Posts made by leatherbear

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Michael J. Cox

A collection of articles and blogs about gay rights in the EU

Equality and LGBTI Rights

06.10.2010 @ 19:46 CET

EUOBSERVER / FOCUS - As a media partner of the European Region of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA-Europe), EUobserver puts the spotlight on the area of freedom and respect for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex people in Europe.

hXXp://euobserver.com/890

Sample of Articles Available:

Tension over Europe's gay rights role

Homophobia alive and well on European sports scene

Catholic schools cannot refuse to hire gay teachers, says Brussels

Lithuanian parliament protects anti-gay MPs from prosecution

Strasbourg court slams Russia for banning pride parades

Finnish woman reveals sad state of EU rights for same-sex families

and many more articles available…........

Scrabble championship won by colourful Mikki Nicholson

Scrabble's sleepy reputation has been overturned as a transsexual in a pink wig and matching
PVC dress was crowned UK national champion.

Mikki Nicholson, 32, from Cumbria, took the crown with the word "obeisant", which scored 86
points.

She outplayed Mark Nyman, who has won more than 20 major Scrabble contests, including the
World Championship.

Other words used in the final were "inficete", meaning unfunny, and "oceanaut", an undersea
explorer.

"Obeisant", which means obedient or showing respect, proved crucial in the deciding fifth game.

Thrilling victory

Ms Nicholson, who learned to play the game on the internet five years ago, said: "It was a big
challenge but I wouldn't have entered if I didn't think I had a chance of winning.

"I'm thrilled to have won and I can't wait to celebrate."

It was scant consolation for Mr Nyman, who has featured in Dictionary Corner on Channel 4's
Countdown, that he got the highest scoring word in the final game - "updates" - which scored 105
points.

Explaining her route to victory, Ms Nicholson said: "A good Scrabble player is intuitive. They
also need to be good with numbers.

"People think Scrabble is just about words, but it's the numbers that win the game so a sound
mathematical brain is an advantage.

"The best word I played was 'inficete' as it changed the flow of the game and my best move was
when I played 'tenor', as it allowed me to open up the board for me to play a high-scoring K."

Ms Nicholson, who is currently unemployed, said she planned to spend the £1,500 prize money
on a trip to Malaysia in December to compete in another Scrabble tournament.

A Scrabble spokeswoman said: "Scrabble is a game for anyone to enjoy, loved by generations of
families, men and women and anyone."

Why did the vampire go to the orthodontist?
To improve his bite…

What do you get when you cross a vampire and a snowman?
Frostbite...

Why do witches use brooms to fly on?
Because vacuum cleaners are too heavy...

How do witches keep their hair in place while flying?
With scare spray...

What do you get when you cross a werewolf and a vampire?
A fur coat that fangs around your neck...

Do zombies eat popcorn with their fingers?
No, they eat the fingers separately...

Why don't skeletons ever go out on the town?
Because they don't have any body to go out with...

What do ghosts add to their morning cereal?
Booberries...

What is a vampire's favorite sport?
Casketball...

What is a vampire's favorite holiday?
Fangsgiving...

What would a monster's psychiatrist be called?
Shrinkenstein...

What did one ghost say to the other ghost?
"Do you believe in people?"

What do you call someone who puts poison in a person's corn flakes?
A cereal killer...

Why do mummies have trouble keeping friends?
They're so wrapped up in themselves...

What kind of streets do zombies like the best?
Dead ends...

What does the papa ghost say to his family when driving?
Fasten your sheet belts...

What is a vampire's favorite mode of transportation?
A blood vessel...

What is a ghost's favorite mode of transportation?
A scareplane...

What type of dog do vampire's like the best?
Bloodhounds...

What is a ghoul's favorite flavor?
Lemon-slime...

What does a vampire never order at a restaurant?
A stake sandwich...

What is a skeleton's favorite musical instrument?
A trombone...

What do birds give out on Halloween night?
Tweets...

Why do vampires need mouthwash?
They have bat breath...

What's a vampire's favorite fast food?
A guy with very high blood pressure...

Why did the Vampire subscribe to the Wall Street Journal?
He heard it had great circulation...

In Ukraine, "No" Means a Pumpkin

Cheer up, Linus: if you lived in Ukraine, you'd be glad the Great Pumpkin never showed up.

That's because, according to NPR, for centuries women in the former Soviet republic have used pumpkins to send a not-so-subtle message to would-be fiancés: essentially, "no."

A man would visit the home of a woman he wanted to marry. If the woman said yes, the family would break out the vodka. If her answer was no, "the poor guy was silently handed a pumpkin" and turned away.

Really, it's this image of youthful romance being dashed without a word, only the hand-off of an unwieldy gourd, that makes the whole thing sort of priceless. No apologies, no awkward explanations: just take your pumpkin and go home.

The fact that Ukrainians chose such a bulky vegetable seems at once perfect and cruel. On the one hand, there's something inexplicably perfect about making a heavy, warty, orange squash a symbol of rejection. On the other, it's not exactly discreet. In fact, as a Ukrainian tour guide explained to NPR, men would only propose at night so they wouldn't have to be seen walking through the village hauling around a pumpkin.

At least if you got the brush-off with a head of garlic, you could put it in your pocket.


I would say it is an even match  :whistle:

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