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From Russia With Love is how the saying goes - and one politician is trying to make this a reality at the World Cup.

Member of parliament Mikhail Degtyaryov is urging Russian women and visiting football fans to hook up, fall in love and have children as the tournament kicks off in the country.

His comments come after one of his female colleagues advised Russian women to avoid getting involved with away supporters.

Tamara Pletnyova warned women to think twice before entering into casual relationships with foreign tourists because they may end up bringing up their children alone, should they get pregnant.

Ms Pletnyova, who heads a parliamentary committee on children and families, also suggested Russian women should marry local men and said children born from mixed-raced marriages were unhappy.

The comments prompted criticism on social media, with some users saying Ms Pletnyova's views were racist and out of date.

But in comments which may be seen as damage control, politician Mikhail Degtyaryov said: "The more love stories we have connected to the world championship, the more people from different countries fall in love, the more children are born, the better.

"Many years from now these children will remember that their parents' love story began during the World Cup in Russia in 2018," he said, according to the Tass news agency.

"I hope to God that there would be more love stories, more children, more mixed unions.

"We welcome fans from all countries, skin colours, all religions, all genders and all (sexual) orientations."

The Kremlin weighed in reluctantly on the controversy.

Asked about Ms Pletnyova's comments, Russia president Vladimir Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said the Kremlin has nothing to do with the matter.

"As for our Russian women, they will make their own judgement," Mr Peskov said. "They are the best women in the world."

He noted that spectators attending matches receive special World Cup identification cards that have the phrase "Say no to racism" written on them.

"This is probably the best way to characterise the atmosphere of this holiday and Russia's approach to it," Mr Peskov added.

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Russian women should 'fall in love and have children' with World Cup football fans, says MP

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From Russia With Love is how the saying goes - and one politician is trying to make this a reality at the World Cup. Member of parliament Mikhail Degtyaryov is urging Russian women and visiting football fans to hook up, fall in love and have children as the tournament kicks off in the country.

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Mexico football fans are believed to have caused a minor earthquake as they celebrated their team's shock win over Germany at the World Cup.

Tremors were recorded in Mexico City after Hirving Lozano fired the winning goal past German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer in Russia, according to seismic monitoring agency Simmsa.

"The earthquake detected in Mexico City originated artificially," Simmsa said.

"Possibly by massive jumps during the goal....of Mexico in the World Cup."

The agency said at least two sensors detected the earthquake inside Mexico City at 11.32 local time.

Thousands of football fans had gathered in the capital to watch Mexico's surprise 1-0 win over World Cup holders Germany.

Spectators watched the match on a big TV screen in the central Zocalo square and after the game, they converged around the iconic Angel of Independence monument waving Mexico flags.

Supporter Miguel Paez, who donned a Mexican wrestling mask in the colours of the national flag, said: "We aspire to win a World Cup this time."

Mexico play their next fixture against South Korea on Saturday, before taking on Sweden on 27 June.

Germany, meanwhile, face an uphill task to become the first team to win back-to-back World Cups in 56 years.

Attention now turns to England as they prepare for their opening World Cup fixture against Tunisia on Monday.

Gareth Southgate's squad have arrived Volgograd where fans have been gathering ahead of the Three Lions' first game of the tournament.

England's first match kicks off at 7pm UK time.

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World Cup 2018: Mexico fans may have caused earthquake celebrating win over Germany

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Mexico football fans are believed to have caused a minor earthquake as they celebrated their team's shock win over Germany at the World Cup. Tremors were recorded in Mexico City after Hirving Lozano fired the winning goal past German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer in Russia, according to seismic monitoring agency Simmsa.

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https://www.usnews.com/news/offbeat/articles/2018-02-24/at-flag-day-ceremony-mexicos-tri-color-flies-upside-down

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https://www.google.cl/amp/s/lovindublin.com/best-of/27-reasons-you-should-move-to-live-in-ireland-right-now/amphttps://www.google.cl/amp/s/lovindublin.com/best-of/27-reasons-you-should-move-to-live-in-ireland-right-now/amp

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A court in Italy has told a couple they must change their baby's name; if they can't think of a suitable alternative, the court will pick a name for their 18-month-old daughter. The couple had named their daughter "Blu" - Italian for blue.

The couple in Milan received a summons ordering them to appear in court this week to choose another name for their daughter.

"Given that this is a modern name based on the English word 'blue', and that it cannot be considered unequivocally attributable to a person of the female sex, the birth certificate must be rectified by inserting another female name that the parents may propose during the course of the hearing," the summons read, according to local media reports quoted by The Local.

