Scrapbook for August 2019

23.08.2019 – Tempting fate

We read today that a certain Dr Angelo Grubisic has died in a basejumping accident. We are told that 'in 2015 he set up the "Icarus Project" which sought to design a world-record breaking wingsuit while improving safety.'

It requires a considerable lack of imagination to hurl yourself off high places with only a few scraps of plastic under your arms. It requires an even greater imagination deficit to call the development of improved scraps 'Project Icarus':

02.08.2019 – The Dam Busters

The Daily Telegraph gives us pause for thought this morning with one of its headlines: 'Derbyshire town evacuated and RAF called in amid fears dam could collapse'. That will be 617 Squadron, we presume. Just don't mention Gibson's dog – although these days it is probably a Pomeranian called Gaia, which he takes with him on missions in his man bag.

02.08.2019 – Contempt karma

Boris™ Johnson, the leader of the Conservative Party, was telling a thrilled nation only the other day that the people were his bosses. The party is clearly so in awe of its bosses that for yesterday's Brecon and Radnorshire by-election they put up Chris Davies as their candidate.

The fact that the by-election was taking place at all was due to Davies' fraudulent actions, which were so egregious – he was convicted of expenses fiddling – that he was recalled on the petition of his local party. The arrogance of the Conservative party is such that it never seems to have dawned on anyone that having a convicted criminal who had already been tossed out by his own local party stand once more as a candidate was tempting fate.

Fate has been tempted by this outrageous arrogance and has struck back in the name of the 'bosses' with a humiliating defeat for the Tories. Quite right, too.