I woke up this morning to find a covering of snow in the garden. It’s not very thick at the moment but it certainly looks pretty.

This is an interesting idea from a website called useyourlocal.com It allows users to have their parcels delivered to their local pub so that they don’t have to wait in for deliveries. It costs a pub $50 a year to subscribe to the service, they then give customers a unique code which they enter when placing an order on a site such as Amazon. The landlord of the pub received an email when a delivery is on its way and the customer simply picks it up from the pub.

It looks like a good idea and something that could help the local pub become an important part of the community particularly at a time when many pubs are struggling. Looking at the website though there are currently no pubs offering this in my area. It does also appear to need quite a bit of updating as in my local area there are least 5 pubs listed on the site that I know have been closed for several years.

This is Momo a Chihuahua that this article claims is the world’s smallest police dog. The dog which weighs just 6.6lb is one of 32 successful candidates that have recently passed the test to become a police dog in the search and rescue division. The test involved finding a person in five minutes by sniffing their cap. It is thought that Momo will be particularly useful to the Japanese police force because of her small size which should allow her access to areas her bigger friends cannot reach.

I use Royal Mail’s Smartstamp software for printing most of my postage and whilst most of the postage is printed directly onto the envelope with my laser printer I rely on my trusty Dymo LabelWriter 400 to print postage for larger envelopes. The Dymo does a fairly good job printing onto 99012 (36 x 89mm) labels which look nice when stuck onto a C5 or A4 envelope. One thing that has always frustrated me, however, is that the Dymo has insisted on printing out both a postage label and address label thus using two labels when at times I only require one. Up to now I had assumed that the Dymo printed the double label by default but it seems there is a very easy way to get the machine to print a single postage label without the address. You simply need to select your postage options as normal (shown in the first screenshot) but make sure the “address” placement holder is deleted so that the address window contains no text. The Dymo will then happily print just the one label with your postage on it without the need to waste a second label. I still can’t believe this simple problem has been bugging me for so long.

This is Hatice Kocaman who at just 28in tall has recently been confirmed as the world’s shortest woman. She is now 21 years old but appears to have stopped growing when she was about four years old. Hatice who is pictured here with her mother was initially bullied for her small size but now says she feels much taller because she has become famous. There is currently only one adult in the world who is shorter than her and that’s the world’s shortest man Khagendra Thapa Magar who is just 25.8 inches tall.

The International Tiger Conservation Forum will meet in St Petersburg to discuss proposals on protecting habitats and growing tiger numbers. The meeting comes at a time when it is estimated that only 3,000 tigers remain in the wild. Tigers have suffered a 40% decline in the past decade mainly due to loss of habitat and poaching. The rate of decline suggests that without major changes some populations will disappear within the next 20 years. It is hoped that the summit will help to crack down on poaching and smuggling and set up cross boundary protected areas where it is necessary to protect the species. However, two elements missing in the talks are measures to reduce the demand for tiger skin, bones and body parts for traditional medicine and the use of tiger farms particularly in China. Currently things don’t look good for tigers but lets hope some agreements can be made that might improve their prospects.

According to this article pyjamas are becoming more popular with more Britons purchasing them. It appears, however, that they are not just worn in the bedroom. If the article is to be believed people are increasingly wearing them around the house instead of in the bedroom. Researchers say that the  rise in people working from home and the fact that we are spending more evenings at home have fuelled the rise in popularity. It seems people are increasingly using pyjamas as loungewear to wear after coming home from work and before going to bed with many even choosing to wear them whilst working from home. I do like wearing my pyjamas in bed but don’t think I will comfortable wearing them whilst working from home. Despite the fact that most of my work is done online or over the phone somehow I just can’t feel professional whilst wearing my PJ’s.

According to this article 37% of native butterfly species are under threat of extinction or have already dies out. It is feared that many species could vanish within years due to the rise of intensive farming and the loss of habitats. According to conservationist butterflies determine the health of the environment so the decline not only affects other wildlife but also paints a bleak picture for other species.

The Butterfly Conservation charity has published a list of 23 butterfly species that are endangered of already extinct. A further 11 of our 72 species of native butterflies are also rated as near threatened with only half of species being considered safe. The extinct species include the black veined white, large copper, mazarine blue and large tortoiseshell. The large blue and high brown fritillary are listed as critically endangered. Species listed as endangered include the chequered skipper, wood white, white letter hairstreak, black hairstreak, duke of burgundy, pearl border fritillary, glanville fritillary and heath fritillary. Those listed as vulnerable include the dingy skipper, grizzled skipper, brown hairstreak, silver studded blue, northern brown argus, white admiral, marsh fritillary, grayling and large heath.

