Just For Fun

Today is Shrove Tuesday, which for most people means one thing, pancakes. To celebrate the occasion I have set you a small challenge. From the word PANCAKE see how many other words, of not less than three letters, you can make. When you have made your list of words e-mail them to me at garlant@btinternet.com and we will see how many words we can get between us. Only words that appear in the Oxford Dictionary will be valid. Please join in - just for fun!

Speculate To Accumulate - With Caution

I would never wish misfortune on anyone. However, after reading a Daily
Mail article that claims golden couple Grant Bovey and Anthea Turner are having to sell their £5 million mansion, I find it hard to feel sorry for them. It appears they lost £100 million in the credit crunch. The couple owned two companies Imagine Homes, a buy-to-let venture and Imagine Furnishings, a furnishings business. Last year Bovey boasted that Imagine Homes was to be floated on the Stock market and would make the couple £1 billion. The company is now in the hands of Bovey's former business partners HBOS who have taken over amidst chaos in the property market. The furnishings side of their investments filed for administration late last year, but that company lost £700,000 in 2006, long before the credit crunch was even thought of. The couples problems came to light last December when Turner revealed the £100 million collapse of her husbands buy-to-let empire. She is reported as saying 'we are in it like lots of other people in this country who have been bitten by economic circumstances'. The vast majority of other people 'bitten by economic circumstances' are hard working families, with an average mortgage, who have either lost their homes or are struggling with mortgage arrears. People who cannot earn in a lifetime the kind of sums Bovey and Turner are banding about. Is it possible that money that could have been used to secure their home has been speculated in the pursuit of vast riches?

Theatre Royal Lincoln

Regular readers of the Journal may remember that back on 3 February we championed the cause of the Theatre Royal Lincoln, by reporting that this wonderful little theatre came close to closing this year. We published an open letter circulated by Chris Moreno, Managing Director, highlighting the plight of the theatre following the withdrawal of financial support by Lincoln City Council. Obviously, the theatre's future existence depends on it getting strong support from the local theatre-going community. This coming Friday and Saturday 27/28 February the Royal puts on a cracking production of a show that will appeal to all the family. 'Calamity Jane', starring Leah Bell and full Company, is one of the all time great musicals and appeals to an audience spanning generations. This high-energy, toe-tapping and thigh slapping musical includes legendary songs such as 'The Deadwood Stage', 'The Windy City', 'Secret Love', 'The Black Hills Of Dakota' and many more. So, if you fancy a Rootin', Tootin', Shootin' night out, take yourself off to the Theatre Royal, have a great night of live entertainment, and possibly help the Royal in it's fight for survival. YEEEEEEEE HAAAAAAAA!

Today's Smile

Seen outside a second hand shop in Glasgow, Scotland, "We exchange anything - bicycles, washing machines etc. Why not bring your wife along and get a wonderful bargain."

Sighted at a towing company in Sacramento, California, "We don't charge an arm and a leg. We want tows."

Sign next to a fence in Bradford, Yorkshire. Wet Paint. This is a warning, not an instruction.

Who Am I?

As usual, for today's 'Who Am I' you are asked to study the 10 clues listed below. From the information given can you work out the name of the celebrity we are looking for.


01 I play a well known television character.
02 My real name is David Sutton.
03 I was born in 1972.
04 I made a record in 1982 called 'Good Thing Going'.
05 I was a prison officer in 'Bad Girls'.
06 I fought Ben Fogle in a celebrity boxing match.
07 I had a small role in the film 'Revolution'.
08 I used to own a restaurant in France.
09 I presented 'Buy Or Not To Buy' with Melinda Messenger
10 I appeared in 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs' in 2007/2008.


Answer will appear in tomorrows Journal.

Brainteaser - Monday's Answers

Yesterday's brainteaser was a set of 10 'Trivia' questions based on general knowledge. Did you answer all the questions correctly? Below are the answers:

01 The Japanese Flag.
02 Scouts and Guides.
03 Christopher Cockerell.
04 Both are made from carbon.
05 St. David.
06 The Violin.
07 The Osmonds.
08 Danish.
09 The deer.
10 Almonds.

9/10 Excellent 7/8 Very Good 5/6 Good - Below 5 (See me after school).