Contractual obligation blog #3

I can't keep up with this - two weeks' wine on the run and another contractual obligation blog!

If anyone wants to see my blog about tax, go to http://www.sbncanews.com which is where all my technical tax stuff and comment on government tax policy etc. goes. I have made a vow not to blog about tax in my contractual obligation blogs, though. Thought you might be pleased to hear that.

This morning I shared some of my favourite newspaper headlines, inspired by the remarkably tasteless and parochial Metro headline of this morning "Bangkok bombs add to stranded tourists' woe" - said bombs killed at least 3 people and injured more than 70, but its those poor Brits who can't get home who deserve our sympathy, isn't it? This was along the lines of the deliberately distasteful "Small earthquake in Chile: not many killed" reputed to have found its way into The Times in the 1930s as part of a sub-editors' competition to find the most distasteful headline. I fear this one may be apocryphal though.

Other favourites include:

The mundane: "Man falls off bike in High Street; not hurt" - Ormskirk Advertiser front page lead from 1988.

The inspired: "Super Callie go ballistic; Celtic are atrocious" - following Celtic 1 Inverness Caledonian Thistle 3 in Scottish Cup tie.

The accidental genius: "Missing dig breeder: new lead" - Manchester Evening News billboard in the 1980s.

The delightfully weird: "Forest sunk by Japanese sub" - Nottingham Forest concede late equaliser to FC Cologne's Japanese substitute in 1979.

I am also indebted to Anne-Marie Bailey for the wonderfully parochial "Titanic Sinks. Aberdeen Man Lost At Sea" from the Aberdeen Press and Journal in April 1912, although this is again believed to be apocryphal, and to Rob Baker for "Alton attorney accidentally sues himself".

http://www.tallrite.com/LightRelief/NewsHeadlines.htm is a treasure trove of bizarre newspaper headlines which amused me, but then I am an accountant.

Turning vaguely to matters business, look out for the £24:7 Gathering" on 10th May, when hundreds of actors chasing a small number of parts in this year's 24:7 Theatre Festival descend on New Century Hall to meet, and hopefully impress, the writers of the chosen plays. To find out more about this gem of local theatre, go to http://www.247theatrefestival.co.uk

Can someone else win the wine next week please?

Mark Simpson

Simpson Burgess Nash

23 April 2010