Friday 7th December 2012

It says here that this year’s prince is born
Ever wish you were better informed?
And it says here that we should be proud that we are free
And our free press reflects our democracy.

So wrote Billy Bragg back in 1984. And who would have thought that those words about royal babies and the press would resonate so loudly in 2012? What better way to distract the people from the impending clusterfuck that is going to be the implementation of the Levenson Inquiry than fill up every newscast with Kate; still pregnant stories?

I arrived in the hotel Monday afternoon and after unpacking switched the TV to find what was going on in the world. Trouble in the middle east, financial collapse, hurricane in the Philippines and so on; but I found that BBC World News had dropped all those after an announcement from St James’ Palace that Kate is preggers and throwing up. Apparently, if the BBC was to be believed, the whole world was talking about little else. I am sure that those living in Syria or Egypt or elsewhere that actually staying alive each day is the main subject of conversation and the thought in your head, they really couldn’t care less.

As you can tell, I couldn’t care less either. Not that I wish Kate and Will any ill; that I can remember the day his impending arrival from between Diana’s thighs was announced means I am an old git. But I thought that we had done away with this fawning over the Royals; did we sit through ‘It’s a Royal Knockout’ for nothing?

Later in the week the headlines were:

Kate still in hospital
Kate leaves hospital
Kate waves at press
Prince Charles happy about pregnancy(!)
Oh, and two Australian DJs ring the hospital to get update on Kate
Prince Charles makes jokes about prank phone call

Bollocks. It goes on and on, and will do so ad infinitum.

In other news, as well as Saville, Glitter, Freddie Starr being linked to either child sex cases, we have had former Radio 1 DJ Dave Lee Travis arrested for sexual assault, and this week both Stuart Hall and PR guru Max Clifford have bother also been arrested. Now, I have no problem at all with anyone who has committed crime be punished for them. However, how can anyone be cleared or charged over things that may, or may not, have taken place in some cases over 40 years ago? Also, during the 70s, my family had News of the World, The People and The Sunday Mirror delivered, and each one every week would be jam packed with sordid kiss and tell stories. I cannot see how all these famous people could have gone through life with the baying pack of Fleet Street not sniffing or printing anything; how can that be? Stuart Hall was a major household name, presenting It’s a Knockout’ most weeks, Jimmy Saville was a DJ and had TV shows, Garry Glitter was, well, Garry Glitter; one of the most famous pop stars. How many copies of any of those papers full of stories of his very illegal sexual preferences sell? It beggars belief that no one know. In which case why was no stories written and published?

It is a strange thing for sure…..

It is rather good to be just heading into work for the last two days of the week, just driving into Ramsgate each morning, getting work done and being home by quarter to five. Sometimes it is the little things that matter. I would always have thought that business travel would be so great, seeing the world and getting paid for it; even if the world is just London City Airport, Billund Airport, the road between Billund and Randers and the hotel Scandic. But, it quickly does become a grind, but I shall try to put things in perspective and make sure I travel with a smile on my face and tell myself how darned lucky I am.

Even if travel means travel expenses. And if you are not very good at keeping up on them you then have a carrier bag full of receipts to check and assign. That I have done this morning, and I should now have a stress-free day with maybe an early stack with a stop at Tesco on the way home….

And so the weekend is nearly here; outside it is snowing hard, but the ground is wet so travel back home should not be a problem later. We hope… Catch you later, Bill and Ted……..

Update: Of course, by now you will have heard that the nurse than was manning the switchboard and who passed on the hoax phonecall at the hospital was found dead in her flat this afternoon.