Passenger plane overshoots runway

Just before 9.00 pm tonight a passenger plane overshot the runway at Newcastle Airport. At least, that's what is being reported. Except the plane remained on the tarmac according to Tyne and Wear Fire Service. In this report from the BBC there is one version from a passenger - "The plane started to shudder after we hit the runway. The pilot was putting on the brakes... we quickly realised we were over the front of the runway and the front end of the plane was in the field. People didn't realise how serious it was until we got off the plane." Then there was the version from the fire service group manager - "They seemed fine in all honesty, it's just they were disembarking in a different position. Most of them did not realise anything was different."

Funny how two people can see things so differently.

Queen opens Henry VIII's General Synod

Last night I was surfing the net, looking at information on the activities in General Synod. One site I was looking at had the C of E logo in the corner. My son came in and saw the words "Church of England" emblazoned across the screen. "Oh, Church of England!", he said, with a knowing tone in his voice. "That's not God's Church". I was taken aback a bit by this enthusiastic piece of information, but also rather intrigued. "Who's church is it?" I enquired. "Oh, no", he said, "it's Henry VIII's church". For a moment I didn't know what to say. Then thought that maybe his lessons at school were taking him on a very interesting path. He's learning about Henry VIII but I wonder if he's being given the unvarnished truth. Most people think this in one way or another. It seems that the secular education authorities just perpetuate the same old myths and teach them as gospel.

Henry may have had his beef with the Pope but he certainly was no factional sect builder. He maintained his beliefs in the Catholic Faith going so far as to instigate laws to defend it against protestant reformers who scared him as much as his mother-in-laws. I can't see folklore religion being a proper subject for the National Curriculum.

When the Queen opened the General Synod she mentioned the hard tasks before the members. She does this as Supreme Governor, but she hasn't got a church in her name. The general fuzzy thought process for most in England is that the Church of England is not really anything other that a protestant organisation that does some good things. I think it was best summed up in a remark by a British Army officer in the Balkans, when he was discussing how the Army was helping the Muslims of Bosnia. "Well, of course, they're not proper Muslims you know. They're sort of C of E Muslims". Not that there could be any Muslims of this kind, but it neatly illustrates what the Archbishop of Canterbury is up against. A vague understanding that somehow the Church of England is wishy-washy and not "proper". In 1986 the Episcopal Church had an advertisement which promoted the canard. Looks and sounds jokey but just shows up the familiar error.

So my son may have a point. Not that it's not God's church, but that those within it don't always profess the Faith in a coherent manner. Most Anglicans I meet have no desire to have any spiritual depth. This is not to slight them. They just prefer a religion that is undemanding in the literal sense. That is, not too many questions.

I just query whether children in primary schools should get a proper version of Henry VIII or get the popular version of him.

Nigel Havers walks out of jungle show

So Nigel Havers has decided to quit I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! This is the sort of show that I found great fun first time round but then it all got rather predictable. I watched the first episode of this series when the celebs met up with each other for the first time. Most didn't know each other, which kind of suggests that they are not all that famous.

Havers apparently got miffed about the treatment of contestants. Now Nigel, when was it any different on ITV? You were picked because the "management" thought we'd all have a good laugh at your expense. You were never meant to be a star of the show, just a commodity to make the advertisers feel that they were back in the good old days. I think Strictly Come Dancing would have been a far better bet, or maybe Come Dine With Me. But really the fact is that reality TV is all about revealing the unreality of it all. As Michael Winner might say, "It's only a TV show, darling!".

Archbishop of Canterbury has been 'abducted by aliens' says bishop

Bishop Gene Robinson doesn't do himself any favours by being rather rude about Rowan Williams. He seems to think that the Archbishop of Canterbury has been "abducted by aliens" simply by trying to profess the Faith. What is alien for the Church is for the sacraments to be undermined by those who, for whatever reason, cannot maintain the discipline of faith. Those that keep to the historic understanding of the Church's traditions are attacked and belittled. Gene Robinson may have quite an honest belief but his beliefs are not those of the whole church by any stretch of the imagination. That is the point, surely.