"If we don't show up... with an alternative, a judge will decide our daughter's name for us," her father told Italy's Il Giorno newspaper.

Her name "Blu" already appears on her birth certificate and passport.

The court's objection is based on a presidential decree, issued in 2000, that states that "the name given to a child must correspond to their sex", reported The Local.

We can't help but wonder what the court would think of American singer Beyonce and rapper Jay-Z's daughter's name. The couple's six-year-old is named Blue Ivy Carter.

The couple plans to challenge the order by arguing that the word is already used as a girl's name. The Local reported that in 2016 there were six Italian baby girls named Blu, according to national statistics office ISTAT, and five in 2015. Records show that there have been been a few baby boy Blus as well but they are so few that ISTAT doesn't have exact numbers.

Strangely enough, the ruling is far from one of its kind.

In March, a French couple who to name their daughter Liam were taken to court when the French government objected to the parents picking what is traditionally a boy's name for their baby. Authorities were concerned name would "likely to create a risk of gender confusion" for the girl in the future.

In 2015, a French court blocked parents from naming their baby girl Nutella after the hazelnut spread, arguing it would make her the target of mockery. The judge decided to rename the baby Ella.

Click for more trending news

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Change Her Name Or We'll Do It, Court Tells Parents Who Named Baby 'Blu'

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A court in Italy has told a couple they must change their baby's name; if they can't think of a suitable alternative, the court will pick a name for their 18-month-old daughter. The couple had named their daughter "Blu" - Italian for blue.

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https://www.ndtv.com/offbeat/japan-train-leaves-25-seconds-early-company-apologises-1853333

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https://www.ndtv.com/offbeat/the-boston-restaurant-where-robots-have-replaced-chefs-1853762

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Adv Class

Text One

When was the last time you had a really bad hangover?

Can you remember the worst hangover you’ve ever had?

What do you do on hangover days?

Find

2 expressions

4 phrasal verbs

2 collocations

Text Two

Did you or anyone you know collect things when you were a child?

When does collecting become an obsession?

Find

2 language chunks of 4 or more words.

What is the meaning of ‘depressed’ is the final paragraph?

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30/04

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Nursing a St. Patrick's Day hangover? 11 Irish cures

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It's the day after St. Patrick's Day and we know that one or two of you may have lived up to that horrible Irish stereotype and indulged in one too many. Your head is spinning, your mouth is dry and your body feels like you have just gone a round with Mike Tyson.

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Franco

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David Peevers | Getty Images

From duck decoys and hood ornaments to limited-edition sneakers and Pez candy dispensers, offbeat collectibles attract the eye of investors who crave tangible assets they can appreciate and that ... well, appreciate in value. Assembling a collection of rare items is as much a labor of love as an investment tactic and won't necessarily net owners significant returns. Then again, it might.

"In general, these are considered speculative types of investments," said Russ Robertson, a certified financial planner with WealthCrest Financial Services. "You can get great returns, but it comes with high risk, unless you really know what you're doing."

Pez aficionado Dale Pike of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, who has amassed more than 1,000 of the themed candy dispensers over several decades, told CNBC.com in 2014 that his collection might fetch only about $5,000 if sold. For her part, Terry Kovel, co-author of "Kovels' Antiques and Collectibles Price Guide," said market oversupply has depressed Pez prices. However, at press time on eBay, a Toby the Tram Engine dispenser was listed at $799; a vintage 1984 Winter Olympics Pez at $480; and a five-piece set of 19th-century U.S. presidents at just over $346.
-By Sarah O'Brien and CNBC's Kenneth Kiesnoski.
Reposted 4 October 2017. Originally posted 4 May 2014

Vroom vroom

A subculture of automobile aficionados values anything related to cars - from antique chauffeurs' hats and licenses to spark plugs and classic hood ornaments. "Hood ornaments can go for a fortune," said Kovel, co-author of "Kovels' Antiques and Collectibles Price Guide." Indeed, a vintage 1920s hood ornament in art-deco style at press time was listed on eBay for $150,000.

Old-fashioned 'family planning'

Even vintage condom tins carry value. Condom tins, you say? Yes. At one time prophylactics were sold in fancy metal packaging. Kovel explains that today's collectors are drawn not only to the interesting illustrations on the tins but also the fact that they are no longer made in this throwaway, disposable age.

