Amanda Seyfried

On the one hand I am far too old to be interested in a pretty little thing like Amanda Seyfried. On the other hand I am the proud older sister of a fine journalist whose interview with said actress was published by the Sunday Telegraph here.

From our Los Angeles Correspondent

"Prisoner sues over 'satanism interference' - An inmate in a Montana prison has filed a $10 million federal lawsuit alleging that jailers interfered with his satanic religious practices.

By Noam Friedlander in Los Angeles

Jason Paul Indreland, who is serving a three-year sentence at the Yellowstone County state prison for drug possession, claims jailers confiscated a medallion that is a "protective symbol" in his religion. Indreland says he has been a practising Satanist for the past decade. The lawsuit claims jail staff refused to return the medallion or allow Indreland access to a "Satanic Bible or Book of Satanic Rituals". The suit alleges that Yellowstone County jail staff placed "Christian greeting cards under (his) cell door," that said "Jesus was ready to save and accept him". The lawsuit also alleges that Indreland was denied medical care for his drug addiction, that he was placed in violent situations and that he suffered harassment and retaliation while incarcerated.

Indreland initially filed the handwritten federal lawsuit last March while he was still held at the jail. The lawsuit names as defendants the Yellowstone County Board of Commissioners, Sheriff Chuck Maxwell, Undersheriff Jay Bell and Sheriff's Capt. Dennis McCave, who oversees county jail operations. The lawsuit seeks $3 million for alleged civil-rights violations, $2 million for "the deprivation of his rights and injuries both mental and physical," and $5 million in punitive damages. County officials said they have not seen the lawsuit and could not comment."

I love this! Thank you, Noam. Only in America.

A New (Sort of)Set of Simpsons' Opening Titles

Thanks to ITN & the Telegraph for allowing me to share with you the latest opening sequence for the TV show 'The Simpsons'. Special thanks to the writer of the article that accompanies the pictures, one Noam Friedlander. Details may be found here.

Back Fat Saved my Sister's Life

The story of my sister's recent experience as a new bod in Los Angeles is now an article in today's Guardian. A brief and good read if I say so myself!

"My back fat saved my life. For a woman who has spent most of her life dieting, this statement rankles. But my muffin top protected me when I was shot with a high-powered air rifle fired by an unknown sniper at 2.15pm in a residential neighbourhood in Los Angeles. Had I been the usual LA size-zero stereotype, I would probably have been killed. Or paralysed."

Read the rest of it here.

the scariest thing

noam's evil rat
Originally uploaded by ravaj.

this is a photo noam took with her phone of the first rat. without the tail, it was the length from the tip of her middle finger to halfway up to her elbow. AAAAAAAAARGH! and hallowe'en greetings. (i have been hiding in the back of the house, since i did not have the nerve to put up the sign on the front door telling them that a crazy woman from england who is diabetic and on the first week of the south beach diet would probably not be opening the door and handing them treats).

the death of a flying rat

if you check out noam's myspace blog this week you will see a record of her current rat infestation. the first rat that was killed was shot three times by the ratman before it fell. shot with poison pellets from a rat rifle it was.

i have been a vegetarian since 1975, and to this day find the snuffing out of any life a painful experience. the only exception to this would be mosquitoes (i have always believed that mummy mosquitoes tucked their babies up at night with the promise that one day they too would feast on friedlander) and london pigeons. ever since a trip up to town in the early seventies, when we visited trafalgar square, i have hated london pigeons. our kind parents paid their tuppence for a right guard lid full of bird seed, and we tried to feed the birds. you know those beards of bees that you see photos of every now and then when the news needs a little light refreshment? imagine a toupee of flying rats, whose talons got tangled in your naturally curly hair and then they tried to fly away.

nu, i don't like pigeons, and therefore rather enjoyed the following bit from a.a.gill in today's sunday times:

"It's all a bit hard to swallow

It’s a bird-eat-bird world. The pelicans in St. James’s Park are swallowing the pigeons and the usual swooning battalion of critter lovers is reaching for the smelling salts and the green ink. Pelicans should breakfast on fish.

Though I can’t for the life of me see the qualitative difference between the life of a haddock and a feral pigeon. We go to watch pelicans being fed fish in the zoo; how much more amusing to chuck them a flying rat. I think urban pigeon coursing would be an exciting day out and fun for all the family.

We’d start with a mad woman throwing breadcrumbs as bait while we hit behind trees with our trained pelicans at the ready. Maybe packs of them would go for foxes — riding after a squadron of killer pelicans coming out of the sun would be brilliant.

The pelican is the ancient symbol of selfless charity. They were thought to feed their young with the blood from their breast (they don’t) and the pigeon of course is cousin to the dove, harbinger of peace. Some might think that charity eating peace was an augury of some imminent catastrophe or perhaps it’s just an elegant bestiary metaphor for the end of the Tony Blair years?"

beautiful noam

purple ellie
Originally uploaded by ravaj.

... but i am rather fond of this one.

anyway, we had a wonderful lunch together. my first time at the ivy and, forbidden by n. to turn my head to look at jonathan ross and his pink-headed wife, i had to make do with the profile of the erstwhile bisto lady and occasional glimpses of miranda richardson over the shoulder of a man with enormous eyebrows. o, the food was quite lovely too :-)

life in london is o so very different.

happy birthday to noam!

niaf @ chinon
Originally uploaded by ravaj.

ten years younger than i am again today, she wanted me to post a pic in which she looks beautiful but i cannot decide. this is our mother's official favourite ...

happy birthday noam!

for the best gift that she received, look here. v. proud.