Whilst there have been some success stories with the large blue being drought back from the brink of extinction it appears there is still much to do. Butterflies are particularly vulnerable to the loss of grasslands which are rich in wildflowers and the poorer quality of woodlands. Pesticides and intensive farming are also largely to blame for their decline. Personally I leave wild areas of the garden where I encourage the wild flowers and the insects they bring with them. It might not be much but I tend to have all sorts of butterflies visiting in the summer.

These piggy banks are causing quite a bit of controversy because they are made from real piglets. The piglets have died naturally and not produced for the sole purpose of making the piggy banks. They are prepared by a taxidermist and include a coin slot in the back and a cork at the bottom. East piggy bank costs £2,518 and takes anything up to 12 months to make. They take so long to produce because they have to wait for a piglet to die from natural causes. They do look a little odd, I’m not sure I would want one sitting on my coffee table.

This rare pink diamond has recently been sold for a world record price of £29 million. The diamond was recently sold at auction and has broken the record for the most ever paid for a jewel. It was purchased by the British billionaire jeweller Laurence Graff who seems very pleased with his purchase. The diamond weighs 24.78 carets and is unusual because of its perfect pink colour. It certainly is pretty.

According to this article there has been a media backlash after the supermarket Lidl started selling reindeer steaks. Animals rights campaigners have issues with the way the reindeer have been raised but other people are accusing the supermarket of destroying the magic of Christmas. The meat comes from Siberian reindeer and costs £5.99 for 350g steaks. Campaigners say that the reindeer are slaughtered in a cruel way and that they are herded by snowbikes and helicopters. It seems reindeer are getting a lot of attention here because of their traditional association with Santa Claus and Christmas. I don’t see anyone sticking up for the poor old Christmas turkey.

This is an interesting idea, called The War Graves Photographic Project or TWGPP for short it is a project to photograph the last resting place of soldiers killed in the first world war. It then makes images of the grave available for relatives to view online. Volunteers have visited 23,000 cemeteries and churchyards in 150 countries from Libya to the UK and photographed the graves there. These are provided in a searchable database so that relatives who might be unable to visit the actual location can view a photograph of the headstone. They receive no funding and charge £3 for an emailed image of a grave and £5 for a hard copy.

At the risk of sounding old I remember when mobile phones were expensive. I am aware of deals for phones that cost in the region of £20 but this one surprised me. It’s a phone available from the Carphone Warehouse that costs only 99p. The pay as you go phone is the cheapest currently available within the UK and customers who buy it will be tied to no contract. The phone is aimed at first time users and contains none of the bells and whistles you would expect to find on more expensive models. It would, however, be fairly useful as a backup phone.

If you buy organic vegetables simply because you think they are healthier then you might be wasting your money. That’s according to a study which has recently been carried out by Danish researchers. They grew vegetables under both organic and traditional conditioners and measured the health giving properties of each. Their findings were that that there was little difference in the amount of polyphenols between the two types of vegetables. Whilst this is interesting I do wonder how many people buy organic for health benefits. Personally I prefer to buy organic when possible because I know they have not been treated with all sorts of pesticides and often they taste better. In an ideal world I would grow my own, but I have yet to manage to grow everything I need in the garden. Perhaps I need to try harder next year.

If you are prepared a little bit more for your milk in the knowledge it is produced by happy cows then your might be interested in Ahimsa Milk. It is produced by animals that are reared on a farm run by Hare Krishna. The animals are milked by hand to the sound of sacred mantras and because of Hindu rules no harm can come to them. Even when their milk dries up the animals will live out their days tilling the land and transporting food around the farm. The milk is a little more expensive than the average pint, you should expect to pay in the region of £1.70 instead of 45p roughly what a normal pint would cost.

According to this article numbers of young sea eagles in Scotland are soaring. Sea eagles were re-introduced to Scotland 35 years ago and it appears the programme has met with some success. During 2010 pairs of white tailed sea eagles produced more young than in any year since they were reintroduced. Around 46 young birds were fledged this year about 10 more than the previous year. It is thought there are now 52 breeding pairs of sea eagles in Scotland. The birds were hunted to extinction over the 19th and 20th Centuries but these recent figures are certainly encouraging news for the species.

Scrambled eggs is not something I really have to think about making, so I was surprised to come across this article. It looks at various chefs and their methods for cooking the perfect scrambled eggs. Some add crème fraîche, others have special methods of cooking the eggs and one method even poaches the eggs after mixing them. I think its all down to personal taste myself but I do love scrambled eggs on toast.