Photo: Rev. Xanatos Satanicos Bombasticos (ClintJCL) | Flickr

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Your junk, their treasure: Some investors hoard offbeat collectibles from condoms to Pez dispensers

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David Peevers | Getty Images From duck decoys and hood ornaments to limited-edition sneakers and Pez candy dispensers, offbeat collectibles attract the eye of investors who crave tangible assets they can appreciate and that ... well, appreciate in value.

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Article One

How do you spend your time in an airport?

What’s the longest time you had to wait in an airport?

Have you ever been upgraded on a flight or been to a VIP suite in an airport?

Find

2 adjective noun collocations

4 phrases with prepositions in them

2 phrasal verbs with their objects

Article Two

Do you believe in Karma?

What do the following phrases mean:

What goes around comes around.

One good deed deserves another.

Where do you think phrases like these originate?

Find

4 x examples of perfect tenses.

4 x Discourse markers.

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At these 9 game-changing terminals around the globe you'll find everything from world class art to golf courses to a dog hotel. Your long layover just got better. By Adam McCulloch

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IT'S something many of us have done in a change room - snapped a picture of ourselves in an item of clothing to send to a friend or family member to get their opinion.

When a girl named Syd did just this and sent a photo of herself in a formal dress to the incorrect number, she had no clue it would have such a ripple effect.

Instead of landing in her friend's inbox, the photos were received by Tony Wood, a real estate agent and father of six from Tennessee, USA.

Instead of shooting back the standard "wrong number" text, he decided to have a bit of fun with it, and got his children to deliver their verdict on the dress.

"I believe this message was intended for someone else," he wrote.

"My wife isn't home, so I couldn't get her opinion, but the kids and I think you look stunning in your dress! You should definitely go with that one!"

The message was accompanied by a photo of his children giving Syd's look an enthusiastic two thumbs up.

A friend of Syd's, Mandi Miller, posted the adorable exchange on Twitter and it quickly went viral.

The post has since been retweeted 172,000 times and has 690,000 likes.

When asked about the exchange, Tony told Bored Panda "I figured that the children's response would accomplish that substantially better than some middle-aged overweight bald guy!"

But the story doesn't end there. Tony's random act of kindness had a flow-on effect.

The viral Tweet brought attention to the family's Facebook page, and people discovered that missing from the photo of the kids was 4-year-old Kaizler.

It turns out that when the photo was taken, Kaizler was in hospital with his mum, undergoing chemotherapy to treat his leukaemia. Something that Tony confirmed when he responded to Mandi's Tweet.

It was then discovered that a friend set up a GoFundMe page over two years ago to help the Wood family fund the little boy's treatment.

People touched by Tony's kind response to Syd's accidental text message jumped on the GoFundMe page to donate money. It has now raised $11,400 for the family and is still climbing.

"I think the internet is going to make sure you guys can focus on what matters! Hope he recovers quickly and fully," wrote one donor.

"Proof that a little act of kindness can reap bigger acts of kindness," wrote another.

On Sunday night, Tony posted a note on Twitter that said "the kindness and generosity of Twitter and other venues saw our gofundme account surpass our goal last night!"

He told Bored Panda "since this all started we've had over $US3,000 ($3,800) donated.

"That's more than we had donated in total over the last two years. It's been amazing and is a bigger blessing than anyone could ever know. We were backed up to a financial wall. I've been working the entire time, but I was slowly but surely succumbing to the financial rigours of the situation."

Tony's wife Rachel also told the website she has been overwhelmed by the reaction.

"It is so refreshing to be reminded that there are good people in the world who still care about others and are quick to be generous and kind to others," she told Bored Panda.

"I would also like to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart for all the kind words, all the prayers, all the donations, all the love and support."

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Amazing response after photo sent to wrong number

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IT'S something many of us have done in a change room - snapped a picture of ourselves in an item of clothing to send to a friend or family member to get their opinion.

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STUDENT A's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to Student B.)

(2)

Do you think anyone can become a celebrity?

(3)

Do you think celebrities like Oprah Winfrey deserve the millions of dollars they get paid?

(4)

Why are so many people obsessed with celebrities?

(5)

What do you think are the downsides to being a celebrity?

(6)

Are there any celebrities you hate the sight of?

(7)

Would you like to be interviewed by celebrity magazines?

(8)

Do you think there are different levels of celebrity?

(9)

Which celebrities would you invite to your birthday party and why?

(10)

Are there differences between a 'celebrity' and a 'famous person'?

STUDENT B's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to Student A.)

