THUMBS (DROPPING) DOWN TO A RIGHT LOAD OF MANURE.

"A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse bike"  - (not quite) Shakespeare's Richard III.

Scientists in Bristol have invented a nylon bicycle (pictured above) that is as strong as steel. The Airbike was designed on a computer and a 3D printing process built the machine using layers of nylon powder. - (21/03/2011)

You remember my telling you of the nun who had left the convent after complaints she spent too much time on the computer? Well, I've found her the perfect job.

ONLINE RETREAT NUNS. Two nuns are offering "online retreats" to help pay the bills at their Benedictine monastery in Oxfordshire. 

The nuns, from the Holy Trinity Monastery in East Hendred, near Wantage, are inviting people to spend time in prayer under their guidance.

Participants will have to pay between £10 and £150 for the programmes, each lasting a total of five days. - BBC News (23/03/2011)

For once a royal story that has nothing to do with 'that wedding. It's no big secret that Prince Charles advocates the talking to of plants but now we have ..........

An album for gardeners to play to their plants in the hope it will encourage greater growth has been released by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

Research has found that there is some evidence to suggest that music , especially classical, is beneficial to plant growth and many amateur gardeners enjoy playing the radio in their potting sheds.

As a result, the orchestra has released The Flora Seasons: Music To Grow to, a 45-minute recording of highlights of a recital of works by Mozart. - Harry Wallop (24/03/20110)

One of those stories that proves that real life is stranger than fiction?

A man was convicted yesterday of murdering his brother-in-law after a court heard evidence that his victim's severed thumb "fell from the sky".

Mohammed Riaz, 33, was arrested on March 11 last year, four days after his wife's brother disappeared and a day after the victims left thumb was caught on CCTV falling - possibly from a bird's mouth - to the ground where it was found by a security guard. - (24/03/2011)

Please now visit John's SILLY SATURDAY post on Full-On-Forward and see if you can see which image fits so perfectly with this article.

What can I say? Apart from ...... this is my favourite story of the week.

MAN WITH MANURE FETISH JAILED. A man with a fetish for cow manure who terrorised a farmer and his family for 6 years has been jailed.

David Truscott was discovered in a field covered in manure and mud and naked apart from one sock (please, please tell me this was on his foot) by the farmer's 16-year-old son on February 26th. - Farming Life (24/03/2011)

For a long while now I've said the next generation will be born with differently shaped thumbs as a result of all the text messaging they do. It seems I may not have been too far from the truth.

BLACKBERRY THUMB IS NEW HEALTH HAZARD. Blackberry Thumb is the name given to to a repetitive strain injury caused by over-using mobile phones to send emails and texts.

"Most causes are absolutely preventable if the right health and safety rules are followed" (Enough said.) - (25/03/2011)

Good news if like me you take your tea without milk.

CUPPA CAN HELP YOU LOSE WEIGHT. Drinking tea could help you lose weight, research has found - but the effects are cancelled out if you add milk (and eat a packet of biscuits whilst drinking it.)

Scientists have found that tea contains high levels of compounds that help to reduce the amount of fat absorbed and can cut cholesterol. But proteins in cows milk neutralise this fat-fighting ability. -Richard Gray (27/03/2011)

PLEASE NOTE: All of today's articles came courtesy of The Telegraph unless otherwise stated.

Wherever possible I Will endeavour to bring you the links to articles I have used in my Media Monday posts but this is not always possible.