This story appeared in the Daily Mail which also reports that the archbishop of Canterbury "has warned of shortages of vicars due to clergy moving to Rome". Most who are moving at the moment are not vicars, but as I've said before, the secular media uses the term "vicar" for any cleric regardless of the actual position.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1331530/Archbishop-Canterbury-abducted-aliens-says-bishop-battle-gay-clergy.html#ixzz161sDo700

Bishop "sorry" for royal remarks

A Church of England bishop has apologised for "deeply offensive" comments on Facebook about Prince William's engagement to Kate Middleton. The Bishop of Willesden, the Rt Rev Pete Broadbent, said the marriage would last about seven years. Not very charitable, not very Christian. Casting aspersions is hardly the thing of bishops. I suppose we must be glad he apologised. Repentance and all that....

Bishop Pete, as he likes to be known, is some kind of republican sympathiser and no doubt some kind of sympathiser to the new doctrines. Maybe King Chas and Queen Kate are more to his liking. I wonder what the New Testament would have been like if the Rock on which the Church was built went around calling himself "Pete"?

The Pope and the condom

Pope Benedict is a thoughtful man. That is, he is full of thoughts. About how the Catholic Faith is maintained. Most people think the Church should behave according to the fashions of the age, both those within and without. That is not what the Church is about, however wonderful new fashion may be. The Church is about accepting received Truth and maintaining the Faith.

When it comes to condoms, the general mantra is that these are the best way to prevent the transmission of disease. As a stand alone concept, that is perfectly correct. But it does nothing to address behaviour, it does nothing to address attitudes. All it says is that disease is 99% guaranteed prevented, always assuming that the condom is used correctly.

The Pope is being taken to task. What's new, one wonders? In his latest remarks he quite naturally addressed the behaviour of, for example, a male prostitute and suggests that the use of a condom is at least a step in addressing behaviours and activity. Is it not better that in such circumstances a measure of trying to protect lives is introduced? This is a step on the road to personal transformation.

The ultimate in sexual activity as far as the Catholic Church is concerned is within marriage and for the purpose of allowing the free transmission of life into a new generation. That is the ultimate situation, within the sacrament of holy matrimony. That many fall short of this, or feel unable to commit to it, or even truculantly oppose it, does not in any way diminish the beneficial aspect of the doctrine.

The Church is about life and death. Life is supposed to be naturally born and death is supposed to occur naturally. Risky sexual activity of the form the Pope described may lead to a death caused by reckless behaviour. The Church is definitely not about reckless behaviour.

Jennifer Lopez Picture, Video, Wallpaper, Profile, Gossip, and ...

Jennifer Lynn Lopez (born July 24, 1969),popularly nicknamed J.Lo, is an American actress, singer-songwriter, record producer, dancer, fashion designer and television producer. She is the richest person of Latin American descent in Hollywood according to Forbes, and the most influential Hispanic entertainer in America according to People en Español's list of "100 Most Influential Hispanics".

Jennifer Lopez was born and grew up in the South Bronx, New York to Puerto Rican parents Guadalupe Rodríguez, a kindergarten teacher, and David Lopez, a computer specialist. She has two siblings, Lynda and Leslie. Lopez spent her entire academic career in Catholic schools, finishing at the all-girls Preston High School, in the Bronx. She financed singing and dancing lessons for herself from the age of 19. After attending Baruch College for one semester, Lopez divided her time between working in a legal office, dance classes, and dance performances in Manhattan night clubs. After months of auditioning for dance roles, Lopez was selected as a dancer for various rap music videos, a 1990 episode of Yo! MTV Raps, and as a backup dancer for the New Kids on the Block and their performance of their song "Games" for the American Music Awards in 1991. After being rejected twice, Lopez gained her first regular high-profile job as a "Fly Girl" dancer on the television comedy program In Living Color in 1990. Soon after, Lopez became a backup dancer for Janet Jackson and made an appearance in her 1993 video "That's the Way Love

Incident shuts Birmingham Airport

All flights at Birmingham Airport have been suspended and the runway closed following an incident on the site, the airport said. Apparently a small aircarft crashed on the runway with possible casualties.

