If you didn't quite get the Sinospeak in the last post, try the Spiffyspeak here.

[Note for the American readers: don't call Spiffyspeak Squiffyspeak although I'm aware that the Squadron leader employs the term below. Squiffy has taken on an entirely different meaning in recent times.]

Here's a report from the front line:

Jones: Morning, Squadron Leader.

Idle: What-ho, Squiffy.

Jones: How was it?

Idle: Top-hole. Bally Jerry, pranged his kite right in the how's-your-father; hairy blighter, dicky-birded, feathered back on his sammy, took a waspy, flipped over on his Betty Harpers and caught his can in the Bertie.

Jones: Er, I'm afraid I don't quite follow you, Squadron Leader.

Idle: It's perfectly ordinary banter, Squiffy.

Full text here.

[far-east] fear not - it's only the chinese coming

Don't worry - it's only a military exercise, not the real thing.

Yet.

The Chinese authorities explain:

The exercise was aimed at implementing the consensus on enhancing security cooperation and improving coordination between their law enforcement departments and special services.

Not au fait with Chinaspeak? Read on and all is explained.

China wrapped up the second phase of its joint anti-terror drill with Kazakhstan Yining, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The Yining game consists of five parts, simulating a battle in which Chinese guards gradually forced the terrorists into a narrow valley and cliff caves.

It lasted two hours and ten minutes, with groups of the mock terrorists being eliminated by the police forces consisting of artillery, police dogs, cavalry, special services and other troops.

Around 100 observers from member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) -- which includes China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan -- were in Yining to evaluate the drill. They were satisfied and applauded the participating troops, the police said.

China's police authority said the first ever joint anti-terrorism exercise between the two countries' law enforcement bodies and special forces within SCO framework exercise was held to demonstrate SCO's latest progress in combating terrorists in the region, namely the "three evil forces" of terrorists, separatists and extremists.

The police force will also explore new patterns of security cooperation through the exercise, noting that both traditional combating forces like cavalry and the modern ones are participating in the drill.

100 000 000 Chinese cavalry?