The City of Venice is beautiful. So Italians always tell you. And I get it; all that water, all those fab bridges, gorgeous canals and spectacular old buildings dating back to 810 since it was the ‘Republic of Venice’ and it ruled the Adriatic as well as lots of other places too. I don’t know if it consciously chose to become the Disneyland caricature of Venetian concept, almost the Las Vegas of southern Europe, without so much gambling, but with levels of ‘taste’ which have been heading towards the Nevada dream for decades. Pretty much since the first cruise ship pulled up next Mark’s Square and spewed 10,000 Americans onto the land which they filled with their dollars. There’s still fabulous art and antiquities there. Amazing glass. But you have to search under the gondolas and the kitsch souvenirs to find it.

And now they’ve let Joey in!!! Cos that’s where he’s gone. On his own, obviously, with a few friends from school. Half a dozen 6 year olds travelling unaccompanied to Venice, so they can watch Spurs play tonight in Udinese, up the road. They’re going to hitch-hike. Should be fine. They’re all armed.

Ok, he’s gone with his dad. I lied. So call off Social Services. Although, taking a 6 year-old Spurs fanatic to watch them get slaughtered by PSG may be considered ‘abuse’.

Though it seems to be that you can actually do whatever you want; abuse people, attack them, rob from them, whatever you like. Its only words that can hurt so much that the police get involved.

The shopkeeper in Wrexham who posted a sign on his door saying “due to Scumbags shoplifting, please ask for cabinets to be opened”. He was visited by a man in blue who suggested he re-write the sign ‘so as not to be offensive’. So you have to ask: who would be offended? Only a scumbag. Self-confessed or it wouldn’t bother him/her. You’d have to know you’re a scumbag to be offended, and then its accurate so how can you be? Or shoplifters; they might be offended at being described with a pejorative term. And do shoplifters have the right to be protected from abusive terms? When abuse is our only weapon because you’re not allowed to give them the kicking they deserve.

To be fair to the Wrexham police, it was just one copper who had been stopped by someone who made the complaint, so felt duty-bound to ‘follow up’. Instead of telling the complainant: are you so fucking stupid that you want to waste police time in case the indefensible should feel offended by the truth?

Come on Spurs!!

No, really, Come on Spurs!!!

Happy Wednesday

A xxxx