The Aardvark of Love's Random Thoughts

My research tools are limited at the moment, so no links please, but what in the name of Darwin is the point of the appendix in the human digestive system? Is it solely to keep surgeons, anaesthetists and the manufacturers of industial strength painkillers in business?

I made my first visit to the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on Saturday, and darned impressed I was too. Pretty much everything about it is "a good thing". It's convenient (so close to the railway station: why would anyone ever drive there?), warm and dry (the roof was closed), atmospheric (again, the closed roof might have helped), has good sightlines (we were pretty much at ground level, but had a feel for the whole game), the staff (both security and bar) were courteous and efficient, and the marshalling for getting back on return trains was organised and sensible. Oh, and seeing the Aussies lose wasn't exactly the worst of it either.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/international/4467712.stm

Just 2 gripes, neither of them the fault of the Stadium. (1) Just how little bladder control must one have to need to urinate in hand basins and rubbish bins when the queues for the urinals were minimal? (2) How did First Great Western manage to display a "Last Trains" notice which showed the last train to Paddington leaving 30 minutes before a specific train onto which I had booked? When I asked the station staff about this, I got the refreshingly frank answer that "That's been confusing us all day too".

Stealth Pedestrians

If you are a pedestrian approaching a busy road from the pavement, can I humbly suggest you look both ways before darting out onto the thoroughfare? Otherwise, you might end up with a broken collarbone when you step in front of a cyclist who, whilst doing his very best to avoid you, hits you head on and himself ends up splayed on the road in front of traffic.

Thanks for your consideration.