BHX site.

Jason Manford quits The One Show

Comedian Jason Manford has quit as co-presenter of The One Show, four months after taking on the role. The BBC has "accepted" his resignation. He got into a bit of hot water about "flirting" with people online. People who had got in touch with the programme. This was not during the show, but on Twitter. He agreed that some things had gone "too far". So he's quit.

I don't really watch this show, although it is popular with my children. What he did off air is his business and probably the BBC's. However, I hardly think it affects the viewers. Accept to say that the Sun got in on the act. So, I suppose, with press coverage, he was a bit tarnished from a presenter's position.

The problem I have with all this is that there are double standards. I've grown up with BBC Television. When I was little Christopher Trace got dumped from Blue Peter because he was divorced. Janet Ellis got pregnant without being married and there was a hullabaloo. Yet others stayed who had strayed. Over the years some get the boot, some get the booty. None of it seems fair or rational. It is just transitory justice according to the whims and fancies of the day. Jonathan Ross came back with his tale between his hands, seemingly none the worse for a transgression that offended many. Is it money talking more than morals? Or is it a case that if the money doesn't talk, your morals get the going over?

The one thing that shines out of this is that Jason Manford's wife has seen it all as a silly event. She was disappointed, but she and her husband are together. The hand that rocks the cradle, eh?

Ireland to get bail-out loan

So Ireland is going to be giving shedloads more money, not as a gift but a "loan", whilst it is up to its neck in collossal debt. How are they going to pay it all back?

Maybe the European Commission and the Irish government could tell us all how much is exactly owed? The BBC is talking of a "very substantial loan" and "tens of billions" of euros. We hear of "pumping" money in. Where will it all come from?

Simple questions!

1. How much does Ireland owe?
2. How much will Ireland be given?
3. Where will the "loan" come from?

No need for committees. No need for summits. Just simple one line answers.

Sarah Palin not quite sure about White House run

The last time Sarah Palin looked out of her kitchen window she was very certain she could see Russia. At the moment she is mulling over whether to run for the Presidency next time round. As fevered speculation mounts, she replies that she just wants to "look at the lay of the land". Well, it didn't "lay" in Russia. Maybe her best hope of seeing the lay of the land is watching a goose lay a golden egg. Her policies are best summed up as a golden curate's egg. Shiny shell and smooth with lots of rich texture but with a mixed bag inside. Maybe it's all some kind of a yoke?

As far as the lie of the land is concerned, well that's nearer to Washington and its far more fenced in and cultivated with an assortment of crops all springing up. She'll need all the help she can get to bring home the harvest.

Coal Miner's Daughter and the Prince

Kate Middleton may not be a coal miner's daughter but this song is good for all from coalmining stock. It's a great country song by a great country singer. Loretta Lynn and a Coal Miner's Daughter -

Prince William to marry next year

There's some good news suddenly. Lot's of it, in fact. We need a bit considering all the gloom financially. Prince William has decided to make an honest woman of Kate Middleton. Or is it the other way round? From what the BBC is saying, it was Miss Middleton who had her eyes on Prince William at least as far back as 10 years and steadily pursued her prince. Now it is all official and everyone seems pleased. Prince Charles is pleased. "Well, he's been practising long enough" was the merry quip. Assuming all goes to plan, Kate with become Queen Catherine.

The last queen consort of that name was Catherine of Braganza, wife of Charles II. That merry monarch practised quite a bit producing many offspring of an illegitimate kind. Despite the sprogs and the spaniels, Catherine was a loyal queen but was regarded with suspicion by many because she only spoke Portuguese and was a Roman Catholic. No such problems with Kate. She appears to be just what the public would want in a queen. As one subject delicately put it, "she's not some stuffy royal, she's from coalmining stock!". One might think a touch of the Arthur Scargills was about to descend over Buckingham Palace.

