You couldn't make it up ...

I read earlier this year that Cadbury has patented the colour purple; the shade that appears on their milk chocolate wrappers.  How on earth can a colour be patented?   What IS that all about?

Last year's packaging.

Well, we can see what it's all about.  The Meaningful Chocolate Company (who produce Easter eggs with the Easter story on the box and last year produced chocolate Christmas tree decorations with nativity scenes) have been told by lawyers to the multinational conglomerate who swallowed up Cadbury recently that they must re-design their packaging for Christmas this year using a different colour.

The Bishop of Chelmsford has apparently told Cadbury, "not to be so precious about purple".

However, the company have changed their design to "warm red". 

If you think this is all rather preposterous, you know what to do when you next fancy some chocolate...

A Special Day

What's special about 15 November this year?  Do you know? (be honest!)

Well, in case you didn't know, let me tell you.  It's election day, not for MP's, MEP's or local councillors.  No, it's to elect your local Police and Crime Commissioner.  If you knew that, no doubt you know who you will be voting for.  I'm looking up the web site for my candidates so I can decide ... Oh dear!  We can't find out until 26 October.  Still, only six days to go ... I'm not sure I can contain my excitement!

Seriously though, why, after nearly 300 years since Sir Robert Peel did his stuff, do we now need these Commissioners?  I've no idea, and that's after watching the advert telling me to vote!

By the way, the elections are estimated to cost £75 million.  And I thought we were in a recession!  It just goes to prove that the government will spend money on what they want to spend it on, whatever the size of the national debt.

Harvest Festival at Sainsbury's

This weekend Sainsbury's are suggesting customers buy an extra food item and then donate it after checkout into one of their "Million Meal Appeal" collecting boxes.  This is to give meals to disadvantaged people in the UK through the charity FareShare.

Of course churches have been doing this for decades!  It's called Harvest Festival and most churches encourage people to bring tins and packets of food which are donated to a local charity who helps the homeless or other vulnearble people in our society.

So, well done Mr Sainsbury in catching up to what Christians have been doing for ages.

Hang on minute!  This is all good profit for Sainsbury's!  I have an idea.  Buy a tin of something at another supermarket (preferably one of their own brand items) and whip into Sainsbury's and put it in their collecting box.  They can't complain as it's going to a good cause, can they?

Swearing and the meaning of words

In one of the ongoing news items about Andrew Mitchell and his behaviour towards the police when they wouldn't let him through that main gate, it was reported he admitted he did swear, but not at the police, rather he swore in frustration.  So that's alright, then.

Now when a pupil swears in class, he's not swearing at the teacher, but in frustration that he can't do his work, and, clearly, that must be OK also.

While we're on education, Mr. Gove seems to be changing the meaning of words.  He says that it's not good enough for teachers to be 'satisfactory', they must improve.

So, here's the lesson, "Satisfactory" means "Unsatisfactory".  All clear now?  If you're frustrated about this, it's OK to swear, as we've seen!

Songs aint wot they used to be!

Last week was my wife's birthday and I gave her a card which included "20 hit songs from the year of her birth".  To my surprise I knew nine of the 18 artists (two had two tracks each) and 6 of the songs.  Names like Dizzy Gillespie, Tommy Dorsey, Frank Sinatra and Doris Day.  Although I have to admit I'd not heard of The Metronome All Stars or even Molly O'Day!

Then I thought I'd see how many of the current Top 20 songs and artists I knew.  Three people I'd heard of, but none of the songs.  OK, so I've drifted away from popular culture over the years!

But then I noticed, further down the list, at 27, Gerry and the Pacemakers with You'll Never Walk Alone!  In the current charts for obvious reasons given the Hillsborough report recently published.

So I'm not completely divorced from popular culture!  In fact I can remember having the sheet music of the song, which I could actually play on the piano - then.  Maybe I could, still.  Now where might that sheet music be after all these years?...

Cholesterol - result!

As I blogged last week, I went to have a cholesterol test at Sainsbury's pharmacy.  I've been asked to report the result and it's good!  The reading was 3.82, and that was without fasting beforehand.  Under five is what they want.  The ratio of good to bad cholesterol was 4.0 and again that should be under five.

So, a good result.  The only  slight problem was you were informed that the pharmacist may well give you advice on your diet.  He asked me if I exercised regularly; I said I did, in fact I'd cycled down to Sainsbury's for the test!  I felt he thought he ought to say something, so he asked how much red meat I ate and said I could cut down a little on that.  I also admitted to having a cheddar cheese sandwich most lunchtimes and of course hard cheese isn't good for your cholesterol count.  But he did admit that given my reading, my body must be processing it well.

So I felt a little sorry for the man, bless him!  He wanted to say something but couldn't find much to say!

In the meantime I've just received a letter from our doctors inviting me to have a free 'flu vaccination.  Now I've reached the ripe old age of 65, I'm considered "at risk".

You can either drop in to one of their clinics to receive the vaccination, or send back a form to the surgery which has the line.  "I have been offered a free 'flu vaccination this autumn.  I refuse this offer."

It seems rather abrupt to say I refuse the jab, so I'm going to write a short letter to them thanking them for their concern, but I'm only just 65, I seem to be in good health (I had a recent check-up by the nurse), I exercise regularly, and (of course!) have a low cholesterol reading.  So as my bit to save the NHS money, I will let them give my 'flu jab to someone who needs it more than me.

Now that's so much nicer than saying I refuse the offer, don't you agree?  And it feels good to be doing my bit to help the NHS debt burden!

OCD ing

I was in a certain sports shop in Brentwood yesterday.  Someone in front had bought a load of sports gear and paid in cash with £20 notes.  (I was buying a swimming costume for my wife for £4 - I'm not in the same league!)

Anyway, when I went up to the assistant she was sorting out the £20 notes.  I made a comment about counting all her money and she said that wasn't what she was doing, she was sorting them out so that they were all the same way round.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who does that ...