According to this article sensors are to be installed in Norfolk in an effort to cut the number of owls being killed by traffic. The Hawk and Owl trust will identify black spots where barn owls have been killed in the past. They will install a type of sensor at these spots that has already been trialled on moose in Sweden and the great grey owl. The sensors work by reacting to car headlights and emitting a noise that deflects wildlife away from the road. It is hoped that the noise will alert owls and other birds of prey as they hunt along the roadside verges and reduce the mortality rate of birds killed on the road.

Scientists are planning an operation to save seabirds on the Pitcairn Islands. Henderson petrels are one of four rare birds that are found only on the island. They are under threat because their chicks are being eaten alive by rats with which the island has become infested. Nearly 50 million pellets of rat poison will be dropped on the islands in an effort to save the birds. Other species that are threatened include the Henderson reed-warbler, the Henderson crake, the Henderson fruit-dove and the Henderson lorikeet. The operation will cost around £1.7 million and the whole island will need to be covered with around 98 tonnes of cereal pellets. For it to be successful is would be essential that no single pregnant rat remains alive.

According to this article Dyson have recently released an attachment that can be used to vacuum your pet. The £40 tool is designed to remove loose hair from your pet quickly before it gets stuck on carpets and furnishings. Unfortunately I don’t think I could use it on my cats, they are terrified of the vacuum cleaner and bolt for the door as soon as I take it out of the cupboard.

Scientists have found that Drongos in the Kalahari have developed a way of stealing food from meerkats. The birds follow the animals around until the meerkats have found some food and then fake alarm calls. This causes the meerkats to run for their burrows abandoning the food and leaving it for the birds. The birds do not use their own alarm calls but those of other species changing them frequently. This persuades the meerkat that there is a dangerous predator in the area.

According to this article a new speed camera has been developed that can catch drivers for a number of other offences. Not only can they tell whether a driver is going too fast. They will also be able to tell whether a driver is wearing a seatbelt, measure the distance between cars to tell whether someone is tailgating, look for out of date tax discs, note numbers plates and check whether a driver has insurance. The new cameras have been funded by the European commission and developed by a consortium of European universities and research institutes. They are currently being tested in Finland and so far have been given a cautious welcome by UK motoring organisations. As most traffic offences and accidents are caused by drivers with no tax or insurance I wonder whether this might go some way to taking some of these cars of the road. After all these things are legal requirements if you don’t have them, you shouldn’t be driving in the first place.

I have always been fascinated by these brightly coloured birds so was pleased to read this article. It suggests that kingfisher numbers are on the rise. In fact the number of kingfishers seen by members of the public has risen 217% between March and September. It seems the rise is because of the increase in water quality which means kingfishers are more able to hunt for their food. It is now estimated that there are between 4,800 and 8,000 breeding pairs across the UK so it might be worth looking out for one next time you are near a stream.

According to this article Marks and Spencer are currently in talks with the government about signing up for their Green Deal policy. Under the policy home owners are offered an energy efficiency survey to find out where they can make improvements. Measures such as double glazing and solar panels are then paid for by the company offering the Green Deal. The customer will then pay back the cost through their regular fuel bill. It is thought other retailers such as Tesco, B&Q and British Gas are also interested in signing up for the scheme which could create as many as 100,000 new jobs and also slash Britain’s greenhouse gas emissions.

According to this article a Barack Obama sex doll is on sale in China. The doll features a blue suit and red tie and has his face screen printed onto the head. It was recently exhibited at the 8th Sex Culture Festival in the city of Guangzhou. It is not yet clear how popular the doll have proven to be.

According to this article this jumpsuit is currently the latest “must have”. Called the OnePiece some call it the adult babygro. It is a full bodied fleece that zips up from the crotch area to the forehead and comes in a variety of colours. Prices start at £80 for a plain design. It certainly looks nice and warm, I can see how it might be good for really cold winter nights.  

According to this article a New Zealand wine will become the first to display the carbon emissions per glass. Mobius Marlborough sauvignon blanc will show the full environmental impact of each individual glass serving on its label. The information will of course be different depending on where it is sold. Bottles sold in New Zealand are expected to carry a figure of 140g of CO2 whereas bottles shipped to Australia will display something in the region of 190g. Wines shipped to the UK will have a much higher figure. It will certainly be interesting to see the information but I wonder how much it will affect which wines people choose. I would happily buy English wine but it is impossible to find in the supermarket.

