Thursday 25^th August – when Nigel Farage returned to Brussels after Brexit his objective was predictable. His visit was to raise two fingers to the EU in general, a double handful for Jean-Claude Juncker. We thought at the time it was ‘job done’ but Nigel had one more score to settle. Obama came to the UK to support ‘remain’ during the Brexit campaign. His threat that the UK would be at the back of the queue for trade deals went down like a concrete parachute. If nothing else, it gave Nigel another windmill to tilt at, hence his appearance at Donald Trump’s convention. In the absence of Obama he took aim at Hilary Clinton. Nigel now suggests that Trump could be a second Reagan. We can’t wait to see ‘The Donald’ astride a horse in a cowboy hat – probably riding into the sunset! On second thoughts Trump is a bit of a cowboy anyway. However, when it comes to bearing a grudge, our Nigel takes some beating. We’ll miss him if this was his final joust.

    Friday 26^th August – A Jain religious leader set an interesting trend by addressing the Hayana Assembly in India in the nude. His 40-minute talk was heard in rapt silence, only his arms being waved about as far as we could see. He spoke about gender equality, saying, ‘we are living in the 21^st Century, but today, when boys and girls are differentiated, I feel we are living in the 14^th Century.’ Even at my age I hope the differentiation continues. It raised an interesting thought. Perhaps Prime Ministers Questions in the nude would change our views of our politicians. We regularly use anatomical words to describe them and nude PMQ’s would show us if our word selection had validity. If nothing else we’d know their natural hair colour!

    Saturday 27^th August – a 20-year old got arrested for being drunk and disorderly in Worcester. As half the students in the land have done, the youngster was wearing a traffic cone on his head, taking selfies. The police lost patience with him and gave him a bed for the night. Enough surely, but no, he got taken to court and charged. He now has a conviction to his name. Surely a night in the cells and a fixed penalty notice would have been enough. When we see some of the offences that result in cautions and suspended sentences we despair of the law and some of those who enforce it.

    Sunday 28^th August – as excuses go this one takes some beating. Tracy Briley was seen by passers-by performing oral sex on a woman who passed out on a beach boardwalk in Florida. Tracy said he thought it was his duty to help the unconscious woman, claiming he was an emergency responder. Perhaps his CPR training was inadequate and he thought you could blow down the nearest orifice. The victim has recovered in hospital and it is rumoured that she wants to meet Briley before pressing charges!   

    Monday 29^th August – if Richard Branson almost kills himself by falling off his bike would you really want to join him on a space flight??

    Great media pictures of Burkini clad paddlers on Brighton beach. It looks like a nun’s convention. An interesting dilemma springs to mind. Would I be allowed to wear jeans and a tee shirt in my local swimming pool? Or would there be concerns about my clothes polluting the water?

    A poll to find the most hilarious city in the UK has come up with the answer – Birmingham. As a former resident I agree that you need a sense of humour to live there!

    Tuesday 30^th August - France’s Calais ‘Jungle Camp’ has become a political football again. Sarcozy, who will run for office again next year, wants the camp moved to England. His conservative rival, Alain Juppe, has called for the Touquet Accord to be renegotiated. Accepting that politicians choose issues that chime with the people they have a point. The ‘Jungle’ should be disbanded. France is a safe country so all those in the ‘Jungle’ could claim asylum. Since they have failed to do so, they should be returned to their own countries. Asylum is generally defined as shelter or refuge, both applicable to France. Clearly those who have congregated in Calais are by definition, not seeking asylum. The threat of repatriation, carried out if necessary, would quickly empty the ‘Jungle’ and end the on going battle with people smugglers. Unfortunately that sort of action demands political will, not generally associated with politicians.

    Notting Hill Carnival – Europe’s biggest street festival! A fun family occasion!!

6 stabbed; 440 arrested; 88 knife-related incidents; 1000+ people treated by St John Ambulance staff; 17 attacks on police; £6 mill cost of policing; windows boarded by larger stores.

     Do we really need this sort of fun?