Era of disasters

It's not just me is it, OD has been down for most of the last 48 hours. I hope we're not about to enter another era of disasters. I'm not sure I fully believe the last entry the diary master posted. I got in for about 10 minutes this morning.

I didn't get around to writing anything yesterday. Perhaps nothing of any interest happened. Actually something did happen. First Great Western sent me a letter saying that they would not compensate me for my train being delayed, because it was delayed for less than 1 hour. In fact it was delayed by 45 minutes. I've written back to them pointing out that their own leaflet outlining the procedure for claiming compensation actually states that a delay of 30 minutes or more for a journey of less than 1 hour qualifies for compensation. It's become a battle of wills now.

There was a story in the news yesterday about a Chinese man living in New Zealand, who travelled with his three-year-old daughter to Melbourne, Australia and then abandoned her there before leaving for the US. The child was picked up, confused and upset, but otherwise fine, at a railway station. She's adorable; I can't understand why anyone would do that to a child. He just left her wandering around on her own. The police were looking for the child's mother yesterday but have found a woman's body in the boot of a car outside their house in NZ. I think we can assume it is the body of the child's mother. No one seems to be able to find her father. What was the point of taking her to Melbourne to abandon her. He could have locked her in their home, or better still, left her with someone while he absconded.

Another story today that seems to me to be amazing, but which is getting very little coverage, concerns a possible meteor strike in Peru. There appears to be a huge crater, and people are claiming all kinds of sickness after visting the sight. I'm personally a little scepyical about all this. I can't see where all the toxic gas is coming from. But it's an amzing story none the less.

Brittany Spears apparently may lose custody of her children after allegations of substance abuse and "inappropriate nudity". I can understand the substance abuse issue, but nudity? What the hell is all that about? In yesterday's Sun newspaper, it was alleged that a former bodyguard had claimed that Spears walks round naked in front of her children. Is that illegal? I mean anywhere? Seriously, that can't be illegal can it?

It seems that PETA has persuaded Alicia Silverstone to take her clothes off in an effort to promote their cause. I really don't care much about the ethical treatment of animals, and I couldn't possibly support PETA while they persist in funding a terrorist organisation, but you have to admire that ability they seem to have for getting people to take their clothes off.

Ok that will do for today. It's bed time.