From Twitter 02-10-2010

• 09:43:13: Morning, tweeps and peeps. Snow flurries in London. Again. Twice this week. When will this madness end?!
  
• 09:45:36: Probably not burgling a beauty salon... RT DentonPolice: http://twitpic.com/12cyal - 02/10/2010 01:51 | 21 years old | BURGLARY OF BUILDING
  
• 09:46:09: @EboniMale You OK? Did u go to the hospital? Hoper you're breathing OK now.
  
• 09:58:02: I'm sure no one was chasing him... RT DentonPolice: http://twitpic.com/12cjwq - 02/09/2010 23:28 | 22 years old | Bond: $904 | RAN STOP SIGN
  
• 10:01:14: I do... RT @qrius1ne: who all wants to see my face....
  
• 10:21:05: Ain't technology wonderful? @jonk is over Greenland as we tweet, according to my iPhone Flight Status app.
  
• 15:29:06: @jonk welcome to London.
  
• 15:45:39: @qrius1ne yes, please do. smooth is nice.
  

Tweets copied by twittinesis.com

Scariest Web Design URL

This outfit followed me on Twitter, and when I went to check out their Twitter feed, I was confronted with this.

I think you will agree: this background picture is the stuff of nightmares.

We now pay the price for honest politicians

Many of you may be aware of the expenses crisis that has engulfed the Mother of Parliaments. Many of our MPs and peers have been systematically claiming reimbursements for household goods that some of their constituents can only dream of possessing. One MP was reimbursed for a floating duck house to place on his pond. Another soaked us for several thousands of pounds for cleaning his moat. Three MPs and one peer have been formally charged with fraud (none of the MPs are standing for office in the next election, due by June).

An office was set up to audit MPs expenses and claw back some that were either illegal or unethical. A permanent office to scrutinise MPs expense claims has been set up, with the head of that office making £100,000, and £6 million in total being spent to run this office.

The amount that has been claimed back this year from MPs? Around £1 million. So we've lost £5 million to get back £1 million. Not a great bargain by any means, but a price that has to be paid, it seems, to get transparency and honesty in government. And that £6 million cost is a recurring expense, aimed at keeping MPs legal and ethical.

The £64,000 question is this: Wouldn't it be cheaper to elect honest people as MPs and scrap the expenses office?

Just askin'.