The Virgin ‘Galactic’ rocketship crashed yesterday somewhere over California. Not on its way to the Moon, or to Alpha Centuri or Mars, but to the Mohave Desert to test the fuel. Shame. Pilot killed, another injured and half a billion dollars worth of high tech aviation left in pieces on the floor spoiling the ecology of the area. So all those folks who’ve paid $500,000 each to take a flight on this vehicle will have to wait a bit longer. Its not like they had to take out a mortgage, or pay interest. The list of the 700 people who bought tickets (and are probably seriously considering the merits of such an investment, let alone a risk assessment) reads like the invitation list to the Oscars, or to the American Sportsman of the Year Award. Or ‘World’s Best’ as they probably call it. So none of them are short of half a mil to sit there for a few years gathering dust whilst Branson et al try and build a spaceship that is capable of passing its MOT test, at very least. But I notice that on that list are Russell Brand and Katie Perry. Oh, but they’re no longer an item. And due to the somewhat transient nature of ‘celebrity commitment’, I can envisage an entire planeload of exes, all trying to avoid their once-significant-other, if not half a dozen former mates/wives/husbands/partners/friend-with-benefits. It will be the plane-ride from hell. Hopefully not ‘to hell’ like yesterday’s. With an atmosphere you could cut with a knife. And that on its own has got to be worth the price of admission on its own. Can anyone lend me half a million bucks until…

Not a great week for Ed Milliband. Though in honesty the nearest that man has had to a ‘good week’ was when he brutally stabbed his own brother in the back to steal the Labour Party leadership from him. And if that counts as ‘good’ in chez Milliband, then you can see why Ed spends his whole life with a grimace on his sad little face. Midweek, Maureen Lipman, lifelong Labour member, supporter, voter, stated that she would vote for no party with Ed at the helm. Next came the entire Scottish nation. Pledging that collectively they will not vote Labour any longer. And even if they do, they don’t have a Labour leader ‘up there’ since the last one stood down. And if Scottish Labour is to have no powers in Westminster, what’s the point of them being there anyway?

Oddly, one prospective candidate, Jim Murphy, is unlikely to be elected because of his position of defending and supporting Israel. Which apparently makes anyone unelectable north of the border. Odd that ‘Israel’ should be so divisive, when there are dozens of other pressing, engaging and horrendous issues in the world to consider too.

Even Sol Campbell, ex-England, Arsenal and Spurs traitor has entered this ‘debate’ (not that its a ‘debate’ that Ed M. is a tosser, more a statement of fact), stating how his career as a centre-back has prepared him brilliantly for a future in politics. Obviously. And he would naturally be a Labour man, coming from working class East London roots, but feels himself now to be ‘more conservative’. Nothing self-serving about Sol. No more than there’s ever been previously, that is. His change of (political) heart stems from his massive property portfolio, in which are at least 2 homes that would fall into the mansion tax category. Which would cost Sol some of his not-very-hard-earned billions. And rather than that, he’ll save himself a few grand and change sides to the one he actually hates just to further his own personal gains. Same old Sol then.

Happy Saturday

A xxxx