Coalmining stock is actually quite good. It did OK in Chile. And when she gets to be a royal princess (of the unstuffy variety) she can invite Sir Jimmy Savile to her court. Two for the price of one there. Court jester and former coalminer. How's about that, then?

Of bankers and soldiers

British bankers are in discussions about the possibility of reducing New Year bonuses from £7bn to £4bn. The expectation is that the £7bn figure will be paid, but one banker said, "Maybe we can cut that to £4bn. But although that would be a huge reduction, £4bn is still a big number - and we'll still face attacks." I still don't think they get it. It isn't necessarily about the money. It's about the greedy attitude in the face of a grave financial crisis hitting the country. Whilst many face the New Year with unemployment on the horizon, these cheesy characters are arguing the toss about bonuses.

"One of the great paradoxes about all of this is that ministers would love us to agree to cut bonuses, but they're powerless to stop us being prosecuted under competition law," a banker has said. If that was reported correctly, then it sounds like they are hiding behind a perceived prosecution. Did it ever occur to this banker that it might not be in the public interest to mount a prosecution?

The BBC reports that British banks are said to be irked that Wall Street is resistant to the idea of a mutual agreement on restricting bonuses. "There's no chance that the big US investment banks will follow our example, which means that business and good people could leave London for New York or elsewhere, if we're seen to be paying less than the market rate," another banker said. Good people? If we are all in this together, what is so good about just going after the market rate. Are the so-called good bankers only motivated by money?

Yesterday was Remembrance Sunday. Plenty of soldiers died fighting for freedom and a better world. Soldiers are still dying today and if these current conflicts don't end soon will continue to die. Those that died laid down their lives for their country.

It seems that good bankers are reluctant to lay down even part of their bonuses for their country. Doesn't that say an awful lot about the culture that has infected the once noble profession of banking?

Arrest over fire extinguisher throwing at student march

The police have found the student who allegedly chucked the fire extinguisher from the roof of Millbank Tower. The object narrowly missed a policeman. A 23-year-old student is being questioned by police in Cambridgeshire on suspicion of violent disorder. I'm not sure what the penalty is for "violent disorder" but any sane person who does such an act, knowing that there is a crowd down below, surely knows that death is a distinct possibility for someone.

Maybe there is a new definition of violent disorder?

Banks' debt collectors and their scams and scares

Andrew MacKinlay is a tough cookie not given to mincing his words. He's the Labour MP for Thurrock and I hazzard a guess he's got a sizeable personal vote. He's a very good Commons performer.

On the 22nd April 2009 he spoke in the House of Commons about the methods that banks and other lenders use to get money back from defaulting loans. Whilst it's perfectable OK to pursue debtors it must be done legally and in accordance with trading standards. The trouble is banks and others think they can scam and scare and carry on like Wild West characters.

He started that night by saying,"The purpose of this debate is to draw the House’s attention to the abysmal state of debt collection methodology and the spirit governing it in the UK and the wholly inadequate safeguards for good and innocent people who are endeavouring to pay debt or who dispute it. It is a matter of fact that the debt collection industry relies on a combination of fear and ignorance to make a profit, and that is despicable." The rest of his speech makes for sombre reading.

MacKinlay has done us a service by speaking up. However, that was a year and a half ago. If the Coalition Government is pushing fairness, let them deal with the legalised crooks described so admirably in this debate. One bit jumps out at me.

QUOTE: The radio programme to which I referred also demonstrated the courage of a Mr. John Cooper, who took on the communications company 3, which I have already mentioned. He had purchased, some time ago, phones for his daughters, but they did not work in his area. He cancelled his direct debit. It would appear that that alleged debt was sold to a company called HFO Services, which persisted, menacingly, in trying to get him to cough up some money, to the extent that his daughter was fearful that its representatives would seize property in the home. I heard on the radio—I think that the Minister will have done so, too—a recording of a telephone conversation in which a representative from HFO Services, speaking from a call centre in Asia, said: “Despite leaving several messages on your answer machine and despite trying to get in touch with you, you have failed to respond back. Now if I don’t receive your call today I would go ahead and forward the”— there followed an indistinct word— “to Northampton County Court so that there would be a county court judgement issued against you. And it might be also the court appointed bailiffs. If you want to save yourself some legal hassles please call me back.” That is completely and utterly contrary to the codes. Of course, the company was exposed by the BBC. In a feeble statement, the outfit called HFO Services said: “HFO views any alleged breach of the OFT guidelines or applicable legislation as a matter of the utmost seriousness.”

