Well this week, postponed from a couple of weeks ago, I was joined by Margaret Mills for her regular book review and we also took time out to look at what may be the most bizarre job offer ever.

But first off I could not let today go by without commenting on recent events taking place on our continent – Yes Europe, our continent!

Now last Wednesday, Bob very bravely dedicated his whole show to the ongoing catastrophe unfolding in Ukraine as a mighty military superpower attempts to overwhelm a tiny neighbour with massive missile attacks accompanied by an onslaught of outright flagrant lies

I cannot possibly match what Bob did last week, but none of us can let this tragedy continue without making some comment.

All of us must have been moved by pictures of young children tightly holding on to the arm of a parent, cold terrified, not knowing what’s happening, whether they will see their father again and whether they will be ever be able to return home – or indeed if there’ll be a home to return to. They may even have been forced to abandon a beloved pet. Can you imagine what that must feel like?

We might complain of higher costs to heat our homes and drive our cars – but we’re not being shot at and still have comfortable and warm beds to sleep in at night, as full supermarket shelves!

Thankfully there are people around who have stepped up to the plate

You can find out more by simply searching “Help Ukraine” on line

A group of 15 UK charities have launched a joint fundraising appeal to help more than a million refugees fleeing Ukraine as the Russian invasion “turns lives upside down”.

And note that the Prime Minister has promised that every pound donated by the British public will be matched by the government – up to the value of £20 million.

So please don’t simply look the other way – stick your hand deeply into your pocket and join the effort to bring some relief to these victims of a war that they neither sought nor created.

I could say more – a lot more but I think I’ll leave it there for now.

When she was with me last month, Margaret revealed that she had always been fascinated by the life of the authoress, AGATHA CHRISTIE, and particularly the details of what had happened to her when she mysteriously disappeared. Agatha went “missing” for almost two weeks sometime in the nineteen twenties, but to this day no one really knows what happened to her.

It was suspected initially that she must have been kidnapped and feared dead. Her car was found abandoned several miles from her home. All these years later, the world still does not know the circumstances of her disappearance or even where she was during that time.

A new book about her life is reportedly about to be published, but whilst waiting for that, Margaret chose to look at a book that was published a few years ago – “Agatha Christie: A Biography” by Janet Morgan. 

Unfortunately it seems that the question over her disappearance was not fully explained in this offering which seems to have been met with very mixed reviews, ranging

FROM –

“The only authorised biography of Agatha Christie is a snoozer. So dull and so disappointing” and “this biography by Jane Morgan is a bit boring, too many details told in a very dull way”

TO

“to anyone who is a fan of Agatha Christie this is a book you will want to read” and “Brilliantly written! This is a wonderful book and I highly recommend it.”

But more importantly what did Margaret make of it and would she recommend it?

Listen here to find out: –

And if this might be a  read for you, here are the details – “Agatha Christie: A Biography” by Janet Morgan (paperback, 2017, HarperCollins) £10.00.

Right well now let’s return to that bizarre job offer.

OMNI, a plant-based dog food company in the UK, is on the lookout for a professional dog poo sniffer, and is willing to pay one ‘lucky’ applicant £5,000 to sniff their pet’s excrement for two months.

Absolutely true!

The vegan-friendly company states it is looking for a strong-stomached individual to sniff their dog’s poop every day for two months in order to test the effect a plant-based diet has on their pooch’s digestion, energy levels and general behaviour.

The company said: “Given how much mixed and confusing information is out there about diets for dogs we understand there may be some pre-existing and negative misconceptions about feeding your dog a plant-based diet.

“We hope that by hiring someone to transition their dog to a vet-formulated, plant-based diet – and analyse the effects that the diet has on their pup, both inside and out – we can take another step to proving the benefits it can have on dogs’ digestive health and general health, not least through their poop!

The successful candidate will need to record their experience of introducing their dog to a plant-based diet, monitoring their bowel movements, stool odour, health, energy levels, behaviour, sleep pattern and physical attributes, such as weight, skin, and fur condition.

The job will pay £2,500 a month for an initial two-month period, with the successful applicant receiving both support from a dog nutritionist and a supply of plant-based dog food for the duration of the testing period.

In addition at the start and end of the trial the dog will receive a general exam from a registered vet to assess how the transition to a plant-based diet has impacted their digestive and general health and the dog will benefit from an array of sustainable dog toys and vegan treats to keep their four-legged friend happy between meals

Applicants must be over the age of 18 and own a dog with a current non-plant-based diet. A strong stomach is highly recommended but not mandatory for the role.

Applications close on 31st March so get in quick if you want to be considered.

Whilst you think that offer over, I’l now leave stage left and hope to see you again tomorrow,
Scott