Opposite day...

When I (and I imagine most people) were little, my friends and I would periodically declare it "Opposite Day" - when you meant the opposite of everything you said. It gave you license to say the most horrible or ridiculous things and get a pass. Someone must have forgotten to tell me today had been declared such a day since the two stories I have definitely turn perspective sideways. In fact the second one might actually be considered a sign of the apocalypse. 

Recently I have become obsessed with a TV show on TNT called "Leverage." It's basically about a band of thieves who have turned into modern day Robin Hoods, helping everyday people who have been taken advantage of by the rich and powerful. I have absolutely no idea why I started watching it now since the first season and half of the second had passed without me noticing. But now I'm absolutely hooked. So the story in the Calgary Herald about "putpocketers" made me laugh out loud. Sponsored by TalkTalk, a broadband station in London, 20 former pick-pockets are putting 100,000 English pounds INTO unsuspecting citizens' pockets and purses. The random acts of kindness will continue in London until the end of August before rolling out to the rest of the nation. 

In a double-example of Opposite Day, my second story is both the aforementioned apocalyptic indicator as well as a feature on a reality TV show. This is now twice in the last couple of weeks I am highlighting a genre I totally abhor. Which I guess is another sign of impending doom... But YouTube has a video of the latest Susan Boyle-type success from "The X-Factor" - Great Britain's version of American Idol. Only Danyl Johnson, a 27 year-old teacher from Reading, is extremely good-looking and much more self-assured. Salty curmudgeon Simon Cowell called Johnson's audition "the best first audition I have ever heard" and actually seemed to enjoy himself during the performance, giving Johnson a standing ovation at the end. 

(Photo courtesy of Pop Culture Madness)