Is Carol Thatcher A Racist?

The answer to that question has to be "We don't know". Because none of us actually heard what she said. The golliwog toy is clearly a horrible throwback to times when political correctness included making sure that women didn't vote but the stuffed toy above is without doubt a golliwog and if I said that Vera from Corrie had hair like a golliwog I would be offering a fairly valid opinion.



So, unless the transcript of Thatcher's conversation is revealed, we can't really judge what she said. Just imagine that the face and hair colours in both the above photos were black. If I said that Vera had hair like a golliwog, would I then be being racist? Just a thought.

The Health & Safety mafia closed loads of schools yesterday due to bad weather. A sixteen year old girl died yesterday after an horrific tobogganing accident. If schools had opened would anybody have died?

Here at Instanta things seem to be going well with plenty of phones ringing and plenty of orders coming in on the FAX. Green shoots? I'll let you know as the month progresses. No administrations in January. That's the first administration free month for us since September. As December is a short month and every body's turnover is lower than usual, nobody has much cash coming in in February so it should be a bit of a litmus test for us.



It's Optimists 1 Pessimists 0 with an email from the Leach pottery museum in St Ives confirming that my £3 dish from the local antiques fair was definitely decorated by Bernard Leach. Bernard Leach pots are the holy grail of British Art Pottery and I bought a book about him many years ago never expecting to be lucky enough to find one without forking out hundreds of pounds. It now has pride of place in the lounge. Pessimist Marion wants me to sell it because, as the property, share and all the other bubbles have burst, she expects the very buoyant Leach market bubble to burst as well.



Orange Wednesday tonight and we're off to Revolutionary Road. I read the book and loved it. It's a film about marital bliss (not) and I can't help feeling that if the film is anything like the book there will be a lot of couples questioning relationships and the meaning of life on the way home. Marion has been great and agreed to go to the 5.20pm showing so I can get back in time to watch the Everton cup game. At least one thing is certain. Robbie Keane won't be missing any more sitters. Speaking of Orange Wednesday. I feel like I've got a new friend. Instead of never ringing (possibly because my number is a closely guarded secret),I now get loads of messages on my mobile reminding me it's Orange Wednesday and now offering me half price pizzas at Pizza Express. I wonder if I can put them as a friend on Facebook.

I'll leave you with a topical song for the day."Giggling Golliwog" by Harry Hudson's Melody Men.