Words About Things

The National Lottery is launching a new game called Lotto Plus 5 which gives lottery players more chances to win big. As the name suggests Plus 5 gives you 5 extra chances to win by being included in 5 draws which take places in the days following the main draw. This means that you will be able to have the possibility of winning the lottery on 6 days of the week.

The new game will be available for a small additional fee to all those who enter the Wednesday or Saturday Lotto draws. The 5 extra draws take place on the following days and have a maximum prize of £250,000. There will also be prizes for matching 3 or more numbers as there are for the main Lotto draw. By adding extra draws it is thought that an additional 500,000 people will win per week. It will also generate more money for good causes, apparently £25 Billion has been raised since 1994.

Photo by cinnamon_girl

When the National Lottery was first launched in 1994 my Granddad began writing down the winning numbers in order to see which appeared most often. Of course, in theory, no ball is more likely to appear than any other but that didn’t stop him. Unfortunately my Granddad passed on before he won big but I still have his notebook somewhere.

According to the statistics on Lottery.co.uk the numbers which have appeared the most are 38, 43, 23, 11, 33 and 44. I’m not sure if that means they are more likely to come up next week or if they are due to appear less now in order to balance out the stats!

Spending Christmas in London is always memorable, with events and attractions springing up all across the city. From swimming in the Serpentine to the world’s most famous Christmas tree, London has plenty to offer those seeking festive fun in 2010!

South Bank German Christmas Market

Enjoy those seasonal culinary specialties – Bratwurst Sausage and gingerbread hearts, washed down with a large glass of Glühwein (German Mulled Wine) at the annual German Christmas Market. Of course there’s plenty of opportunity for shopping too. Take a wander amongst the traditional wooden chalets to find a wide variety of unique hand-crafted gifts and unusual Christmas presents!

Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree

Don’t miss the famous tree lighting ceremony, held on Thursday 3rd December. Each year since 1947, the people of Norway have clubbed together and sent the people of Britain a giant spruce tree in gratitude for our help in the Second World War. The tree takes pride of place until the twelfth night of Christmas, when it’s quietly taken down and shredded for New Year compost.

Hyde Park Ice Skating

No, it’s not because they forget to grit the footpaths – Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland will once again feature London’s biggest outdoor ice-rink. The rink is open from 10am to 10pm daily. Skaters are advised to book their preferred time slot in advance, as sessions always sell out quickly!

Covent Garden Royal Opera House

The Royal Ballet’s Christmas Season is a longstanding tradition, with a great programme of shows including Cinderella and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Meanwhile, the Royal Opera present Hansel and Gretel. If you wait for New Year, you’ll find quite a contrast. Anna Nicole Smith the Opera opens in February!

Greenwich Park 5K Santa Run

The Greenwich Park 5K Santa Run is held on Sunday 6th December and includes a free Santa suit for each participant. 2,000 Santa’s are expected to take part and no previous athletics experience is necessary! If you’re still feeling energetic by Christmas Day, traditional morning swimming is again taking place in Hyde Park’s welcoming Serpentine Lake.

Guest post by Ben Piper of UK Tickets.

The Mayor of a town in the south of Italy has taken the idea of ‘fashion police’ to a new level by banning women from wearing miniskirts that are ‘too short’. Mayor Luigi Bobbio feels that short skirts and exposed cleavage will harm the reputation of Castellammare di Stabia a resort town on the south coast. The new law was put to the vote and passed, women wearing skirts which law enforcement officers deem to be too short will be handed a €300 fine.

too short?

The ban comes as part of Bobbio’s move to enforce matters of ‘public decorum’ including swearing and playing football in the street. Opponents to the new law say that it is chauvinist and treats women like public objects:

“By equating women’s clothing with urban decorum, this measure implies women are no more than benches or hedges. This turns the clock back years for women and undermines all our victories.” – Councillor Angela Cortese.

The decision on what will be considered too much cleavage or too short a skirt will be left to police officers. On the spot fines will also be given to those who wear swimming costumes anywhere public apart from the beach. Female members of the opposition Democratic Party held a “Mini-skirt Day” rally in protest of the new law.

Interestingly the power to create local laws was handed to mayors by Italy’s Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi who is famous for having an eye for the ladies.