It would say that, wouldn’t it? That does not impress me. It tried to give an excuse and pretended that it would have an investigation. I have to say that the director of that company knows what is going on in his call centre. If he does not, he should, and anyway, he is culpable."

Strong stuff. But how long are we going to allow these businesses to get away with flagrant breaches of the law, of codes of practice and other guidelines? We need action now.

Lecturers praise student violence

It comes to something when those who are supposed to be teaching others take lessons from the would-be taught. And learn that several wrongs make a very bad right! The demonstration about student fees started well enough. But it was hijacked by a bunch of middle class hotheads whipped up by anarchists and all other types of anti-democratic street fighters.

Lecturers, from Goldsmiths, University of London, have proclaimed in a missive, "We the undersigned wish to congratulate staff and students on the magnificent anti-cuts demonstration this afternoon. The events demonstrate the deep hostility in the UK towards the cuts proposed in the Comprehensive Spending Review. We hope that this marks the beginning of a sustained defence of public services and welfare provision as well as higher education." They said nothing about vandalism, bludgeoning police officers and nearly trying to kill a policeman by throwing a heavy fire extinguisher from the roof of Millbank, where the Tories have their HQ. Staff of other offices in the building were frightened and waitresses in a coffee shop were trapped for over three hours.

These lecturers are a witless bunch who have suddenly let their brains hit the floor. They need to look in a mirror and think about whether trying to kill people is a perfectly acceptable activity whilst demonstrating. I wonder if a smile will come on their faces?

Nobody has said that peaceful demonstrating is wrong. How could they? It is part of our democratic system. What is wrong is trying to inflict pain, misery and generally acting as if other people's lives are of no consequence.

George Bush waterboards his conscience!

British lives were saved by the use of information obtained from terrorist suspects by "waterboarding", according to former US President George W Bush. I heard him on the Today Programme, or rather a tape of his interview on NBC. He sounded his usual self. All nervous and jittery when pushed on the subject. He consulted lawyers and the lawyers said OK! But George has a conscience that's in overdrive when he gets these questions. He has tried to sound all macho and tough. Appeal to the bible belt, the Tea Party toughies, rednecks and bubbas, corporate machismos.

When George married he took up with his wife's nonconformist beliefs. But you can't take the Episcopalian out of the man. Maybe George should attend bible classes. "Now what would Jesus think of waterboarding, George?".

Tough one, that!

BNP in new court battle over membership

It seems to me that the Equality and Human Rights Commission is on a crusade to impede democracy and stifle debate. They have an idea that, by going after the BNP, they can get the party to implode under a mountain of court costs. So they have come up with the ridiculous notion that loads of ethnic minority people should be allowed to join the BNP. All this in the name of equality. Of course, it has nothing to do with equality or discrimination. It has everything to do with trying to outlaw those you find objectionable.

The EHRC is alarmed at the 1 million voters who support the BNP. So by killing off the party they hope to change the minds of those voters. An absurd notion, but only those with absurd notions run the EHRC. If the BNP goes, another will take its place. Far better to debate and show why the BNP policies are not right.

If this ridiculous court case results in a form of entryism, then there will be all sorts of bogus demands, such as women forcing themselves into the Catholic ministry. It is a can of worms unleashed by those who are no better than Pharisees.

Mindsets are not changed by draconian laws. If that was so, then the glorious German Democratic Republic would still be up and running.