That’s according to this article which suggests taking regular exercise can help to ward off the common cold by boosting the immune system. Whilst it is hard often hard to find the motivation to exercise in the winter it seems it may be the best thing to help ward off winter bugs. The research which was published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that the severity of common cold symptoms fell by 41% in those people that were the fittest. People who were physically active on five or more days a week suffered symptoms for only half the time compared to those who did little exercise. It looks like its time to get the exercise bike out then.

This is the world’s largest wine glass which has recently been unveiled in Lebanon. It measures 94.48 inches high and 65 inches in diameter and beats the previous world record which was set in 1998. It holds an amazing 100 bottles of wine.

According to this article an XXXXL suit is now being sold on the high street. The suit fits chest size and a 60 inch waist and is the largest off the peg suit currently available in the UK. It is so large that it is big enough to fit two adults comfortably.

According to this article Royal Mail is launching a trial of evening deliveries in some areas. Customers who live within the M25 motorway will be able to order goods from House of Fraser and L’Occitane and choose an evening delivery time. Items will be delivered between 6pm and 10pm rather than during the normal working day. The move comes after a recent study by Royal Mail found more people would shop online if they could choose a more flexible delivery option. Royal Mail is also in talks with other retailers about the possibility of joining the trial scheme. It certainly is interesting and something I would take advantage of if it were available in my area.

According to this article many people are embracing a trend which has been dubbed soap dodging. In other words they are cutting down on daily showering and hair washing. A recent survey has found that 41% of British men and 33% of women do not have a daily shower and that 12% of people only have a proper wash once a week. Many opt to simply to spray with deodorant to mask the smell. For some people its all about reducing their carbon footprint and others simply do not feel the need for a daily shower.

I suppose it depends on your personal lifestyle. I only need to wash my hair once a week but if I didn’t shower after a run or a session on the exercise bike I would be a bit ripe. Likewise when commuting in London being crammed into a packed train does not make you smell nice, once again the only real option is to shower. I must admit though to not showering every day at weekends when I am usually just pottering around the house, on these days a wash seems to suffice.

According to this article this years wine harvest could be one of the best vintages in a decade. This is mainly because weather conditions over the last nine months have been almost perfect for vineyards with a hard winter, mild spring and hot June. The 2010 wines which will start to appear next spring could prove to be one of the best vintages yet. Grape yields have also been much greater than usual with one vineyard reporting a harvest of 250 tons this month, the biggest yield in three years. I wonder then whether we might see the supermarkets finally starting to stock some English wine.

According to this article October to early spring is a good time to get photographs of flocks of starlings. It seems the birds flock together before roosting at this time of year with sometimes up to 1 million birds being seen together. It certainly looks like an impressive sight I wonder where I might be able to see some in my local area.

As someone who lived in Staines for a few years I was interested to see that some people are considering changing the name of the town. It seems that there are those who want to lose the association with the Ali G character and the Staines massive and instead call the town Staines on Thames. Some feel the town will do better under the new name. Councillors will be meeting to discuss the proposed change and what it might mean for the town.

According to this article South Africa are planning what could be the worlds biggest solar power plant. The project would see giant mirrors and solar panels being spread across the Northern Cape province. Costing about 200bn rand (approx £18.42bn) it would provide an estimated annual output of five gigawatts of electricity, about one tenth of South Africa’s energy needs. If the project goes ahead it would aim to start contributing to the national grid by the end of 2012.

According to this article Bodymax pants are proving to be very popular at Marks and Spencer. The pants which promise to suck in beer bellies, tighten buttocks and offer frontal enhancement are currently selling at the rate of 350 per day. Aimed at men they are meant to enhance the male shape. They include a built in shelf in the crotch area which is supposed to enhance the size of the wearers package by up to 38%. They also solve the problem of sagging bums and beer guts.

I spent much of the weekend making herb jellies in an effort to use up some of the herbs before the frost kills them. I used this recipe as a start and added different combinations of liquid and herbs. It’s fairly easy to make jelly, its just a case of making a herb infusion by pouring two cups of boiling fruit juice, wine or water over the herbs. They you add this to four cups of sugar and a quarter of a cup of cider vinegar or lemon juice before boiling until the setting point is reached. Finally add three ounces of liquid pectin and pot into jars. I made orange and thyme jelly, red wine and rosemary and white wine and mint.

An artist has created a life sized Monopoly house as his latest project. An Te Liu built the Monopoly house around a condemned home. Measuring 36ft by 44ft the work of art took two months to build and cost £9,000.