North East news columnists, comment & opinion

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Democratic oafs

WHAT a wonderful week for democracy in the free world! And, no, I’m not talking about the inauguration of Barack Obama.Read

‘Risque’ Ross is a bore

NEVER mind the slight spot of bother in the Middle East or the piddling issue of our free-falling economy.Read

ITV brought to Brook

BROADCASTER ITV is in dire financial straits and looks set to scrap regional news programmes after 2010 to save money.Read

Is diet pill too good to be true?

IF it looks like a turkey, walks like a turkey and squawks like a turkey, it’s probably a turkey.Read

Footballers are dribbling fools

IF ever there was a week that demonstrated how Premiership footballers are divorced from reality, this has been it.Read

Swim dad should be applauded

PROOF that the world has gone utterly potty comes this week courtesy of health and safety fruitcakes who refused to allow a single dad to take his two sons swimming.Read

Light up? As if we had the choice!

HOW many cynical old journalists does it take to change an energy-saving lightbulb? Just one, as it happens but he has to be bullied into it by the European Union.Read

An almighty waste

AS a non-believer I have a lot of time for Richard Dawkins, Britain’s Chief Heathen.Read

From hero to zero

IT doesn’t do to have heroes. Not when there’s a chance you might pick up a newspaper and see them sprawled on the floor in a drunken stupor at an age when they really should know better.Read

Teaching is no soft option

IT seems that everyone wants to be a teacher theses days . . . apart from the poor sods who already are.Read

No winner in Gaza fighting

DEATH, horrific injuries and heartache . . . it has been business as usual in the Middle East since the six- month cease fire came to an end.Read

999 blunder by Linda Lusardi

IT would obviously be a gross generalisation to label all models as airheads, but ex-Page Three girl Linda Lusardi didn’t improve their image much this week.Read

Let’s hear it for 2010

I WONDER how many New Year Resolutions we’ll make and break in 2009.Read

Give red card to soulless e-cards

I KNOW we’ve just got Christmas out the way, but I’d like to make an early request for next year.Read

Churches still fighting

MY favourite episode of Father Ted is the one where Ted loses a bet with arch rival Dick Byrne and must carry out a forfeit . . . kicking Bishop Brennan up the a*se.Read

Wacko . . yes. Dying . . no.

MICHAEL JACKSON isn’t dying after all.Read

My friendly Big Brother

I’M beginning to wonder whether I’m in a minority of one in thinking our increasingly invasive Big Brother society is more a force for good than evil.Read

That’s a bit rich Bish!

WOULDN’T it be refreshing if Doctor Rowan Williams could lead himself not into temptation? Trouble is, the outspoken Archbishop of Canterbury just can’t resist meddling in politics.Read

Hallelujah! I joined a Facebook group

I JOINED my first ever Facebook group this week. There’s a sentence I never thought I’d write.Read

Death of Craig EwErt on TV raises vital issues

BRITAIN’S first official snuff video turned out to be a bit of an anti-climax. In a sparsely decorated room, terminally ill Craig Ewert was filmed using his teeth to activate a timer that switched off his life support machine.Read