INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN A BEVERAGE.

Still not feeling too well (and looking a bit like the character on the left), many thanks for all your kind words and best wishes and apologies again that I've been unable to visit you all as I normally would. I've missed you all and hope to get around to visiting real soon so be sure to have the kettle on and a packet of biscuits to hand. Oh, and some tissues might prove useful as well.

Talking of biscuits. There was some discussion a while ago about what constitutes a biscuit and what a cake.* I seem to remember Jaffa Cakes (a biscuit-like cake with a sponge base, a layer of orange flavoured jelly and a chocolate topping) being involved and some argument over V(alue) A(dded) T(ax) being added. Anyway, it seems a similar argument as come to the surface with regard to when fruit is a food AND when it is a smoothie.

What do you get if you take five strawberries, half an apple, half a banana, five grapes and put them in a blender with a squeeze of orange and lime? A big increase in tax, a judge has decided.

The curious ruling came after Innocent, which is partially owned by Coca-Cola, challenged its tax bill by arguing its smoothies were a 'liquefied fruit salad' rather than a 'beverage'.

The company claimed it was unfair that the government charges 17.5% VAT on Innocent's 100% fruit juice smoothies when a bowl of the raw ingredients are not subject to VAT. - Helen Pidd, the Guardian (23/11/10) (FULL STORY)

Even if I don't get that invite to The Wedding at least Husband dearest (Hd) gets an extra day off work which isn't any bad thing.

No sooner had the royal wedding venue (Westminster Abbey) and date (Friday 29 April) been announced  than I was off to buy my hat David Cameron (Prime minister) declared the wedding day would be a public holiday. (Hurrah.) - Stephen Bates, the Guardian (24/11/10)

First a book, then a movie, then a musical, is there anything different we could do to make Wuthering Heights appealing to a whole new generation? Ooohhh I know ....... Wuthering Heights in 3D. No?

Heathcliff is to be portrayed by a black man for the first time in an adaptation of Wuthering Heights after Andrea Arnold, the Bafta-winning director of Fish Tank (?), cast unknown James Howson in her forthcoming remake.

The casting is in line with Emily Bronte's conception of the character as a 'little lascar' - a 19th century term for sailors from India. - Ben Child, the Guardian (24/111/10)

Always having had his grooming needs taken care of at an 'old fashioned barbers shop rather than a unisex salon, it seems that Hd can now consider himself a modern dandy.

Not just about having one's hair cut though ......

(One London barber claimed) they were doing nine moustache trims a day, while demand for a 'high quality' short back and sides, for £38.50 (excuse me while I pick HD up off the floor), was increasingly popular. Maria Tadeo and Joanna Walters. The Observer (28/11/10) (READ FULL ARTICLE)

And finally, how's this for a unique way of making money for charity?

Tattoo-loving Ann French has come up with a novel way to raise cash for charity.

The playboy Playmate plans to raise funds by getting people to sponsor her to have her favourite's charity's (GUILLAIN-BARRE SYNDROME) logo (a rather cute little green tortoise) tattooed on her thigh. - Zoe Burn, the Sunday Sun (28/11/10)

*For those of you even remotely interested, the ruling, in very simplistic terms I know, being ....... a cake goes hard when stale whilst a biscuit goes soggy.

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