The week that was

Again it's been one of those weeks where I've not felt so compelled to put virtual pen to blogging paper and jot down my thoughts.

This is not to say nothing's been happening in the world. The news has been less than "bootiful" for Bernard Matthews and after today's news coverage I can only expect a near collapse in their sales as the media all but made out that the food sold could spread avian flu to poultry around the country and when there's talk of H5N1 entering the food chain that's all you need for customers to leave in their droves. I, on the other hand, had no qualms at purchasing some Bernard Matthews process hams for my sarnies. Scaremongering, plain and simple.

News of muslim extremism in this country seems to be the stuff of the press and TV on all but a daily basis now with it seems all manner of individuals or organisations up to no good or teaching the word of intolerance, division and hate. The communities being targeted by police enquiries and arrests are complaining, but in the light of what's going on and what's been and likely being plotted, what else are the police expected to do but focus their efforts on the group that's without exception intertwined with these acts. If the perpetrators were from a wider demographic then no doubt the police's net would similarly be wider. The search for the letter bomber wouldn't have lead the police to the Muslims community as the source is seemingly a disgruntled driver or animal rights extremist, but when there's plots of Muslim extremism afoot the police must get to the heart of it, no question. Frederick Forsyth and Simon Hughes both made some excellent, straight-forward points on this issue on this week's Question Time programme which were both well overdue and far too seldom heard in my opinion.

After a period of what seemed like relative calm it seems as if Israel and Palestine are descending back into their own ways. The Palestinians seem to be looking for any opportunity to get worked up and throw stones at Israel who inevitably retaliate with greater force. The mentality on both sides is pretty deplorable and it's not a place that's high on my list of places to visit, violence or not. Grow up, learn some respect towards fellow man irrespective of creed or religion and then we'll see. This goes for both belligerents. There's no end of excuses and history to make the situation all the more protracted, but the road forward takes real courage, vision and the ability to look beyond their own blinkered communities and mindsets.

Snow. That proved a meteorological white-wash for around these parts as we saw absolutely none of the stuff aside from a few flakes on the day when the Midlands was getting dumped on. Dull weather, yes, but we've avoided everything grinding to a halt as it so often does during such weather. One million people took the day off work due to the snow. It's staggering, but of course due to the fact that our weather is so entirely unexciting for the vast majority of the time that no expense can be justified on the likes of fleets of snow ploughs or similar.