| BBC agrees to show the Queen's funny side
It was at a charity reception at St James's Palace about 15 years ago. I stood next to Rolf Harris, on purpose, as we had uncharacteristically beaten the Aussies at cricket and I knew she would not miss the chance to tease him. She didn't. She then glided past the woman next to me who was curtseying so violently I thought she must have a pogo stick under her skirt. And, to my astonishment, she paused in front of me, said hallo, and asked: "What do you do?" I blushed. I stammered, and I muttered something like: "You can't speak to me." Unruffled, she said: "But I can." I became even more tongue-tied. "I'm sure you can't," I ventured, completely forgetting to bow and call her Ma'am. Or was it Marm? "But I'm the Queen," she trilled with a broad smile. "So who are you?" "I'm a journalist," I spluttered, "and was told by the organisers that the Queen never speaks to the press." "Who do you work for," she asked.
Spain’s new Citizenship Course has some seeing red
The Spanish government says its new Education Law will promote plurality in a modern, democratic state. The law's critics claim it is a tool for the Socialist government to indoctrinate students. ardinal Antonio María Rouco Varela of Madrid has said the course "clashes with the fundamental principles of the Constitution and with the right of parents to choose their children's moral instruction." At the heart of the controversy is an obligatory Citizenship class (Educacíon para la Ciudadanía) taught over four years, beginning with 11-year old students. The course is being introduced this September in seven provinces, with a full rollout in the nation's 17 provinces next year. The Church says the course teaches a vision of man that is not Christian. Among other things, the Citizenship class recommends girls lose their virginity before marriage, say critics.
Top tool executive aims at ex-bosses
Joseph Galli Jr. calls it poetic justice that nearly nine years after being fired as head of Black & Decker's power tools division, he is due to become CEO of Techtronic Industries, maker of Ryobi and Ridgid brand power tools (Sun photo by Lloyd Fox / December 26, 2007) .
Lone Warrior
Further Gupta said that the state government in the past 20 years had failed to make any rehabilitation plan for the residents of over 12 villages who were displaced due to the construction of Renuka Dam project. Bhakra and Pong Dam projects too are still waiting for rehabilitation even after three decades. In such a scenario, what can the residents of Nahan and Pacchad expect from the government? he questioned. The residents views were not sought before the issuance of notification for the firing range. For the past one year residents led by presidents of the gram panchyat Mukhtyar Singh (Palion), Hem Raj(Burma Papri), Maya Devi (Kolanwala Bhood), communist leader Viney Gupta, Jasmat Singh and many other office bearers of Panchyati Raj institutions had launched a mass agitation against the proposed firing range.
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