DIARY FROM ENGLAND HEADS FOR THE CARNIVAL

After participating in two very successful Blog Carnivals (see links below), I’ve definitely got the carnival bug! As some of you know, Diary From England is a member of Blog Village, a nice community of bloggers. Kilroy hosted a very successful carnival over there with Rosemary, the Blog Village owner and also one at his own blog. Check out the carnival posts from Diary From England and other bloggers:-

2007/01/our-first-blog-village-family-blog.htm

2007/02/for-your-success-sponsor-of-gonzo-blog.html

Diary From England will be participating in three further carnivals a Poetry Carnival and a Photography Carnival due to be held on 26th February and a Horse Lover's Blog Carnival due to be held on 21st February.

Poets Who Blog

ALL THINGS EQUINE - A Horse Lover's Blog Carnival

* ALL CARNIVALS ONLINE NOW *

PRIDE & PREJUDICE NATION'S FAVOURITE

Pride and Prejudice has been voted the nation’s favourite book in a poll to mark World Book Day. It seems that the Brits love classic novels. Jane Austen’s classic love story surrounding Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy came in at No. 1, with JRR Tolkein’s Lord of the Rings at No. 2 and Jane Eyre’s Charlotte Bronte at No. 3. J K Rowling’s Harry Potter books came in at No. 4, followed by To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee at No. 5. The Bible hit the charts at No. 6, with Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights at No. 7, George Orwell’s 1984 at No. 8, His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman at No. 9 and Dickens’ Great Expectations at No. 10.

PRINCE CHARLES SUGGESTS BAN ON MCDONALDS

It’s very unlikely that a Big Mac and fries will be on the menu anytime soon at Prince Charles’ Highgrove home. His Royal Highness touring the Arabian Gulf with wife Camilla this week, commented that McDonalds should be banned on health grounds. The Prince made the comment as he attended the launch of a public health care campaign, aimed at fighting diabetes in the United Arab Emirates. He was told that moves were being put in place to encourage children to eat more fruit and vegetables and less fat. Charles was overhead asking a nutritionist, “Have you got anywhere with McDonalds? Have you tried getting it banned? That’s the key.” McDonalds described the Prince’s remarks as disappointing. Meanwhile critics argue that the Prince’s own Duchy Originals brand of pork sausages actually contain more fat than a Big Mac. Despite Prince Charles remarks, it seems that his son Prince Harry doesn’t share his father’s views. Harry loves burgers and is often seen munching on them at McDonalds.

HELEN MIRREN OSCAR SUCCESS

Congratulations to Helen Mirren on winning a well-deserved Oscar for Best Actress in The Queen. Dame Helen paid tribute to Her Majesty in her acceptance speech saying, "I salute her courage and her consistency. And I thank her, because if it wasn't for her, I most certainly would not be here." Helen Mirren gave a superb performance in the film and I personally believe her likeness in appearance to the Queen was almost uncanny. It was good to see Dame Helen munching on a king sized burger after the ceremony. It’s nice to know that despite her fame and success, she’s still human like the rest of us!

PHOTO:- COURTESY OF YAHOO NEWS

PET OBESITY ON THE RISE IN BRITAIN

Obesity is now a major problem in this country amongst adults and children alike, with two thirds of men and 60% of women either overweight or obese. However according to a recent study by veterinary charity PDSA, it seems that the nation’s pets are affected as well. New figures show that obesity in dogs is on the rise and their dental health is in decline. Pet obesity can cause arthritis, high blood pressure, poor liver function and diabetes, amongst other conditions. As an animal lover myself, I think it’s cruel to let a dog get overweight. Animals are like people. They need a strict feeding regime and regular exercise and if an owner can’t provide this, then they’re not fit to have a pet. In the first case of its kind in Britain, the RSPCA brought charges of animal cruelty to two brothers who allowed their labrador to become so obese, he was unable to walk more than 5 yards without becoming breathless. The animal charity re-homed the dog with new owners. Magistrates were told he looked more like a seal than a dog. A shocking story.

