New Articles on The Daily Dust today

10 Things Uncovered by Freedom of Information Act

Posted: 18 Nov 2008 04:10 AM CST

The Loch Ness Monster and Dolphins

Since the Freedom of Information Act was passed in 2000, many interesting things have surfaced that would have normally been kept undercover..The DailyDust have uncovered our favourite top ten:-

10. Documents from the mid 1980s showed how Mark Thatcher was paid commission for a Middle East building contract for which his mother, Maggie, had lobbied for.

9. Tony Blair spent just under £2,000 of taxpayers’ money on cosmetics and make-up over six years - not sure if more or less than Cherie.

8. Britain helped Israel to obtain its nuclear bomb 40 years ago, by selling it 20 tonnes of “heavy water”.

7. Police in England and Wales spend £21m a year on interpreters.

6. Robert Maxwell was being investigated for war crimes and was to be interviewed by police just before he drowned.

5. Plans to turn Britain into a "world leader" in internet gambling were drawn up by ministers - Vegas in Clacton was on the cards.

4. Two hundred serving police officers have criminal records for offences that include assault, breach of the peace, theft and vandalism.

3. Humphrey, the famous Downing Street cat who disappeared in 1997, had not been put down but had been sent to "a stable home environment where he can be looked after properly" - with a lethal injection.

2. The Elgin Marbles were damaged by two schoolboys fighting in the British Museum in 1961. One of the boys fell and knocked off part of a centaur’s leg.

1. The Thatcher Government planned to search for the Loch Ness monster in Scotland using a team of dolphins - because dolphins are well known for their monster hunting skills.

Know any better ones? Leave us a comment below

Easy Moist Brownie Recipe

Posted: 18 Nov 2008 02:39 AM CST

Brownies are one of the quickest and easiest desserts you could bake, but can be tricky to perfect. Here is The Daily Dust’s guide to making the perfect batch of decadent moist brownies.

Cooking time - 1 Hour

Ingredients

150g Unsalted butter
150g Good bitter dark chocolate (70% cocoa at least)
125g Self raising flour
2 Large eggs
50g pecan nuts (optional)
22cm round cake tin

1.) Preheat your oven to 180°C. Grease and line a 22cm round cake tin with baking parchment.

2.) Gently melt your butter and chopped chocolate into a pan until both fully disolved.

3.) Whisk in eggs, sugar, and nuts. Mix well.

4.) Fold in the flour.

5.) Pour your mixture into cake tin and bake on the medium shelf for 30 - 35 minutes. To test it, pierce the cake with a knife. The center should be slightly sticky.

Enjoy your brownies with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped double cream.

Anyone around for a kick-about tomorrow night?

Posted: 18 Nov 2008 02:20 AM CST

Frank Lampard, out of tomorrow’s friendly

Fabio Capello is left with just four of his first-choice players for the Berlin friendly against Germany tomorrow — John Terry, David James, Gareth Barry and Theo Walcott.

Lampard, with cracked ribs, and torn-muscle Gerrard were sent home yesterday with Rio Ferdinand, Wayne Rooney, Ashley Cole and Emile Heskey are also missing from the team.

So boss Capello has called up West Ham's Scott Parker and Fulham's Jimmy Bullard along with Aston Villa winger Ashley Young and Michael Carrick. Since returning from his Ramos induced exile, Darren Bent will also get to pull on the England Shirt.

One man missing yesterday, David Beckham, was training in LA, said to be too far away for a last minute call-up. Becks is still waiting to equal Bobby Moore's record of 108 caps for an outfield player.

Beckham’s absence means none of the side which beat Germany 5-1 in 2001 will take part in tomorrow night’s game..

Scrabble reclaims number one spot

Posted: 18 Nov 2008 02:08 AM CST

Scrabble has become the best selling board game again as the trend for brain games take hold of Britain.

Sales of scrabble have increased by 30% in the first nine months of this year, compared to this time last year. Scrabble hasn’t seen the number one position since the emmergence of Trivial Pursuit in the mid 1980s.

