Feb News - Fri Feb 27

I want to kick off this month’s news compendium with something that may not even register with many of you, but for me is one of the most exciting and welcome stories I’ve seen in a long time. I’ve been waiting for this for years! (no pun intended) Finally, we catch up to the 21st Century!!! Hallelujah, let joy be unconstrained etc. This is a story that will actually make a change for the better in my life!

At the opposite end of the spectrum for MMT’s Everyday Convenience, the off-on-off-on-again saga of MK’s Zavvi store was ultimately resolved… it finally closed down. Just as I was hailing it in a Local Artist Factfile for the MK Citizen as my favourite shop in Milton Keynes. Man, I’m a Jonah. Boo.

It’s a chilling world sometimes. And yet, it’s also a world where people keep ostriches in houses in Milton Keynes. You’d think the Council would have some byelaw against that, given that they don’t even like people feeding the birds – oooooooor that’s how the Daily Mail are pitching that story, anyway… ;-)

But, in a story that will surely make the Mail (among others) happy, we’re going to get our own Cenotaph. So it’s not all bad. Though amusingly when I first read that story, I misread the word "stakeholders" as "skateholders" - an ironic mistake given the possible future usage by teen sk8rs for war memorials everywhere! ;-)

I wonder what will happen to me when I finally get held up at knife point. Somehow I’m not sure the 86p in my pocket at any given time will appease Johnny Underpass. Ah well, it’s been a good life. Or maybe I can just confuse him by being an oddball. I do turn these scenarios over in my mind, y’know.

I think I mentioned the mooted Marston Vale eco-town last year sometime. Well, it’s not happening now. Maybe for the best, though an eco-town does sound good.

Hey – this sounds like a fun night, dunnit? The Arts goons behind this scheme must be the greatest thing ever to happen to this legendary city! ;-) Hold on… hold on… MONEYVision Song Contest!! Gahhhh!!! That’s not just a misprint, that’s almost a personal slander to us bunch of amiable hippies! Ah well. The price of notoriety.

And finally. Finally! FINALLY! Atlantis discovered by Google (is there anything they can't do?) – “it looks like Milton Keynes” apparently. I knew it! :-D *

* Man, the day that story broke (20 Feb) I got SO sick of the Google Alerts rolling in. SO many people Blogged about it. They’re either really keen on MK, or really keen on Atlantis. I think I know where my money’s going! Still, nice to know we’re now confusing people all across the world (http://thegoat.backcountry.com/blog/2009/02/23/atlantis-finally-found/) – “I have no idea what the Milton Keynes is” etc. Makes a change from Blog Alerts from people with the usual tired griping (http://silentwordsspeakloudest.blogspot.com/2009/02/mk-not-ok-note-to-self-if-you.html).