Ronnie Barker died today after a long illness. It feels very strange, the sense of loss for someone I never knew. I suppose it's the memories of laughter shared with family, sitting round the TV to watch Porridge. Top bloke.

http://books.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,12084,1581239,00.html

This poem, Nuns by Mark haddon appeared in Saturday's Guardian review and I'm just wild for it. It's yonks since I read a poem that made me think 'Whooo, that's the way it looks to me'.

" They are not mourned,
for come October,
when the ghost train shuts
down

and the coloured bulbs along
the pier
are packed away,
their places will be filled

http://books.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,12084,1581278,00.html

From Saturday's Guardian review, a publisher outlines her difficulties in trying to give new, undiscovered writers a chance to be published by her. It's a valuable insight into the thinking behind book publishing, as this is a woman who sincerely wants to help new writers get published. Read the full article, and [pay attention especially to the chunk I've extracted below:

Donald Rumsfeld is giving George Bush his daily briefing.

He concludes by saying: "Yesterday, 3 Brazilian soldiers were killed."

"OH NO!" the President exclaims. "That's terrible!"

His staff sits stunned at this display of emotion, nervously watching as the President sits, head in hands.

Finally, the President looks up and asks, "How many is a brazillion?"