Even for OK! this is extreme bad taste

UK trash mag OK! has run pictures of a dead (or near as damn it) Michael Jackson in the back of the ambulance on the cover of its 'tribute' issue. Do I need to say anymore? Just hideous.

Don't they think they'd sell as many copies with a nice picture of him alive? More likely (and the scenario I hope will happen) people will refrain from buying it in disgust. Low just got lower.

Homesick for Wiltshire weirdness

Yesterday was the shortest day of the year in Oz, and the longest day of the year in the Motherland. I'd never thought about how that would be the case on the same day until then.

In the UK, and particularly Wiltshire where I'm from, the Summer Solstice (as it is there) means the wonderful crazies and pagans come out in force to dance around and worry the police at Stonehenge and Avebury (OK, so crazies isn't a very politcally correct term but I'm not in the UK anymore!).

Having lived just down the road from Avebury Stone Circle all my childhood, I had the pleasure of witnessing these usually peaceful gatherings for myself. And let me tell you, they don't call it Weird Wiltshire for nothing!

There's something very magical about Stonehenge and Avebury though. You've gotta love that mystery and today, I miss you Wiltshire! With your stone circles, crop circles, ancient burial mounds, inexplicable Silbury Hill and UFO sightings, you will always be home.

Another Scottish Gordon's in trouble!

This time it's Mr Ramsay, not Mr Brown, after his rather disparaging remarks about Aussie TV presenter Tracy Grimshaw, who he described as looking like a pig. Gordo's here for the Melbourne Food and Wine Show and stirred up publicity in his usual less than polite style. The Aussies are not happy at all! Read more here.

I blogged about it on my mag's website here.

Rightly or wrongly, I still think he's a very sexy man...

Yes Gordon, you should look worried

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. What has happened to British politics while I've been out of the country? When I left the UK, Mr Brown had been Prime Minister for a mere 8 months (the recession was just a rumour) and he was already making a bad impression. Now, less than two years into the job, it's looking distinctly likely like he's not going to have it much longer. No need to comment on the state of the economy...

I never thought I'd say it, but a Conservative government could be the only way out of this mess. As a friend of mine said the other day, will the last member of the Cabinet please switch the light off on the way out?

Thanks for the long weekend, Liz!

This is a long weekend in Australia with Monday a public holiday in celebration of the Queen's birthday. Pretty amusing really when you consider the English don't get a day off for their own Queen's special day, but we never were a very patriotic nation.

Many Australians would love to see the country's movement from a constitutional monarchy to a republic but they don't seem to mind having the day off in honour of their head of state.

Personally, as a Pom in Oz, I enjoy the links Australia has with the UK, however old fashioned and irrelevant. Just don't let the British Government have anything to do with running this country and you'll be fine!

Running for a great cause

This beautiful little man is Baby Will. Very sadly, he died 18 months ago, aged just 9 months. Last year I ran the 14km City 2 Surf for the first time to raise money for the amazing Naomi House Children's Hospice where they looked after him and his parents, my friends James and Jo.

This year I'm doing it again and I would be very grateful and touched if you would be kind enough to sponsor me at www.justgiving.com/jenrunsforwill2 using any major credit card. Thanks in advance.

First day of winter

You'd be forgiven for accusing me of posting yet another gratuitous photo of my god daughter Genevieve but COME ON, she's adorable!

Anyway, the point of this post is to 'welcome' the first day of Winter in Australia. I've been here for 15 months and I still can't get my head around it being winter in June and July. My birthday's on July 1 and I always—without fail—had sunshine on my birthday. Not anymore!

Meanwhile, in the Motherland, I've heard disturbing reports of people complaining it is "too hot". Bloody whingeing Poms...