Meanwhile the hot news story this week in England is that of the 8 year old boy who tipped the scales at 14 stone. The young boy is so obese, he can hardly walk. Social services considered taking him into care as they believed his obesity amounted to child abuse. However they have now decided the youngster is better off with his mother and are assisting the family in a diet and exercise regime for him. As the boy refuses to eat any fruit or vegetables and will only eat chips and processed food, it sounds like they'll have their work cut out. Good luck to them.

PRINCE HARRY TO SERVE IN IRAQ

Prince Harry is said to be “over the moon” that he will be sent to Iraq to serve with his Blues and Royals regiment. Harry will become the first member of the Royal family to serve in a war zone for 25 years. The Prince reportedly threatened to quit the army if he wasn’t allowed to serve in a conflict zone. The 22 year old is set to carry out a normal troop commander’s role and has insisted he doesn’t want any special treatment. However SAS minders will shadow the Prince when he serves in Iraq. Tony Blair described Prince Harry as a “very brave young man”. His mother Diana would have been proud of him.

ALCOHOL RELATED DEATHS DOUBLE IN BRITAIN

New figures released this week reveal alcohol related deaths to have doubled in the past 15 years. Experts blame a culture of binge drinking, increased availability of cut price alcohol and 24 hour licensing for the shocking new figures. In addition more and more youngsters are being seen in hospitals with alcohol-related illnesses. Apparently the figures show that alcohol consumption is on the increase in Britain and going down in France and Italy, mainly because alcohol is now so cheap and readily available in so many outlets in this country. One of Britain’s top doctors believes alcohol advertisements should be totally banned to bring binge drinking under control.

BRITONS FAIL AT BASIC DIY TASKS

Despite the endless round of DIY and home makeover programmes currently showing on British tv, over half of Britons are unable to change a lightbulb or bleed a radiator. Three quarters would not even consider hanging wallpaper according to the results of a survey by the Ideal Home Show. So now we know!

WOMEN PLAYERS TO NET EQUAL PAY AT WIMBLEDON

With increasing evidence of the gender pay gap between men and women in the workplace, it was good to hear that Wimbledon bosses have finally come to their senses and agreed to pay women competitors the same prize money as their male counterparts. The decision announced by the All England chairman on Thursday comes after many years of campaigning. The chairman, Tim Phillips stated that he believed the decision to offer equal prize money, provided a boost for the game as a whole and recognised the enormous contribution that women players make to the game and to Wimbledon. It’s a great shame other employers in this country can’t follow Wimbledon’s example.

YORKSHIRE PUDDING - THE NATION'S FAVOURITE

Yorkshire pudding has been named the nation’s favourite regional food in Good Housekeeping magazine’s food awards, beating off stiff competition from the Cornish pastie and Melton Mowbray pork pie. A spokesman for the magazine described the Yorkshire pudding as a “regional food with a nationwide appeal and something people have grown up with. The perfect accompaniment to roast beef”. I certainly agree with that. I wouldn’t dream of eating roast beef without one!

Meanwhile chocolate was named the sexiest food and Lea and Perrins Worcestershire sauce the favourite store cupboard ingredient.

HAPPY PANCAKE DAY!

Today in England we celebrate Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day as it’s better known. After suffering with a heavy cold all weekend, fortunately I’ve got my taste back just in time to enjoy my pancakes! My tip for really light batter is to add a dash of soda water or lemonade (if you like a lemon flavour) to the batter. I’ll be having my pancakes with some of the Maple Syrup I brought back from my trip to Canada last year. Delicious! Bon Appetit!

On another note, whilst surfing, I noticed a great photo which perfectly sums up Pancake Day. I found it on James Jordan's website, Points of Light. James is a fellow villager over at Blog Village. Here's the link:-

http://pointsoflight.blogspot.com/2007/02/pancakes-anyone.html

Happy Surfing!

