Beyond the Palin

Sarah Palin visits Israel and wears a Star of David to show her support. So now she's Jewish. After 2,000 years haven't we suffered enough?
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My doctor wants to see me on Friday to 'discuss my cholesterol'. When was the last time a doctor asked to see someone to tell them their cholesterol is fine and there's absolutely nothing to worry about?
As regular readers know, it was a doctor - in Harley Street no less - who told me I would die at the age of 54. This was 30 years ago and he based his opinion on looking at my hand and the fact I then smoked 20 a day. So I've got six years left. Unless I hear something different this Friday of course.
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Cross dressing. I touched on it yesterday (oo er missus) but I reckon most men have tried it at some time or other.
Think about it. Stag nights, rugby club dos, fancy dress parties or just doing it for fun, I genuinely believe a clear majority of the male population of this country has donned female attire at least once. Not to mention those who have done it, on their own, when everyone's out, and they have looked through their wife's underwear draw to...oh, sorry, I digress.
Me? I've been to a tarts and vicars party dressed as a tart, of course. I wore a boob tube, short skirt, fishnets, borrowed shoes from my friend's mum (a fantastic woman called Deanna who I still miss) and, in my opinion, looked bloody fantastic. The right foundation can make your nose look a lot shorter, I discovered.
The only other time was slightly odd. I met a girl from Yeovil called Rachel who was a helicopter engineer for Westland (though that has nothing to do with it) and I gave her my shirt and she gave me her taffeta ballgown. She didn't want to go home in a ballgown. I kept it in my wardrobe at my flat in Dagenham (or Becontree Heath as I liked to call it) and one day, after a few drinks and a funny cigarette with some mates, they dared me to try it on. So I did.
Again - and like most men who have dragged up - I thought I looked fabulous. In the end I gave the dress away to the girlfriend of a mate of mine.
I'm betting that most blokes reading this have dressed up in drag at least once. So leave a comment and let me know if I'm right or just a bit warped.
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Dead badger in Buckhurst Hill. By the side of the High Street. This is the first badger, dead or alive, that I've seen in this part of the world, well, ever. I remember several years ago being told there were no badgers in Epping Forest due to hunting but this is clearly untrue. Just like the official Epping Forest web site which says there are only two types of deer - muntjac and fallow. But I regular see roe deer (and there's a major road nearby called Roebuck Lane so there is a history of this species!)
It reminds me of a story of the night when two groups representing the Forest's most popular activities came together accidentally - that's nature lovers and East End murders.
Apparently a group of badger watchers were settling in (pun intended) for a night's observation when they noticed two men dumping a large, black plastic bag, in the bushes.
The men saw the badger watchers, and calmly walked off. Naturally the bag contained a dead body (they say there are as many corpses as badgers in Epping Forest.)
Everyone from the Krays to East Enders has reputedly used the Forest as a woodland grave. Never found a body myself and I use the woods regularly from walking the dog to messing around with my bat detector to taking a shortcut home when there's a rail strike.
But as soon as I do, I'll let you know.
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There's an advert on the tube for Eurostar to promote a five hour train journey (including a change from one station in Paris to another) to Strasbourg, all for £99. You can fly to Strasbourg for less. It takes an hour and a bit and you don't have to change mid-air to another plane. So what's the big deal? No, really. I love Eurostar. I've been on it dozens of times and only had one bad journey coming back from Paris when there were some serious delays. But for £99 and for five hours to get to Strasbourg? I just don't get it. Obviously the main customers will be MEPs who can put in on their expenses.
Adieu mes amis...Solly