EnviroSpin Watch

It's Monday, January 24: "We're doomed, I say. Doomed!".....

Today, the British press plumbs the absolute depths of apocalyptic apoplexy, with the totally barmy Independent winning outright (as ever) The Private Fraser⁽¹⁾ Dad's Army "We're doomed, I say. Doomed!" Prize:-

* In The Independent we're all doomed (inevitably) through extreme 'global warming' (utter bunkum from the science to the economics, of course): 'Countdown to global catastrophe' (The Independent, January 24);

* In The Guardian, a fraction more realistically, it's the 'flu virus: 'Flu feared more than terror attack' (The Guardian, January 24); and,

* In the dire Daily Express (of course), it's asylum seekers and migrants: 'Election war on migrant madness' (The Daily Express, January 24).

However, perhaps this is all not too surprising as Dr. Cliff Arnall of Cardiff University (reported in many papers, including The Times) has calculated that Monday, January 24 is the most depressing day of the year, using the formula: [W+(D-d)xTQMxNA], where W = the weather; (D-d) your post-Christmas credit card debt; T = time elapsed from Christmas/New Year boozing; Q = time elapsed from breaking your New Year resolution(s); M = early Monday morning motivation levels; and, NA = the nagging level to cheer yourself up.

Clearly, he should have added, P_b, namely 'how much you read the British Press', with a special weighting factor for anybody who is stupid enough to indulge in perusing the mad and apocalyptic Independent.

My recommendation for it all: ignore the lot and just get on with living your life; treat yourself to Clint Eastwood's masterly new film, Million Dollar Baby (quite superb - oscars, surely, all round); then come home and ignite a nice warming fire with an unread copy of The Independent.

Bingo. "And joy shall be yours in the morning!"

Philip, after coffee, off to broadcast. ⁽¹⁾ If you're from Oz, then it's the "'We'll all be rooned,' said Hanrahan/In accents most forlorn" Prize (from: Said Hanrahan, by John O'Brien: hat tip to Barry Hearn).