Talk of the Town: Zoo experts say 'it's a boy'..eventually

IT'S usually the first question proud new parents are asked by friends and relatives, but zoo bosses have taken almost six months to confirm that their latest addition to the penguin enclosure is a boy.

The king penguin chick created a flap when he was born in October – the first such arrival at the zoo for six years – but they had to wait to take a blood sample and DNA test to confirm the chick's sex.

Visitors can easily spot the new arrival, as he has distinctive fluffy grey feathers. Although zoo keepers are naturally overjoyed that he's healthy, they had been hoping for a female to address the gender imbalance.

Survey tries to build the news out of nothing much

HALF of working parents in Edinburgh feel guilty about the lack of time they spend playing with their children and nearly 60 per cent feel they sometimes bring the stresses of their work in to the family home, according to new research.

More than a third also feel their children spend too much time in front of a screen and would prefer them to spend more time playing with creative games such as "construction toys", according to the report sent into the News.

Three guess which toy manufacturer commissioned the survey . . . here's a clue: it sounds like Mego.

Stripping away the mystique

FOR those who think classical music is a little bit staid and boring, a series of concerts could change their minds.

The Royal Scottish National Orchestra is continuing its popular Naked Classics series, which aims to show people the stories behind the music.

Next season's concerts include the intriguingly titled Insomnia: Musical Caffeine at the Usher Hall. Expect plenty of crashing drums, loud trumpet sections and no dozing in the aisles.

For those in any doubt, the series title refers to the music being stripped bare, and not to the dress code.

Net loss for..you guessed it

A NUMBER of sites lambasting various aspects of life in the city have been set up on Facebook, and the number of followers gives an interesting indication of what really gets under the skin of 'burghers.

The group I Hate Edinburgh Traffic Wardens, for example, has just 29 members, so while its founder may think "you have to worry about your car more than what you doing in you life" it seems not too many people are actually that bothered.

Similarly, "I Hate Edinburgh Council", which claims "they take your money, they waste your money", has just 40 members.

Unsurprisingly however, the top gripe is the Capital's ongoing tram project – Scrap the Edinburgh Trams has 527 members.