(1)

Do you think all celebrities are talented?

(2)

Do you have a favourite celebrity?

(3)

Do you like reading about celebrities in magazines, online etc.?

(4)

Would you like to be a celebrity?

(5)

Do you think celebrities like being celebrities?

(6)

Would you see your friends often if you became a world celebrity?

(7)

What aspects of your present life would you miss if you became a celebrity?

(8)

Have you ever met any celebrities?

(9)

Which two celebrities would you like to see interview one another?

(10)

Which celebrity would you like to swap places with?

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ESL Conversation Lesson Questions: Free classroom handouts. English lesson on CELEBRITIES. Use for debates, discussions, speaking, conversations, independent learning and more.

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How far would you go to show your love for your favourite popstar? Attend all their concerts? Buy their merchandise and fill your room with it? Or in an extreme step, get their name tattooed on your body? A man from Connecticut, USA was so overpowered by his love for Taylor Swift that he robbed a bank in order to impress the popstar, NBC Connecticut quotes local police. And if robbing a bank wasn't enough, he drove over to her mansion and threw money over her fence. Taylor could only imagine this in her wildest dreams, we bet.

Ansonia Police Department arrested 26-year-old Bruce Rowley last Thursday after two people identified him as the man wanted for a robbery at a local bank a day before. Police obtained an arrest warrant against the man and after a highway pursuit involving many police teams, took him in custody. He was also bitten in the arm by a police K9 while being taken into custody, police said in a press release.

It was while being taken back to the police department, the man confessed to having a crush on Taylor Swift, NBC quotes the police report. The man told cops that after robbing the bank, he drove over to the pop queen's mansion in the neighbouring state of Rhode Island, nearly two hours away, and threw some of the loot from the bank over the fence, the report said. He also tried to contact the singer but she wasn't home.

The man was charged with second degree robbery and held on a $100,000 bond.

Taylor Swift hasn't responded to the fan's extreme display of affection but we're assuming she thinks he's trouble.

Click for more trending news

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taylor swift fan throws money at her mansion

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Taylor Swift Fan Robs Bank, Throws Money At Her House To Impress Her

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A man from Connecticut, USA was so overpowered by his love for Taylor Swift that he robbed a bank in order to impress the popstar, NBC Connecticut quotes local police. And if robbing a bank wasn't enough, he drove over to her mansion and threw money over her fence.

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STUDENT A's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to Student B.)

(1)

What comes to mind when you hear the word 'superstition'?

(2)

What superstitions do you know?

(3)

Which ones do you believe?

(4)

Do you believe that some numbers, days or dates are lucky or unlucky?

(5)

Do any animals or insects bring good or bad luck?

(6)

Are any colors lucky or unlucky?

(7)

What can you do to prevent bad things from happening?

(8)

Would you change your phone number or home address to avoid 'bad numbers'?

(9)

Do you believe that some materials are lucky/unlucky (such as gold, silk, etc.)?

(10)

Would you change your name if you heard your name was unlucky?

STUDENT B's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to Student A.)

(1)

What do you think about superstition?

(2)

How do you think some superstitions started?

(3)

What is your opinion of superstitious people?

(4)

Are there any actions that can bring bad luck (such as walking under a ladder, breaking a mirror, spilling salt, etc.)?

(5)

What symbols in your culture bring good luck? Why is that?

(6)

What happens when someone talks about you in your absence?

(7)

What will happen if one of your hands or feet is itchy?

(8)

Where does the expression "Bless you" or "God bless you" (when someone sneezes) come from?

(9)

Do you have any objects that are said to bring good luck, such as a rabbit's foot, a lucky coin, etc.?

(10)

Can the location of a house or the position of furniture bring good or bad luck?

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ESL Conversation Lesson Questions: Free classroom handouts. English lesson on SUPERSTITIONS. Use for debates, discussions, speaking, conversations, independent learning and more.

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Superstitions vary from culture to culture all over the world.

In Portugal, many people believe that walking backwards brings bad luck.

People in Spain traditionally eat 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve to bring luck for each month of the coming year.

Most people are at least a little superstitious. Whether that be placing trust in lucky numbers or trying to avoid bad omens, different cultures have incredible stories behind their superstitions.

Thinking that trimming your nails at night will bring bad luck is a common belief in India, for example, while many people in the US see pennies as a sign of good luck.

Keep reading for 20 superstitious beliefs from around the globe and the stories behind them.