First gay Episcopal bishop to retire in 2013

Gene Robinson is to retire in 2013. He is currently the Bishop of New Hampshire and has been the centre point of the controversy over homosexuality in the church. Actually, I think Gene Robinson's position is not so much about "gay bishops" rather it is all about authority and the novelty doctrines that are so cherished by the liberal elite in the Episcopal Church. He tells the people of New Hampshire, "I believe that you elected me because you believed me to be the right person to lead you at this time. The world has sometimes questioned that, but I hope you never did." That seems to me the crux of all this. The "world" is the representation of "them out there". I wonder what the "whole company of Heaven", as the Prayer Book puts it, thinks. Surely there must have been a few questions there?

The vast majority of sacramental Christians do not find Bishop Robinson's situation compatible with the gospel. Those of his mind are few in number compared with that majority. Yet, because many in the secular world warm to his opinions, he is seen as representing a far greater constituency.

I do not wish him ill in any way. It is utterly reprehensible that he has received death threats. It is also unpleasant that he has been abused by critics. It is quite fair to suggest that he is not openly following the gospel. It is quite wrong to judge his soul and the souls of those close to him. I hope he has a happy retirement when it comes.

Tea Party tactics at the White House table

I've got mixed feelings about some of the results in the Mid-term elections. I'm all in favour of reducing tax and reducing government spending. However, it must be done in a way that allows the figures to add up. I heard a Republiccan victor shouting about lowering taxes and winning in Afghanistan as if there was no connection between the two. To hear some speak, soldiers get paid out of thin air. There is never any linkage between the vast sums spent on "the military" and the quick soundbites about tax reduction.

I hope good sound thinking politicians will now come together on Capitiol Hill. The Tea Party politics is all very well, but it all has too many neat political doilies on the table and the cup cakes have their icing too neatly presented. The political food is not that substantial. Sarah Palin is their idol, but she comes across as a vacuous airhead, just repeating phrases that sound good to Fox News viewers. Has she anything to say about Bernanke cranking up his digital money producing machines? Bernanke's going to quantitatively ease vast amounts of dollars into the system. So much for the Protestant work ethic. It's enough to make the Pilgrim Fathers vomit. Is any of this being discussed at the Tea Party today?

I remember Michael Moore (yes, a radical from Flint, Michigan, I know!) doing a piece on the gargantuan amounts slushing around the system. When Newt Gingrinch was Speaker of the House he was able to get cash into his district in Georgia. $4 million went into a library in Marietta. Moore asked this guy, who was sitting at a table in the library, if funding to this district should be cut to bring down taxes. The answer was typical. Not here in Marietta, but how about starting elsewhere.

Talk is easy. It's political action that counts. The whole Western world needs to stop this crazy manufacturing of digital money and come back to doing some real business. Before taxes are lowered we need to know exactly how many staff each government needs to operate properly. It surely cannot be right for the state to be an employment sponge so that the dole queues are reduced.

Barack Obama wants to talk with those who feel they are out of the recovery process. Perhaps the first thing that those gathering for a tea party can do is to ask when the fake money supply will stop.

Birmingham Airport not fully used by Midlanders

It's a crazy world. The West Midlands has a perfectly good airport at Birmingham, yet of the 8 million people living within one hour’s drive of it, less than 40% currently use Birmingham. They would prefer to fight their way down to Heathrow or tootle up to Manchester or wherever. No wonder the Heathrow lobby has so much up its sleeve.

One of the problems is a throwback to the seventies and the way the charter holiday business treats Gatwick as THE airport and stuffs the rest with grossly distorting flight supplements. They've got a hackneyed explanation about planes, fuel and the rest, but it is mostly just spivvy talk for getting in extra revenue.

Birmingham Airport can get you to anywhere in the world. In fact, what Heathrow does, Birmingham can do as well. So, ok, not so many direct routes, but then if you live close to BHX why would you want to trek down to Heathrow? The extra hassle, money and time just make it all a total waste of time. We are supposed to be trying to unclog our roads, yet there are still many willing to chase a cheap ticket costing half as much as it does to get to the check-in desk. It's all crazy. Local airports should be the first priority for local people.

