The Best and the Worst of the British Press
June 18 -- Gracie Attard, the baby who went through surgery in England seven months ago that saved her life but sacrificed her conjoined twin Rosie, has returned home to Malta with her family.
But Gracie, now 10 months old, and her parents reportedly returned to an atmosphere of fierce criticism from a public upset by the financially lucrative media deal her parents signed to ensure her future treatment.
The case sparked a legal battle when doctors said that if the conjoined, or Siamese, twins were not separated, both babies would die. However, their parents fought the surgery because doctors said Rosie, the weaker twin, could not survive on her own.
The twins were previously identified by pseudonyms in order to protect their privacy, but in signing the deal, the parents gave up Gracie's anonymity.
A British couple, Tony and Pat Hubble, who initially help set up a trust fund for Gracie found the Attards' deal deplorable.
Mr. Hubble told the Daily Express: "I just wish that the court order hadn't been lifted so that Gracie would have been able to have some privacy as she grows up. But these media deals would not have allowed that, so I expect she will be in the public eye throughout her childhood."
Laughing for the Lord
The Rev. John Guest preaches dressed up as a clown.
He calls himself God's Own Fool — or GOF the Clown. He has a cerificate in clownology issued by a Canadian clown camp. He is also a member of the Holy Fools — a 200-strong group of clown priests.
The Sun quotes him saying: "The congregation here has certainly grown since I have been clowning ... I am a living proof that Christianity isn't boring. I do most things that a clown does — except I'm banned from throwing custard pies at the congregation."
