A stress management technique recommended in all the latest psychological texts: It really works ...
1. Picture yourself near a stream.
2. Birds are softly chirping in the cool mountain air.
3. No one but you knows your secret place.
4. You are in total seclusion from the hectic place called "the world".
5.
The soothing sound of a gentle waterfall fills the air with a cascade of serenity.
6. The water is crystal clear.
7. You can easily make out the face of the person you're holding underwater.
* * *
A website called Daze Reader.com points out a gaffe in Hillary Clinton's book. "The night before the meeting convened in Denver, Madeleine Albright invited her Russian counterpart, Yevgeny Primakov, to a dinner at a local restaurant," Clinton wrote of her time in Denver for 1997's Summit of the Eight - including a memorable meal they shared. "She treated him to a regional delicacy called 'mountain oysters', a polite term for deep-fried cow testicles." You don't have to come from Southland farming stock to know only bulls have balls.
* * *
Did you know: New Zealand comedian Brendhan Lovegrove is the writing partner of the guy who gatecrashed Prince William's 21st dressed as Osama bin Laden and has been splashed all over the Guardian newspaper this weekend just gone.
* * *
Attention-seeking Sir Richard Branson has issued a "friendly challenge" to Qantas boss Geoff Dixon. In a letter to Dixon, Branson said: "I was amused to read Qantas' completely dismissive comments about Virgin Atlantic's chances of getting permission to fly London to Australia. If Virgin Atlantic fails to fly to Australia, within 18 months say, I'd be prepared to suffer the indignity of donning one of your stewardesses' brand new designer outfits and will work your flight from London to Australia, serving your customers throughout.
"However, if Virgin Atlantic does fly to Australia", Branson added, "you would do so instead. On our inaugural flight from London to Australia you would wear one of our beautiful red Virgin stewardesses' uniforms and serve our inaugural guests all the way to Australia."
Dixon was unimpressed by Branson's challenge. "Spare me", he said. "We are running an airline, not a circus."
* * *
* Email Sideswipe