TV POSES SERIOUS THREAT TO HEALTH

According to the results of a report released this week, watching too much television can seriously damage your health. Spending several hours a day in front of the tv increases the risk of Alzheimers disease and can cause permanent eyesight damage in both adults and children. In addition watching many hours of tv from a young age, can trigger autism and premature puberty in some children. It is also one of the biggest causes of obesity through lack of exercise, increasing the risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes. Apparently the average 6 year old spends the equivalent of a full year watching tv and over half of 3 year olds have a television in their bedrooms. Frightening news.

FAMOUS BRITONS RECREATED IN CHIP ART

Fish and Chips are a delicious national institution in the U.K. They are so well loved that it was the only food not to be rationed in the Second World War. Last week we celebrated National Chip Week, an annual event over here that helps to boost demand for potatoes and increases sales at Fish and Chip Shops throughout the country. Some edible “chip art” portraits of famous Britons were created for The British Potato Council to mark the occasion. I think they turned out really well and are a good likeness of the people concerned, Paul McCartney, Robbie Burns (Scottish poet) and Tom Jones. Chips off the the old block!

Photos:- Courtesy of Sky News

THE HORSE WHISPERER

I’ve always loved horses. One of my favourite movies is The Horse Whisperer. The movie tells the story of a mother whose daughter is hit by a truck whilst out riding her horse. The young girl and the horse are both severely traumatized. The girl loses part of her leg in the accident and the horse becomes uncontrollable to such an extent that the only humane solution seems to be to have the animal put down, something the mother won’t agree to do. Instead the mother decides to take her daughter and the horse to see a cowboy who claims to be able to “heal” horses and communicate with them. The cowboy is otherwise known as a “Horse Whisperer”, hence the title of the film.

The movie is make-believe, based on a novel but such people actually exist in real life. Working in the healthfood industry, I have a great interest in complementary medicine. I’ve always been fascinated by people who can communicate with animals, particularly horses and heal them. I always keep an open mind on these things. When you hear so much in the news about cruelty to horses, I think it’s wonderful that there are people out there like the horse whisperers who can see into the very souls of these beautiful animals and heal not only their physical but also emotional wounds as well. Fascinating.

UK'S OLDEST WOMAN DIES AT 111

The UK’s oldest woman died this week aged 111. Ada Mason from Upton, West Yorkshire vividly remembered the sinking of The Titanic and the funeral of Queen Victoria. The centenarian who outlived all her children, put the secret of her long life down to “clean living” and eating bread and dripping with salt every day!

MICHELIN MAN GIVEN SLEEK NEW LOOK

I smiled when I read that the Michelin tyre man, the mascot of the Michelin tyre company for many years had been given a sleek new makeover. It seems that bosses have “slimmed” him down considerably and launched a new trimmer Michelin man this week to reflect the current healthy diet and exercise trend. What next!

BRITAIN BOTTOM OF LEAGUE FOR CHILD WELFARE

Britain has come bottom of the league for child welfare. The shock findings were revealed this week in the results of a Unicef survey. It seems that Britain's children are unhappy, unhealthy and have fewer friends than youngsters in any other country of the developed world. Apparently many children stated that they were unhappy with their family lives and life in general.

BACK TO DARK AGES FOR BRITAIN

Surely the most bizarre story of the week has to be that of the British hospital chiefs who have come up with what they believe to be the ideal solution to cut National Health Service debts of £6million. The money saving solution they believe is for staff to remove every other lightbulb in hospitals. Bosses believe this to be a “sensible measure” to help reduce the NHS deficit. What about the cost of staff’s time to perform this fruitless exercise? It seems this hasn’t been taken into consideration.

Still on the subject of light, there are plans to switch off street and motorway lights in Britain from midnight onwards to save money. The Highways Agency plans to trial the new system later this year. Road safety groups dismissed the new plans as “ludicrous”, whilst others said it encourages crime by putting public safety at risk. Looks like we’ll be heading back to the dark ages at this rate!

