Editor Andrew Parkes has a number of thoughts every week, here are just five of them.
1. I was lucky enough this weekend to have a ticket to see Van Morrison and Tom Jones live on stage at the O2, the first time they’ve performed together, what a treat. I even enjoyed a drink and a bite to eat before the show (at the slightly inflated type of price you would expect). But I was horrified at the £30 fee for parking – that is frankly a disgrace, though they do, of course, have a captive audience. Come on O2, that’s a rip off. I’m surprised your restaurant chains put up with it.
2. And while I think about, what sort of dipstick goes to a concert and then spends the entire time fiddling with their mobile phone. I’ll tell you, an inconsiderate dipstick who hasn’t even got the intelligence to turn the brightness down on their screen. When I heard recently one superstar had banned mobiles from their shows I thought it was little over the top, I thought they were being a bit of a prima donna – well, not any more, good for them.
3. You may not be aware November is pet diabetes month. Of course, it’s not unusual (thanks Tom) these days to have weeks/months for everything from doughnuts to ball bearings. But even as I poured scorn on the press release I noticed the symptoms you look for in your pet are: increased thirst; frequent urination; changes in appetite; tiredness. Forget the bloody cat, it’s high time I got myself checked out.
4. Did you hear that the number of commuters travelling more than two hours to and from work has jumped 72 per cent in a decade. Hardly sur-prising with the cost of houses. If we’re serious about reducing commuting we have got to get sen-sible about the greenbelt and build more homes.
5. And, while we’re talking commuting, did you see the survey about where men and woman would allow themselves to be touched? Oxford University bods created the “touchability index”. For the avoidance of doubt, in case you see me on the train, I’ve reached the point in life where I’d consider it a compliment to be touched anywhere, by anyone, or anything, come to that.
Send in your 5THOUGHTS by email to aparkes@ london.newsquest.co.uk Send on Twitter to @parkestheeditor Send through Facebook to facebook.com/ newsshopper
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