Blair: Saddam execution was "completely wrong."

THE SPIN CHAMBER, Westminster, Sunday (UNN) — The manner in which Saddam Hussein's execution was conducted was "completely wrong," Prime Minister Tony Blair's official spokesman has said.

The hanging, which mobile phone footage showed was preceded by Saddam Hussein being taunted, "shouldn't have happened in that way," the spokesman added. "They should have done it the way most Iraqi hangings are done, with the condemned being slowly hoisted by the neck from a crane while being not merely taunted, but having rotting vegetables and offal thrown at him. It is not entirely clear why they opted for a Western-style 'long drop.'

"Of course, we understand that with current food supply problems, sufficient quantities of offal would be difficult to obtain. But still. There's a right way to do these things."

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That's what forever means.

• What happens when the US dollar finally falls over, probably taking the rest of the First World with it, from someone who watched his own economy collapse.

• The Nobel Prize winner in dealing with hotlinkers.

It's been Xmess lockdown at work this week, so I've had mercifully little to do. We anticipate a veritable flood of crap on Monday. One of my coworkers is down with chickenpox. Thank fuck we've all had it. I'm sorta exhausted today.

The subsiding bathroom, as assembled by our gibbering incompetent landlord, has caused the bath to come away from the wall and now the light is popping multiple breakers. And the idiot thought he'd lay down a new carpet just straight over the old carpet ... meaning the filthy old carpet is now a haven for moths, and hence smells vaguely of pee. arkady will be calling him for a Little Word about this, getting him to come over, taking him through the lot and giving him the options of fixing it all or breaking our lease and returning our bond. I feel her special brand of diplomacy is a perfect fit for this task.

New Year party with the bisexual polyamorous perverts was fantastic. I confessed my undying quite-like of at least two people and realised I have a definite thing for tall goth boys in skirts and stripy tights. It's something like gay clone theory. Pics now up, usual rules.

redcountess, Arkady and I have just pulled crackers for Orthodox Christmas. Any excuse.

And last night I felt Freda kick for the first time.

This week I should meet up with spikeylady, webcowgirl (maybe next week) and eyeliner297 at various times (to be arranged). Wednesday Tuesday is a Wikipedia meet, hopefully in a pub that's open this time. Dinner with visiting siani_hedgehog and edwardscissors on Friday, since there's no B-Movie this month. emarkienna lives in the wrong city to meet up easily, which is most annoying. Arkady and Liz are making me use my Giggle calendar.

Wikipedians In The Pub: Montagu Pyke Wetherspoons, Charing Cross Road, Tue 9 Jan, 7pm or so.

Yep, another one. Jimbo is in town this time. Plan is to meet at the Montagu Pyke, 105–107 Charing Cross Rd, London WC2H 0BP — and here's hoping it's open this time. Nearest tubes TCR, Leicester Square, Covent Garden.

I should be getting there around seven. Signup sheet for you smelly Wikinerds.

Update: Jimbo got his days of the week confused. This is now happening TUESDAY 9th, same place.