Fresh from the feverish throes of flu (and try saying that fast three times), it's Rob's Random 5!

1. For Tweet's Sake: I don't really get Twitter. I don't hate it, but nor do I love it. It's just not something for me. But I can understand why other people like it. It seems like a good way to stay in touch with people, and also a good way to spread breaking news. Sky News certainly agrees with the last part of that sentence, as you can get Twitter news updates from them (just as you can from any major news network). HOWEVER, I think Sky's gone a little bit 'Twitter Crazy', as I was rather shocked to see it has its very own Senior Twitter Correspondent. This, I think, is someone who reports on goings on on Twitter in the same way a Parliamentary Correspondent would report on the day to day goings on of MPs. What next? Correspondents for Facebook and MySpace? Or eBay? "This just in, Mrs. Price of Croydon bid £22 for a pair of pink bunny slippers." or "We're getting some breaking news that John Smith is no longer in a relationship." It all seems a bit...well, bandwagon-y. I mean, I watch the news to get news; actual, proper, fact-checked and researched news put together and presented by people who are actual proper journalists. If I want to know what shokjok42 or miamigirl666 think of Swine Flu I will go and look on Twitter for their opinion. I get a little bit tired every time the news and public opinion bleed together, as in when they get people to text/email in with their opinion on a story, or when Sky News has that 'What's Popular on the Web?' section that frequently just shows clips of funny cats from YouTube.
2. Foxing Hell: This story made me laugh this week. There's a picture book to be written out of it without doubt. A mother fox that steals shoes for it's children to play with?! The cute factor is off the scale! And if a movie version of the book was ever made, I could imagine Teri Hatcher voicing the fox mother, and Peter O'Toole as a wicked old cobbler with a grudge. Make that, Hollywood!
3. Where's the S.W.A.T Team?: This story is just...well...brilliant. There's a picture book to be written out of it for sure too.
4. Rifftrax: If you haven't seen Mystery Science Theatre 3000 then your life is just a little bit colder and darker than those who have. There are plenty of hilarious episodes on YouTube and they're all well worth your time (I recommend 'Puma Man'). If however, you have seen every episode of MST3K that's out there, definitely check out Rifftrax on YouTube and at Rifftrax.com, which is Mystery Science Theatre but without the puppets. It's done by the same guys and is every bit as funny. Plus they cover well-known box-office films like Star Wars, Bourne, and Indiana Jones. The Dark Knight and Jaws are hilarious.
5. Publisher excels as sex sells (good tongue twister there): And might this be the weirdest book that you never want to read? Seriously, if this thing can get published there's hope for everyone. It was a tie between this and rash of Australians being abducted by aliens for my 'weirdest story/thing of the week'.

Until next time, goodnight and good gravy.