Guy Fawkes Day

"Remember, remember, the fifth of November

The gunpowder treason and plot

I know of no reason why the gunpowder treason 

Should ever be forgot." 

Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes, t'was his intent
To blow up the King and Parliament.
    Three-score barrels of powder below
To prove old England's overthrow;
By God's mercy he was catch'd

With a dark lantern and burning match.
Holla boys, Holla boys, let the bells ring.
Holloa boys, holloa boys, God save the King!
And what should we do with him? Burn him!"

If you know anything about British history, you'll know what this day's all about. It's my first time I'm in the UK on Guy Fawkes Day, so I decided to put that out there, despite not being British myself. Even if you don't know about Guy Fawkes Day, I'm sure you've heard of the little nursery rhyme above or if you've ever watched "V for Vendetta" you must have heard it before! 

Apparently, shame on me for not knowing this before especially since I dated a Briton for almost a year, but people in the UK actually celebrate this day! Or rather, perhaps more appropriately, this night. They call it "Guy Fawkes Night" or "Bonfire Night" and celebrations are met with fireworks and bonfires as well as some traditional "Bonfire Night" food. I've been invited out to celebrate tonight, so we'll see how that goes. Ah November... I can't believe it's already November! It makes me think of Thanksgiving... will definitely have to throw a party for that.

Today's Random Picture: 

How random is this??? Beauty Parlor + Chainsaw Repair? I wonder who thought putting those together in a store would be a good idea...

Banality of Divorce

Personally, I think marriage and divorce are societal inventions that have really little actual meaning left in them these days. If approximately 50% (or 51%) of marriages end in divorce, is it really meaningful or worth it to get married in the first place? Especially since most marriages end in the first 5 years? I don't know. But while reading this article, it just brought up some questions on whether or not marriages and divorces have just become social banalities today.

Happy Christmas honey - here's a divorce voucher

LONDON (Reuters) – Stuck for Christmas gift ideas? Is your marriage or a friend's going through a rocky patch? How about a divorce voucher?

In an unusual take on the season of giving, a London law firm is offering Christmas gift vouchers for divorce advice.

The firm, Lloyd Platt & Company, which normally charges 325 pounds ($530) an hour, said it had been swamped with enquiries since it launched the vouchers early last week.

So far, more than 60 have been sold -- a snip at 125 pounds for a half hour session with a divorce lawyer.

The firm's founder, Vanessa Lloyd Platt, said she had been amazed at the response to the vouchers. "They seem to appeal to an enormously widespread spectrum of people looking for that 'must have' gift for Christmas," she said.

A spokesman for the Church of England called the vouchers sad.

"Divorce is a very personal matter and not really suitable for the idea of gift vouchers which are presents from other people," he said.

Demand for the vouchers could soar over the next few weeks.

Christmas tends to be a particularly stressful time for families, with a huge rise in people seeking advice each January, Lloyd Platt said.

(Reporting by Elizabeth Fullerton; Editing by Steve Addison)

Today's Random Quiz:

You Are Dependable and Trustworthy

You approach the holidays with drive and determination. You're usually the one who does all of the organizing and work. You love being in charge of Christmas dinner, decorating the tree, and picking out presents. You know that everything will be perfect, as long as you're the one behind the wheel. Of all the types, you're the most likely to search far and wide to find the best deal on the gifts you give. You're also the most likely to have a very detailed system for how you wrap and label presents.

The Wrapping Paper Test

Third Day of Christmas

The secret of Xmas crackers -- pull downwards

LONDON (Reuters) – A British department store has worked out a formula it says will make sure festive feasters are never again left holding the short end of a pulled cracker.

"Success is mainly down to the angle, grip, cracker size and 'lines of failure' or where the cracker is likely to tear," said Debenhams.

When pulled, a cracker will always rip at a weak point connecting the reinforced barrel section to the tails, the store added.

By pulling backwards and down at the same time, it is possible to concentrate the force across the top face of the opponent's line of likely failure.

The cracker should be gripped about an inch from the end of the tail closest to the barrel. The tail should be kept in line with the barrel as it is pulled backwards and downwards, with an even force.

For the serious puller, the store has worked out a mathematical formula: O = 11xC/L + 5xQ, where O is the optimum downward angle for pulling the cracker.

C stands for the circumference of the barrel, L is the barrel's length and Q is the quality of the cracker -- pricier versions are often made from stronger material which will increase the optimum angle of pull.

Q has a value of one, two or three depending on whether the cracker is cheap, standard or expensive.

Debenhams said the formula should produce a two-digit figure between 20 and 55 degrees, which is the optimum pulling angle below the horizontal.

"Don't worry, it's less complicated than it looks," it adds.

Today's Random Quiz:

You are Multicolored Lights

Your holidays are a time for cheer and excitement. You love the holidays so much and everyone perks up a little from your happiness. You try to be grateful for what you have this time of the year. Even if things have been tough, you can't help but be joyful.

What Color Christmas Lights Are You?

Jokes on the Job

One could say that Emma Clarke is the "voice of London". One of the leading voices in advertisement and department stores, she is probably better known to be the calm, cool, collected voice you hear reminding you to "mind the gap" in the London undergrounds. I heard this years ago but I haven't been able to upload the files or figure out a good way to post these... or maybe I was just too lazy =). Whatever the case, after nearly 5 years, I'm finally going to share some hilarious "jokes" Emma posted. Rumors are that she did it on the job but that might not be true. Still, they're pretty hilarious. Have a listen:

Must say, I love the British accent AND their humor =)!

Today's Random Picture:
Remember when Sarah Palin said she had foreign policy/international experience because she lived near Russia? I just found this New Yorker magazine cover parodying the "proximity of Alaska to Russia". Hahahah.

Once Upon a Time...

Growing up in America where there is no history of kings, queens, princes, or princesses, there were consequently no castles to visit, no palaces to be seen. I never dreamed of a prince charming coming to whisk me off my feet on a white horse like you see in Disney movies, but I do admit, I had a grain of interest in the castles and the idea of a royal family existing. Thus, when I went to Europe I ogled at the residents of past (and sometimes present) monarchs. Yes, it was the poor peasant's tax money that built those structures, but still, it's a part of history and we can't change the past so let's just enjoy the architecture! What I actually find kind of interesting is how royal families still exist in some countries (i.e. Sweden, UK, Japan, etc.). I was talking to Paul today about the British royal family and how Harry might not actually be Charles' son since as they're getting older, William is starting to look more like Charles while Harry is starting to look more like... someone else who might be his real father?

Actually, I was never a fan of the British monarchy to be honest. Especially all the American girls obsessing over Prince William. I mean, I always thought Harry was cuter (and closer to my age!). Besides, I like redheads. I'm sure now more girls would swoon over Harry than William, don't you think so? Harry is way hotter.
Oh yeah, and no matter what anyone says, I think the British will convert over the euro soon. Honestly, right now they have a picture of Queen Elizabeth on the pound sterling... but can you imagine what will happen when she dies??? Pictures of Prince Charles on the pound? Ew.

Today's Random Picture:
A simplified map of London