1939

It's an immotive number readers. Not when you read it as one thousand nine hundred and thirty nine, but when you read it as nineteen thirty nine. If Harry Patch RIP were around today, I bet he'd have a thing or two to say about it. As indeed would Grandad Newsdesk RIP.

But, at the time of going to press, 1939 is the exact number of hits on the old Barry Newsdesk blog. Amazing really, although if you're reading this moments after I post this, it'll be 1940, or possibly '41. Who knows, you might even miss out on the war years altogether - something bloody Roger managed apparently. Technically, he's probably a bit to young to have served King and Country of course. But even if he was old enough, I bet he would have been a conscientious objector.

Now, I'm a pacifist, as regular readers will know, but if I got the call to serve against the rising tide of fascism, I'd concede that giving 'peace a chance' just wouldn't be an option. For many people in this country, Tony Blair was out of order when he lied to us all and sent us to war under false pretense, but sometimes a little white lie is all that's required to stamp out tyranny.

I've been doing a lot of thinking during my week away from the office. And I have come to the conclusion that I think I might have to put a spanner in the works of Mum and Roger's impending nuptials. I might have to tell Mum a little white lie. Like all good lies, it will have elements of the truth. I'm going to tell Mum that Roger went behind her back and called me and threatened me, and then I going to tell her that he's a paedophile.

It sounds extreme I know, but if Tony Blair hadn't lied to us, Saddam Hussein would still be lording up and gassing the Kurds.

Yours in propaganda

Barry

ps. If anyone's off to the Big Chill, I'll see you there!