One of the big turning points for Scrabble has been the online and computer versions of the game. Scrabulous, a version which Facebook members can play, proved to be one of the phenomenons of 2009.

To celebrate Scrabble’s 60th anniversary this year, some players have taken the game to extreme lengths.

Experts believe that old fashioned board games will do well this christmas as the economic slowdown takes hold.

Stuart Grant, buying director of the toy chain The Entertainer, said: “When money is tight, people turn to brands they know and trust. We sell over 200 board games but people pick things they remember from their childhood when they unsure where to spend their money.”

Virgin Cabin Crew sacked over ‘Chav’ Remarks

I’m a celeb, let me gag on here

Posted: 18 Nov 2008 02:02 AM CST

Nicola gagging on a testicle

Nicola has started the new series of “I’m a Celeb” with a gruesome bushtucker trial against Joe Swash.

The ex-page 3 girl Nicola, 26, had to eat a Kangaroo testicle, crocodile eyes and feet, scorpions, crickets, silkworms and cockroaches in the I Scream Van. She ate all five dishes to win a meal for her camp.

Joe was almost sicked and gagged while trying to gobble up his testicle..

Coming tomorrow, another “I’m a celeb..” cheesy headline.

Sachs to get role in Corrie

Posted: 18 Nov 2008 01:50 AM CST

John Sachs and John Cleese at Prince Charles’ 60th birthday bash last week

Andrew Sachs may well have had his profile boosted by the Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand phone scandal, it seems he now is having a part written for him in Coronation Street.

They are hoping to write the part of Norris’ brother into the script. With Russell Brand being broadly tipped to get the role as Jack Sparrow’s brother in the next Pirates of the Carribean movie and Sachs’ Grand Daughter Georgina Baillie gaining more work, it seems only Ross and the stars looking to pimp their new projects on BBC have lost out.

Minus 10 this weekend in some parts of the UK

Posted: 18 Nov 2008 01:33 AM CST

Snow in London

Wrap-up warm in the UK this weekend, the conditions are set to plummet to Arctic levels.

The Met Office has issued a warning and advised the wind chill could force temperatures as low as minus 10c (14f) in parts of Scotland and North Yorkshire. With it, heavy snow.

And it could well be more than just a cold snap - as the sub-zero conditions are expected to last into next week. Brrrr

White Christmas in the UK - worth a bet?

Three bets for a testing Tuesday

Posted: 17 Nov 2008 12:00 PM CST

Those of you that opted for the yankee advised here on Saturday will have showed a small profit Two of the four selections hit the net in what was another winning weekend for Daily Dust punters that backed each selection.

In fact, following all the tips given here since the outset three weeks ago would be showing a tidy profit – long may it continue!

There are some interesting races over the sticks on Tuesday, including at Fakenham in Norfolk, which looks the best track to try and profit on a tricky looking day.

Messrs Nicky Henderson, Alan King and Paul Nicholls are three trainers to have followed over the past month over jumps, but with the absence of those three big guns in the second race here, Tim Vaughan can show his talents with Silvergino (1.30).

This gelding enjoyed the drop back to two miles and took advantage of a falling handicap mark when scoring at Southwell last time and his trainer looks to have scanned the programme book in finding the ideal opportunity to follow up, at a track where he has a record of two wins from three runners.

It is a training angle that once again points the way to the second bet at Fakenham where Long Distance (2.00) represents good each-way value.

This three-year-old has yet to face an obstacle in his life but showed he had ability when scoring on the Flat in August. His trainer James Fanshawe doesn't waste many runners at this venue with a record of four victories from five runners – all in hurdles – including this event in 2005.

The aforementioned big gun Nicky Henderson has done little wrong of late with everything bar the stable cat winning, and he can extend his recent run with Scots Dragoon (2.30).

This progressive steeplechaser got off the mark over larger obstacles at Huntingdon at three miles last month before a blunder at the final fence here at Fakenham last time cost him. However, he looked to idle a touch that day when in the lead which led to a lack in concentration, but a more patient ride today can pay dividends.

Read David’s blog at: http://www.racingtrendsrevealed.blogspot.com/