has the worm begun to turn?

I have long accepted the evil, monopolising power of the supermarkets in destroying town centres and their shops. It is sad fact of life that we have less choice of food, which invariably is of poor quality, but somehow no-one puts up much resistance. Apathy rules.

It was appalling how our political leaders, MPs and Lords, greedily and illegally abused their expenses and got away with it. People howled with outrage but after a while and a few prison sentences the same bunch are back at Westminster. This was an opportunity wasted.

I was horrified how, after the worlds criminally rapacious bankers destroyed our economy, we have, by and large, placidly accepted that the debts incurred are ours! And we grumble but allow governments to impose financially harsh regimes upon us - for instance, cutting back on health, pensions, schools etc yet maintaining our full commitment to Trident nuclear missiles!

But maybe the worm is turning????

The vile scandal of phone hacking by the News of the World reporters, the cover-up and corruption of the police involved and the wider moral decay within Rupert Murdoch's empire seems to have galvanised the British public into a state of outrage. All three political leaders have united today in supporting the House of Commons call for The Dirty Digger to refrain from gobbling up BSkyB. It maybe that Rebekah Brooks will have to resign; maybe Andy Coulson will face prosecution; maybe a few police chiefs will take early retirement. Maybe.

The French people once lost their patience at being grotesquely abused. Their answer was the guillotine. It would be nice to dream of Murdoch leading a procession of bankers, politicians, footballers, policemen towards the tumbrils. But I doubt it'll happen.

But maybe..

where have my 2 inches gone?

I now have official confirmation that my height has reduced by two inches since my back operation on the 13th June 2006. I always used to be 5 foot 11½ inches tall. This exact measurement was important to me as it allowed me to describe myself, with moderate justification, as six foot tall when asked. I could always add - "well, just under" - if pressed to be exact.

Not any more. My long-time  suspicion that I am substantially shorter was confirmed by the Traps Hill Surgery nurse. No big deal, except that my BMI is affected adversely. What would have been an OK weight for a six footer (well, almost) is not alright if you are a midget at 5' 9½". I now struggle to remain on the right side of normality whereas before I had a few pounds leeway before entering the danger zone of the over-weight.

I now have to get my weight down to 12 stone, or under, to be in the 'normal for your height' weight zone.