HAPPY CHILDHOOD MEMORIES

I’ve always loved the circus. My grandpa used to take me there every year as a special treat, when I was growing up. I’ve always enjoyed the fun and excitement of the big top. I particularly like the clowns. I think it’s always nice to be able to enjoy some good old-fashioned slapstick fun, a welcome release from all the bad things going on in the world. I’ve chosen to share this photo with you. It was taken several years ago, before digital photography was around, on one of my annual circus visits with my grandpa. It has great sentimental value to me. I can still remember when the photo was taken just like it was yesterday. The clowns were called Uncle Tick and Uncle Tock (like the sound a clock makes! – easy for a child to remember!). I felt quite special that day to be singled out from the crowd to have my photo taken in my best bib and tucker! Whenever I look at this photo, it always reminds me of the happy times I spent with my grandpa, a very special person in my life. I always associate clowns and circuses with the happy, carefree days of childhood.

CROWDS MAKE PILGRIMAGE TO LIVERPOOL STATUE

A bronze and steel statue of Jesus reported to have miraculous powers is drawing the crowds at a Liverpool Art Gallery. One woman claims to have been held in a trance by the figure for 30 minutes, whilst other visitors claim to have seen sparks shooting from the statue’s eyes. Some people even believe the statue could be possessed and evil. Spooky! Pilgrims believe divine intervention is responsible. However the statue’s creator isn’t so sure. He claims the only sparks he has ever seen were from the welding torch that helped to create it.

ROBOTS POISED TO GIVE PHYSIO

Robot physiotherapists could be used in the future to treat British patients and cut waiting lists. Apparently a prototype robot has been developed in Sheffield which can be instructed to repeat specified movements to lower limbs. What next! I think I'd prefer to be treated by a human being!

SIZE ZERO MODELS UNDER FIRE

London Fashion Week has sparked fierce criticism of size zero models. Critics argue the models promote a stick thin image as trendy, encouraging eating disorders in young girls. Bumpkin, a trendy Notting Hill restaurant popular with celebrities, is offering free food to any models with a BMI (body mass index) of less than 18. Who says there’s no such thing as a free lunch!

LIFE - A POEM BY NAOMI STEVENS

As many of you know, I’m a secretary trying to make it as a freelance writer in my spare time. However after participating in two Blog Carnivals, I think I’ve now got the Carnival “bug” and couldn’t resist taking part in a Poetry Carnival being held over at

Poets Who Blog

It was a bit of a challenge for me as my forte is writing stories not poetry. You can read my poetry efforts below:-


Life is a journey sometimes happy sometimes sad
But never boring as we learn to take the good times with the bad
Experiencing trouble and strife
On this journey called life
Love and laughter go hand in hand
As we travel on our journey in this far off land
Where life will take us we never know
Until fate intervenes and helps us to grow
Darkness and light, sadness and tears
Angels comfort us and take away our fears

Copyright  2007 Naomi Stevens - All Rights Reserved

HELEN MIRREN QUEEN OF THE BAFTAS

Helen Mirren was officially Queen of the BAFTAs this week, winning Best Actress award for her role in The Queen. Helen is also hotly tipped to win an Oscar at next month’s ceremony. The BAFTAs are Britain’s equivalent of the Oscars. It is rumoured that Her Majesty the Queen is planning to invite Helen for tea at the palace. I’m sure they’ll have lots to talk about.

ANOTHER CARNIVAL

The last Gonzo carnival hosted by Blog Village was a great hit! Diary From England will be participating in the next Gonzo Blog Carnival which will be held on Saturday, February 10th.

For more details click on the link below:-

2007/3rd-installment-in-gonzo-blog-carnival.html

BORAT A POWERFUL MAN IN BRITAIN

Borat star Sacha Baron Cohen has been named one of the 100 most powerful men in Britain in a recent survey by GQ Magazine. The magazine said: "Not since John Lennon has an English entertainer had such an effect on the world." Sacha Baron Cohen meanwhile is laughing all the way to the bank as he has just signed to do Borat 2, a sequel to his hit movie.

PHOTO:- COURTESY OF YAHOO NEWS

WHITE LION CUBS MAKE THEIR DEBUT

Four white lion cubs born in August last year are due to go on display for the first time this weekend at West Midlands Safari Park. The cubs, Casper (the only boy) and his sisters Kiara, Lara and Toto are part of a rare breed. There are no more than 130 white lions in the world. The safari park has had a pride of white lions since 2004, the UK’s first.