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20 bizarre superstitions from around the world and the meaning behind them

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Superstitions vary from culture to culture all over the world. In Portugal, many people believe that walking backwards brings bad luck. People in Spain traditionally eat 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve to bring luck for each month of the coming year.

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PARIS: A mystery as old as laced shoes was unravelled Wednesday by experiments that reveal how shoestrings come undone when we are on the move.

"The failure of the knot happens in a matter of seconds, often without warning, and is catastrophic," scientists reported in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society A.

The researchers meant "catastrophic" in a technical sense of complete, or total collapse - once the loosening begins, there's no stopping it.

But while the cost of a straggling shoelace is rarely higher than a scraped knee or the time it takes to bend down and retie a bow, sometimes the consequences can be devastating.

Lace-related accidents dot local media around the world: the van driver who killed a motorcyclist when his shoestring - wound tight around the accelerator - prevented him from lifting his foot off the gas; the boy whose leg got pulled into the gears of an escalator; the cyclist who went head-over-handlebars into traffic.

Millions of shoelaces surely come unfurled every day, and yet the mechanics of that process had never been thoroughly examined.

To tackle the enigma, a trio of mechanical engineers at the University of California at Berkeley filmed a knot - on the shoe of a researcher running on a treadmill - coming undone in extreme slow motion.

The images suggested a two-pronged attack on the knot's integrity.

"When running, your foot strikes the ground at seven times the force of gravity," stretching and relaxing the knot, said co-author Christine Gregg, a graduate student.

And then - as the knot relaxes - the legs swings into motion, applying additional force.

"A double whammy of stomping and whipping forces acts like an invisible hand, loosening the knot and then tugging on the free ends of your laces until the whole thing unravels," the researchers explained in a statement.

Follow-up tests with a mechanical foot-and-leg showed that some laces were better than others, but none were impervious to failure.

Of the two most commonly used knots to tie shoes, one is "weak" and the other "strong," the study found.

The strong version is based on a square knot, which is more symmetrical, while the so-called "false" knot twists when tightened rather than lying flat.

Both fail in the same way, but one takes longer than the other.

"We were able to show that the weak knot will always fail and the strong knot will fail at a certain time scale," said professor Oliver O-Reilly, whose lab conducted the experiments.

"But we still do not understand why there's a fundamental mechanical difference," he added, leaving another knotty mystery to be solved. --AFP

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'Catastrophic failure': why shoelaces come undone

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PARIS: A mystery as old as laced shoes was unravelled Wednesday by experiments that reveal how shoestrings come undone when we are on the move. "The failure of the knot happens in a matter of seconds, often without warning, and is catastrophic," scientists reported in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society A.

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HONG KONG: A Chinese woman is seeking compensation after becoming the latest unwary shopper to fall foul of the trend of clothing that carry embarrassing, ungrammatical or just plain baffling English words and phrases.

In the latest case, the woman from Qingdao in the eastern province of Shandong claimed her whole family had suffered tremendous emotional damage and embarrassment after wearing a top with the word "DIE" emblazoned on the front to a school parent-teacher meeting.

The woman, surnamed Mao, told the Peninsula Metropolis Daily that she couldn't understand why other parents were staring at her when she turned up at the meeting on Tuesday wearing the top she had bought earlier this month.

But she said she soon learned why they were staring at her after a teacher explained what the word meant in English.

She claimed that it had caused great upset to her family, and her child frequently burst into tears.

She went back to the mall where she had bought the top and demanded compensation, the report continued.

At first the store tried to convince her that the word had many different meanings.

But she insisted there was only one meaning of the word and the store eventually agreed she could return the sweater and offered her 400 yuan (US$62.50) in compensation.

But Mao rejected the offer, saying it was not enough to make up for distress her family had suffered and the case is now being dealt with by the local market watchdog.

Whatever the outcome of her case, she is the latest in a long line of people to fall victim to Asia's most embarrassing fashion trend.

Retailers are keen to cash in on the growing trend for using English across China and other parts of East Asia by offering a variety of clothing carrying words or phrases in the language.

But many of these are ungrammatical and poorly spelt and many unwary shoppers have been pictured in clothes they would never dream of wearing if they understood the true meaning, a phenomenon often referred to as "Chinglish".

One example circulated online shows a little girl in a pink T-shirt standing under a lace umbrella, making a V-for-victory sign - all rather spoiled by the phrase on her shirt that reads "you are a "f***ing piece of *****".

Another showed a man in a white sweater bearing the words "Crap your hands".

