Groucho Marx

On paper, at least, The House in the genteel Buckinghamshire village of Bourne End is a very fine residence. Estate agents trying to flog the £1.75m, seven-bedroom, eight-bathroom 'outstanding individual home in a blissfully rural setting' appear to have consumed an entire dictionary of superlatives in order to extol its virtues. The property is, by turns, fantastic, incredible, sumptuous, lovely, remarkable, idyllic, wonderful, decadent. No mention, however, of the extraordinary, poisonous, vicious, vindictive family row which lies behind the attempted sale of the property; or the super-rich father and son who are currently at each other's throats in the High Court in London , each claiming that they own The House, each accusing the other of lies and deceit.

It's hard to imagine a worse bout of bad luck. You're 75. You've just begun the job you've been promised and trained for your entire life. You're working hard and keeping fit. You can finally share your good fortune with the woman you've loved for as long as you can remember then - bang! - cancer. As King Charles said to a fellow patient at the Macmillan Cancer Unit in London last week, it's 'a bit of a shock, isn't it, when they tell you'. It's an equally big shock when you realise that, as a result, those who know you best and describe you as a 'caged lion' when you're not working, insist you slow down.

Max Hightower, a 17-year-old transgender male, was removed as an actor from Sherman High School's upcoming production of Oklahoma !This triggered outrage that culminated in an overflow that culminated in a packed school board meeting on Monday, which culminated in an uproar. More than 60 people expressed their sympathy for Max, who also questioned a district decision that stated that students must have characters that match with their sex assigned at birth. métier he rightfully deserved, with Hightower seated and watched the crowd erupted, students and parents alike chastised the board for singling out the child, effectively banishing him from the position he rightfully earned. Hundreds of people stationed outside challenged the decision, waving Pride flags and donning shirts that read, "I stand with Max." Chants of 'Let them sing' were also rife, and Sherman's auditorium was packed to the brim.