Jo Lloyd, Birmingham Airport’s Head of Brand, says, "We need to make ourselves more visible to this market." Meaning the local 8 million Midlanders. Well, I hope I've done my bit. By the way, just as a declaration, I've got no interest in the airport other than to see it prosper as an amenity for us in this part of the world (that is, the Brummie Hinterland).

Here's a comparison to make a point. Birmingham to Atlanta cost around £375 currently, give or take, with either Delta, Air France or KLM via Paris or Amsterdam. Heathrow offers a direct route and costs around £345 currently. So the difference is £30! Great - try getting to the check-in at Heathrow for that amount. I suppose, though, that if it's a group of four or more it just might swing it, but what a hassle. No wonder these airline programmes can get so many grumpy participants.

Bank of England Chief Mervyn King Proposes Eliminating Fractional Reserve Banking

This is a very good posting on the Infowars.com site. Mervyn King says, “Eliminating fractional reserve banking explicitly recognises that the pretence that risk-free deposits can be supported by risky assets is alchemy. If there is a need for genuinely safe deposits the only way they can be provided, while ensuring costs and benefits are fully aligned, is to insist such deposits do not co-exist with risky assets.” Trouble is Ben Bernanke is on the side of the digital money printers.

David Cameron's government should revisit the 1844 Bank Charter Act, which stopped banks printing money as if it were confetti. The digital age demands that reckless banking, or casino banking as Vince Cable calls it, is stopped. The only people to gain are the bonus-grabbing bankers as the digitally created cash moves from one computer to another.

Convicted prisoners may get vote

There was a time when a felon was in prison without privileges. I was always taught at school that a privilege was something extra to normal daily life. Like going on a school trip. That was a privilege. Then the sanctimonious lefties got in and started using the word to have a go at "toffs". "They're privileged," they would say, commenting on public schools and the like.

So is it any wonder that prisoners may get the right to vote, because the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled a ban on voting rights was unlawful? Not really. The ECHR is so keen to talk of rights that they completely forget about privileges. It is no more a right for a prisoner to vote than for a pig to have a pilot's licence. I'm all in favour of proper corrective punishment and remedial care whilst in prison. But Thomas Cook is not in charge of prisons. No merry escapades and parties of pleasure, please.

Are we to get hustings in jail? David Dimbleby hosting Question Time from Winson Green Prison? In marginal seats it could be the villains that swing the vote. How many honourable members with small majorities want it known that the convict vote got them to the House? The whole idea is preposterous.

David Cameron says that child killers and serial murderers should be left off the list. That still allows rapists, wife murderers and the rest a voice at the ballot box. It's bizarre. "What are you going to do for us?" "Well, if I'm elected, you'll get jacuzzis, free lotto tickets and steak dinners every Saturday night!" "We'll vote you, but only if you add in a 'get out of jail' wildcard" "OK, it's a deal".

What a world!

Airport bomb "there for a year"!

Belfast International Airport is investigating an embarrassing lapse in security. Or more accurately, just a typical example of the lack of attention to detail that seems to pervade British society these days. It beggars belief that nobody thought to ask about the car, which had a pipe bomb in it. The vehicle was in a long-stay car park and airport parking firm Q Park said "it was confident that car had not been there for a year".

The reports of this only suggest that police are investigating the possibility that the car was there for almost a year. I suppose someone just suggested the possibility. But the real problem here is the need to investigate such an error. So many horses bolt from so many stable doors. I think a lot of our problems stem from bored staff, doing tedious jobs and not really bothering. After all, is it such a fantastic job wandering around a vast array of cars, watching planes zooming off to different climes, letting your mind drift off into fantasies. Honestly, if it were me, I'd not be too sure if a car was there for a year or a day. If the system has flaws (the company said this vehicle was not pre-booked so was not on the number plate recognition system) then who knows what car is what?

One only has to thank the chances that came about to render this bomb a virtual dud.