-- GBS --

In early '75, my brother and I went to the cinema on our own for the first time. I was nine and he was eight. Mum dropped us off outside with instructions to see a film about Hans Christen Andersen. I think it may have been called The Shadow.

As soon as Mum left, we went and bought tickets for Escape to Witch Mountain. We had checked in the local paper and knew it ran for less time. When she came back, she asked how the film was and we said, ok, I guess. But secretly we'd had a great time.

I still don't think she knows.

Crufts is not being televised this year because breed definitions which lead to congenital deformities in dogs are opposed by the RSPCA. None of the major channels will carry the competition although you can still watch it on line.

However, anyone with cute doggy snaps is invited to post their entry to Grufts, the Guardian's alternative to Crufts.

The categories are:
(1) Most Stylish
(2) Most Talented
(3) Most Loveable
(4) Most Heroic
(5) Best Lookalike (your hound can bear an uncanny resemblance to yourself, a famous dog or, indeed, a celebrity)
(6) Best-travelled (your picture, Photoshopped or otherwise, should show your dog in an exotic location)

Just send in a picture to their Flickr group.

Regarding our great leader's encounter with a pot of green custard this morning, John Prescott said that "it was 'totally unacceptable' that Ms Deen had been able to walk away after the incident without being arrested, arguing that she could have been carrying acid rather than custard." (BBC website)

So she should have been arrested for possibly carrying acid rather than actualling damaging Mandy's coat? How does that work?