BRITAIN IN GRIP OF HEAVY SNOW

Many areas of Britain came to a standstill this week as the heaviest snowfalls for 10 years reached 15cm in some places. The severe weather conditions caused disruption to road, rail and air travel. Schools were also closed in many areas, giving the nation’s children a chance to enjoy sledging and snowballing in the snowy conditions.

Picture:- Courtesy of BBC Website

GPS PREFER PRIVATE CARE

According to the results of a recent survey, many British doctors lack confidence in the National Health Service and would prefer to be treated privately. Not surprising really. Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt astounded the British public this week by stating that she believes hospital bed closures are a sign of success. I'm sure the doctors and nursing staff who have lost their jobs through hospital closures wouldn't agree with her sentiments. Not sure what planet this woman is living on. Surely it stands to reason that if there are less hospital beds, patients are not going to receive the treatment they need in a hospital as there are no beds for them. Instead they will have to make do with treatment from community nurses who are overstretched already and cannot provide the standard of care available in a hospital. What an absolute shambles!

KYLIE APPEARS AT V & A

It was good to see Kylie Minogue looking happy and healthy at the opening of the Victoria and Albert Museum exhibition to celebrate her career. The exhibition will feature over 200 items of memorabilia including the overalls Kylie wore in Neighbours. It was Kylie's first public appearance since splitting with Olivier Martinez.

VACUUMING CLOCKS UP THE MILES

Who says housework doesn't keep you fit? Apparently the average woman will vacuum a massive 7,300 miles in her lifetime, the equivalent of walking to New York and back! So there we go!

BEATLES SET FOR NEW CHART SUCCESS

The Beatles are set to become popular with a whole new generation of fans, after Apple finally settled a 25 year trademark disagreement with the Beatle’s record company Apple Corps over the use of their name. The fab four are now set for a huge revival of Beatlemania as the settlement paved the way for all their hits like Hey Jude to be available for download onto Apple Ipods. Experts are predicting that some of The Beatles' old hits could be back in the charts once again as downloaded tracks count towards chart success.

RUSSIA AND JAPAN BAN BRITISH POULTRY IMPORTS

Russia and Japan have banned imports of British poultry in the wake of the discovery of the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of avian flu at a Bernard Matthew’s turkey farm. Bernard Matthews is one of Europe’s largest turkey producers. Thousands of turkeys have already been culled after the discovery, however experts say the chances of humans contracting the H5N1 strain are small and only those who have come into close contact with the birds are at risk. Let’s hope so for all our sakes.

URDU AND MANDARIN TO BE PART OF SCHOOL CURRICULUM

If government ministers have their way Urdu and Mandarin could be taught in British schools rather than traditional French and German. Ministers believe that Urdu and Mandarin are a lot more "economically useful". I don't know about that but I think pupils will have their work cut out learning them, particularly Mandarin which is notoriously difficult to learn. I'm sure it will be challenging and a good way to keep them awake if nothing else.

SIMPLY RED'S MICK TO BECOME A DAD

Congratulations to Simply Red's Mick Hucknall on the news that he and his partner Gabrielle are expecting a baby. I've always been a big fan of Mick's band Simply Red. I quite often have their music playing in the background to give me inspiration whilst working on my book.

RELEASE DATE OF FINAL HARRY POTTER BOOK ANNOUNCED

Harry Potter author JK Rowling has announced the final book in the saga of the boy wizard will hit the bookshelves on Saturday 21st July. Bookstores are bracing themeselves for a stampede as eager fans rush to find out the fate of their hero. JK Rowling has already revealed that two characters will die in the final installment and hinted that one could be Harry.

NEWCASTLE NOISIEST CITY

Newcastle has been named the noisiest city in Britain in a recent report, with Birmingham and London coming hot on its heels. The traffic noise in Newcastle has been likened to a loud alarm clock constantly ringing in your ear. Bad news for the city's residents. Experts say that prolonged traffic noise can lead to irreversible hearing damage.