Li Yunsheng, a lawyer at the Qingdao office of Jointide Law Firm, told the Peninsula Metropolis Daily that the retailers have the obligation to be cautious about the products they sold.

"Some customers don't know English so the retailers have to do their due diligence when selling such products," he said. - SCMP

CLICK HERE to read the original article

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#Offbeat: Non-English speaking woman wears shirt bearing word 'DIE' to school meeting, triggers uproar

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HONG KONG: A Chinese woman is seeking compensation after becoming the latest unwary shopper to fall foul of the trend of clothing that carry embarrassing, ungrammatical or just plain baffling English words and phrases.

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Getty/EPA

Illustrated guides have appeared in hair salons in the communist state's capital Pyongyang showing haircuts "approved" by crazy Kim's authorities.

And surprisingly, none of the male styles match Jong-un's infamous haircut, although no options appear to allow long hair.

Finnish journalist Mika Makelainen took snaps of two posters which he claims show the haircuts allowed in North Korea.

EPA

Kim Jong-un's playground: Pyongyang as you've NEVER seen it before!

With its fun fairs, bowling alleys and pizza restaurants, is the influx of Chinese trade modernising the hermit state of North Korea?

Eric Lafforgue/Exclusivepix Medi

He took the images during a visit to Pyongyang to cover the military parade on the Day of the Sun - a public holiday to mark the birth of Kim II-sung 105 years ago.

Mika even had a snip in one of the country's salons, and says he chose what he describes as the "most popular style on offer"

The reporter then described the cut as the "best shave and head massage I have ever had".

He tweeted: "North Korean men can choose between 15 approved haircut styles. I had the most popular one - and it's not like Kim Jong Un."

My HOLIDAY in North Korea: One man's time on Kim's tourist trail

An inside view of North Korea

Mika then wrote: "Equality in North Korea: Both sexes have 15 approved haircut models. You can forget about dyeing your hair though."

Since sharing the pictures, social media users have been speculating the posters may simply be guides, as opposed to "mandatory styles".

But just two years ago it was reported Kim Jong-un was ordering men to copy his hairstyle, limiting growth to a maximum length of 2cm.

Related videos

Anyone found to be in breach of the order was said to have faced having their hair cut by officials, especially students in universities.

Women were also said to have been ordered to copy Jong-un's wife's hairstyle of choice, which is a classic bob.

The news comes as North Korea vowed to test missiles weekly, following its failed rocked launch which left Kim Jong-un red faced.

Related articles

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Kim back and sides: The bizarre 15 state-approved haircuts on offer in North Korea

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Getty/EPA Illustrated guides have appeared in hair salons in the communist state's capital Pyongyang showing haircuts "approved" by crazy Kim's authorities. And surprisingly, none of the male styles match Jong-un's infamous haircut, although no options appear to allow long hair. Finnish journalist Mika Makelainen took snaps of two posters which he claims show the haircuts allowed in North Korea.

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A school has banned a hairstyle known as the "meet me at McDonald's"- and says anyone sporting the do will be sent home or put in isolation.

Great Yarmouth Charter Academy's headmaster Barry Smith sent a letter to parents saying variations on the style were among seven "unacceptable haircuts for boys".

He warned that children with dodgy dos would "either be sent home to have their hair restyled or placed in isolation until their hair is restyled".

Girls' hair is "generally not a problem at Charter", the letter added, but "boys' hair, in a very small number of cases, is a problem"

It is not clear where the name for this particular style comes from, but a barber in Norwich explained what it is.

"It's a grade zero or a one on the sides, then disconnected with a perm or curly on the top and you have it sitting forwards," Elliot Branford said.

Other "unacceptable" haircuts listed in the school's letter include high tops and shaved parting lines.

Mr Smith's letter went on to say: "Most pupils dress appropriately and most have hairstyles that are not extreme.

"We expect all pupils to meet this standard."

Other styles which have failed to make the cut include "overgrown, heavy brushed forward on to the face"...

..."hair that is teased to give excessive height"...

...and "any variation on a Mohican style"...

Mr Smith said the school would "happily provide families with a PowerPoint of unacceptable styles to avoid".

Sky News has requested a copy.

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Not lovin' it: School's beef with 'meet me at McDonald's' haircut

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A school has banned a hairstyle known as the "meet me at McDonald's"- and says anyone sporting the do will be sent home or put in isolation. Great Yarmouth Charter Academy's headmaster Barry Smith sent a letter to parents saying variations on the style were among seven "unacceptable haircuts for boys".