Controversy! Current Issues! Close To None!

The Biter Bit.  Fatally.
     As you know, gentle reader, BOOJUM! steers clear of politics, politicians, statisticians, electricians and street charity vendors.
     Today we make an exception.  You may have heard of the death of Fred Phelps, sometime pastor of a very obscure religious institution - the Westboro Baptist Church

West Ham.  Close enough.

     Dear old Fred's chosen hobby, bless him, was to hang around funerals with obnoxious banners to 1) generate publicity and 2) see if he could get someone to punch him*.  
     Well, damn it all, a man's got to have a hobby!
     Anyway, Ian B., over on Facebook, posted a photo of Fred's grim visage - hey, it works for him - holding a banner that stated  "GOD HATES TORCHE". 
     Conrad, ever curious, had not heard of "Torche" before, so he Googled and discovered they're a "sludge-metal" band.  He then promptly scooted off to Grooveshark and listened to several tracks - and liked them!

Torche.  You can see how they wound up Fred.**

     Thank you, Fred.  I'd never have encountered them without your assistance.
     Now, I know what you're thinking.***  Wouldn't it be hilariously ironic - if people went and paraded insulting banners at Fred's funeral!  Tee Hee!
     Conrad considers it to be far more ironic if nobody turns up to protest.   Funeral wreaths from AIDs charities might also be telling - turn the other cheek being a principle, after all.

Thank You Sub.  I think.
     "Sub" as in "Subconscious".  I had cause to pull him up about boring dreams a few days ago and he's come good since then, bless him.  Last night's was a version of "The Blob" - the 1988 remake with the "Fully paid-up member of the terrifying b@st@rd brigade^" 

"Le Blob".  French for "The Blob"

not the large lump of strawberry jam that the world's oldest teenagers tackled back in the 50's - my version featuring the world's stupidest teenagers, who stood around, pointing and laughing as another one of their number got gobbled up by the voracious pink monster.
     James Blish put it well when he described horror films as being films that would end in 15 minutes if the cast weren't all exceedingly stupid.  Conrad concurs, and so, apparently, does Sub.

The Blob (1958 version)

Looking Sheepish
     Darling daughter returned from London last night and today showed me two other photographs she took in London.
     "Here's Big Ben", she informed.  Conrad gently pointed out that Big Ben is the bell -
     "And here's a sheep looking entirely toooo happy," she followed up.
     This sheep:

Like a woollen Curly-Wurly

     Hmm.  Yes, I suppose being dead and stuffed shouldn't make you grin like that.  Although it would be the taxidermist who put the smile there, really.
     Darling Daughter explained that the Natural History Museum's stuffed animals are beginning to look rather tatty, as they are old old old.  And not going to be replaced, as taxidermy is not very Politically Correct.
     'But!' interjected Conrad (for he has a fertile if not always sensible imagination) 'What about animals that volunteer to be stuffed?'
     'Not sure if they'd grasp the concept,' commented Sal.
     'Ah - then they would have to opt out.'
     'Carry an opt-out card?'
     'Exactly!  Card present - no touch.  No card - Mr Stuffer can pack 'em with - er - what do they get packed with?'

I think this got packed with Wrong.  What the hell is it?

Fun With (Dangerous) Chemicals!
     Uranium!  
     Flourine! 
     Two highly dangerous elements in their own right!  Combine them via chemical reactions or nuclear fuel reprocessing and you get - Uranium Hexaflouride (Chemical symbol UF6).  This compound is toxic (of course!)  :), corrosive (goes without saying!) :) and explodes on contact with water (excellent!) :) - is actually processed from depleted uranium, so it isn't radioactive as well (bummer) :( .
     Still, it remains Very Dangerous!

UF6 Cocktails: I said it would all end in tears

Because I Can
     Here, dear audience, is a picture of a rhododendron bush.

"Rhododendron".  Probably Greek for something^^^.

Finally -
     One hesitates to use the term "puppy power" as it brings to mind that repellent miniature idiot Scrappy Doo (a creature so loathsome the RSPCA have taken out a contract on him), but in this case it refers to the very clever, also very cute, Edna.  Take it away Edna!

Dig the dog.

* He could then sue for $$$
** Ouch.  Sorry!
*** Yes, this is rhetorical. Telepathy hasn't been invented - yet.
^  A quote I remember from an NME review at the time.  Impressive - or sad?
^^ There is no ^^.  I was testing you.
^^^  "Rose Tree".  See.  I do my research.