Some early January thoughts!

It was only a matter of time, I suppose, before a member of the royal family was named in an underage sex scandal. It doesn't seem to be on the same lines as the Jimmy Saville awfulness but still it must be very worrying for them. Royal denials are taking place. Even though we may grow weary of hearing all the stories and accusations, it's a sign of a more open time that the stories are rising to the surface. No longer weighted down by the conventions that "boys will be boys" and that there will always be "that kind of girl", back they come to haunt respectable figures in their older age. Modern life! 

A new high in people smuggling has been reported twice this week. Not only do these pirates take huge amounts of money from people wanting to escape the terror of their lives in war zones but they then set the steering on the vessels the people are travelling in towards the shore, lock it down in a collision course and abandon them to their fate. Just when you thought it could get no worse. 

 Just before Christmas, police counted 42 people sleeping rough in Madrid's Barajas airport. It's a regular thing, apparently, although that was a high. Unless they cause trouble, the police have opted to turn a blind eye to these airport residents. They beg, push people's luggage trolleys, for a small fee, watch luggage, again for a small fee and somehow manage to get by. Some of them go out to soup kitchens during the day but return to the airport to sleep as it's secure, the toilet facilities stay open all night, and sleeping there, even if it's still on the floor is better than on the street. Modern life! 

An article in the newspaper about being healthier and wealthier suggests exchanging your shop bought latte for homemade black coffee. A "regular"(i.e. far bigger than anyone from a proper coffee drinking culture would consume in one go) Starbucks latte costs £2.25, which amounts to £11.25 if you have one every day over five days. And it's not even nice coffee. Well, that's my opinion anyway. If I am I dragged kicking and screaming into Starbucks I have to choose something else to drink. Another little statistic I gleaned from the article is that the average family spend £2,650 a year on takeaways and ready meals. Modern life! 

So here we are, early January - time for some New Year Resolutions, I guess.