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<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#000000 size=2>Talking of Sherlock
Holmes...</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#000000 size=2>I used to work very near Baker Street
and I was always disappointed with its boring appearance: just a few dull
shopfronts and one or two hotels and larger buildings (including the totally
commercial enterprise, The Sherlock Holmes Hotel - always packed with coachloads
of American tourists). For some reason, there aren'tpermanent
swirling mists or horse-drawn carriages clopping their way up and down the
street. There are lots of beggars, especially outside the tube station - a
period detail we'd rather not have...</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#000000 size=2>221b is, theroretically, in the
middle of the Abbey National Building Society HQ, which, as I recall, spans 220
- 222 Baker Street. They have a member of staff whose job it is to answer
enquiries from people who want Sherlock Holmes to solve their crimes, in all
seriousness. Leaving aside the fact Sherlocknever existed, he would
be, what, 140 years old by now? Not likely to be rolling across car
bonnets and shouting "freeze!!!" now is he?</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#000000 size=2>I guess JK Rowling and her cohorts
have to hire people to pretend to be Albus Dumbledore and Minerva McGonagall,
politely letting downkids who apply to attend Hogwarts School for
Witchcraft and Wizardry. In fact, I know she does get letters like that,
which is really cute. If it were me, I'd probably spend all day, every
day, readingthose letters and saying "Aaaaaah...Bless!"
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<DIV><FONT face=Arial><FONT color=#000000 size=2>Neil</FONT></FONT></DIV>
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size=2>________________________________________</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#000000 size=2>flying_ford_anglia</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#000000 size=2>"Krum, his red robes shining with
blood from his nose, <BR>was rising gently into the air, his fist held high, a
glint <BR>of gold in his hand." ["The Quidditch World Cup", GoF]</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#000000 size=2>Check out Very Frequently Asked
Questions for everything <BR>to do with this club:</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#000000 size=2><A
href="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/files/VFAQ.htm">http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/files/VFAQ.htm</A></FONT></DIV>
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