Cabinet member, Alistair Darling, claims there's no mandate for Scottish independence, despite the (1 seat) SNP majority in the May 4 elections, because the SNP only got about a third of the vote. Hang on, isn't that about the level of voting that got the current Labour government into power? In fact, isn't a big problem with multi-party first past the post democracies that usually the government will only have the mandate of the minority that voted them into power, probably for their own selfish reasons? At least proportional representation makes this a bit less likely and often forming a government requires a bit of cross party negotiation.

I often cycle. I don't jump lights and I don't cycle on the pavement. I regard cyclists who do as anti-social and arrogant (or maybe some are just a bit dim). But, I have to admit, I've stopped asking cyclists who cycle on the pavement to cycle on the road, because some of the roads round here are extremely dangerous for cyclists - I'd never forgive myself if I persuaded a cyclist to move onto the road and then they got injured or worse.

Also, I get equally angry with a certain type of motorist. It's amazing how many, if they see about to cycle up their inside, they move in and if they see you about to cycle up their outside, they move out, forcing you into oncoming traffic.

In the light of German science reports that primitive sperm cells have been made from bone marrow stem cells, women are again asking if they still need men. Given the complete lack of understanding this shows for the point and value of human relationships, perhaps it's the wrong question; perhaps the question should be "Do women deserve men?"

Actually there's another problem for women this time round. The bone marrow came from male volunteers.

Tony Blair says he didn't know about the decision to let the sailors captured in Iraqi waters sell their story until the decision had been made. I wonder what that means. I wonder if Des Brown, or a Downing Street official, said to Tony Blair something like: 'Tony, the Navy has decided to let the sailors sell their story. I can't see any good enough reason to stop them. What do you think?'

In other words do we now need to ask Tony Blair if he knew about the decision in time to reverse it before it was acted upon.

Maybe he is conveying the truth this time, but what Tony Blair needs to remember is that to avoid lying it's not enough to use words precisely. There has to be a lack of intention to mislead.

A ten year old reported to the police for sending a text accusing another child of being gay, faced investigation according to a report on Today. What everybody involved seems to have overlooked is that 'gay' now has a third meaning alongside the first, 'happy and jolly' and the second 'homosexual'. The way most young people use it in general conversation these days is to mean 'a bit feeble'. In other words, it's quite likely that this 10 year old was reported to the police for calling another child a bit feeble. Youngsters would probably call this kind of action a 'bit gay'.

Whilst the whereabouts of Alan Johnston remain unknown and his presumed Palestinian abductors remain silent, surely the only people deriving any propaganda gains are the Israelis.

Until today's budget I thought Gordon Brown supported the poorer members of society. What a disappointment.

Perhaps one reason Lord Turnball has accused potential prime minister, Gordon Brown, of not listening to other people's views is that he, himself, is used to getting his own way and he doesn't always get his own way with Gordon Brown.

I suspect justice is no more likely to be done in Zimbabwe to the police who beat up opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, while he was in custody than it was done in Britain to the soldiers who beat up and killed Baha Musa while he was in custody in Basra.

According to the Today Programme, in continuing the debate about homosexuality in the Church of England, The Archbishop of Canterbury said that people might think that the church is obsessed with sex. I agree. After all, Jesus didn't say, 'It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a homosexual person to enter the Kingdom of God!' What he did say (Matthew 19 vs 23-24 NLT) suggests that most Christians in rich countries are at risk, whether or not they are gay.

I wish the BBC Food Programme wouldn't keep confusing healthy eating with some middle class agenda about organic, fresh and local. 3 facts:

1) A piece of 'fine' organic cheddar still contains about one third fat, a heart stopping percentage of which is unhealthy saturated fat.

2) Vegetables frozen quickly after harvesting are likely to contain at least as much goodness as fresh vegetables which have spent a few days in the retail or delivery process.

3) The factory which produces Turkey Twizzlers is local to somebody.

On today's Food programme the presenters were singing the praises of a scheme run by Celtic Football Club, which seems to have completely swallowed the organic fantasy pill. The chef was boasting organic ice-cream (which, because of its high dairy content, usually contains far more saturated fat than most of its less middle class alternatives), organic sausages (which still contain scary proportions of saturated fat) and, wait for it, organic sugar. Sugar does not suddenly become healthy just because the organic fairy godmother has waived her magic wand over every bag!