STARS JOIN BURBERRY CAMPAIGN

A host of celebrities including Tom Jones, Emma Thompson and Charlotte Church have this week added their support to a campaign to stop British upmarket fashion firm Burberry closing their factory in South Wales and moving production to China, with the loss of hundreds of jobs. Burberry has always been a quintessentially British company so to move production to the other side of the world is unthinkable. At the end of the day it is all about corporate greed and saving money. But unfortunately it's the British workers who are the sufferers. Burberry have now pulled out of sponsoring and hosting the BAFTA reception after threats of protests and stars boycotting the ceremony.

SHOCKING RISE IN TEACHER ATTACKS

My first career choice was to go into teaching but I'm so glad I didn't when I read shocking new statistics released this week. It seems there has been a massive rise in vicious attacks on teachers, with at least one teacher a day being attacked by out of control pupils and their parents. Is it any wonder there is a shortage of good teachers in this country and the education system in this country is falling down? The government needs to take matters in hand and do something about this as a matter of urgency. Teachers deserve to do their jobs and educate the next generation without fear of being attacked. We as a nation ask for nothing less.

ROYALS AVOID PAYING TAX ON NECKLACE

The Royals have come in for some bad press this week after Camilla (Duchess of Cornwall) claimed that a £1million diamond and ruby necklace she wore on a US trip was a “gift to the nation,” to avoid paying tax on it. Yet hours earlier Prince Charles’ office had announced that the gift was a “private present” and then changed their tune and declared the necklace a “gift to the nation” 24 hours later. The Royals are expected to pay tax on private gifts but not official ones which pass into the Royal Collection. Camilla has tried so hard to gain acceptance and popularity with the British public in the past, but this is bound to leave a sour taste in the mouths of many. It is up to the Royal family to set an example to the rest of us and pay any taxes owed. Think of the schools and hospitals deprived of what would have been a considerable amount of tax money. Shame on you Charles and Camilla.

SNAKES SLITHER AWAY ACHING MUSCLES

As some of you know, I work in the healthfood industry and am always interested to try various complementary therapies. It seems that the latest treatment at a massage parlour in Israel is to let six snakes slither across a patient’s aching muscles! Somehow I don’t think I fancy that! I think I’ll stick with a traditional aromatherapy massage to help me unwind – much less traumatic!

FIRST KEYHOLE HEART OP CARRIED OUT IN BRITAIN

British cardiologists made medical history this week when they carried out Britain’s first keyhole heart valve replacement operation. The advantage of keyhole is that the procedure is much quicker and less traumatic for the patient than conventional open heart surgery, as it allows valves to be implanted into the heart using a catheter. Also the patient’s recovery time is much quicker. The new keyhole heart surgery has been described as “the biggest development in cardiology in the past 30 years since angioplasty.”

BRITS ACCUMULATE TONS OF RUBBISH

According to a report released this week, the average Brit accumulates about a ton of junk and rubbish, which is usually dumped in the attic, a spare room or under the bed. Feng Shui experts says this is a really bad thing to do as it leads to stagnant energy. No wonder many of us don’t have any “get up and go!” Maybe that’s why I always feel better when I’ve had a good clear out and got rid of some junk!

XFACTOR JUDGE TAKES A BREAK FROM MUSIC AT HOME

XFactor judge Simon Cowell has confessed that he can go for weeks on end without listening to music when he’s at home. TV’s Mr Nasty confessed in a US magazine interview that he doesn’t even know how to use either a computer or IPod and prefers to watch tv in his spare time. Not surprising really. I suppose listening to some people auditioning for XFactor and American Idol is enough to put you off music for life!

MANCHESTER WINS CASINO BID

Manchester has won its bid to host Britain’s first Las Vegas style super-casino, beating off stiff competition from Blackpool and London. Supporters say that the new casino project will boost the city’s economy, creating jobs and regenerating the local area. It will certainly boost the fortunes of the taxman and the casino owners. However critics argue that it will encourage gambling addictions. Love it or loathe it, the exciting new development will form part of the city’s bright, shining future.