Christopher John Myers

A few years ago the wonderful Dr Ben Goldacre of the Guardian’s ‘Bad Science’ page got his cat a diploma in nutrition … much like the discredited ‘Dr’ Gilliam McKeith. It’s a great – true – story that exposes the bogus McKeith, but it set me thinking – are any other animals so highly qualified? It turns out there are loads of them! Colby Nolan the cat was awarded an MBA degree in 2004 by Trinity Southern University, in a Dallas, Texas. In 2009, George, a cat owned by Chris Jackson, the presenter of the BBC show Inside Out North East & Cumbria, was registered with three professional organizations, the British Board of Neuro Linguistic Programming, the United Fellowship of Hypnotherapists, and the Professional Hypnotherapy Practitioner Association, securing George's accreditation as a hypnotherapist. Back in 1967 Oliver Greenhalgh, the cat, was accepted as a Fellow of the English Association of Estate Agents and Valuers, after a payment of eleven guineas.

Sutton - proof that decisive local government, in tune with residents, can get results While Croydon dithers, Sutton gets on with the job - a £140m new town centre development is set to bring 1,250 new jobs. The contrast between two neighbouring local authorities - Sutton Lib-Dem, Croydon Conservative - couldn't be more stark.  Who'd have thought that the Lib-Dems would be more business -savvy than the Conservatives? The tragedy is that Croydon is stagnating. Town centre developments have been on hold for years, while the Council dithers with so-called strategies and 'master plans' when what business needs is clarity. Could the answer be in the politics?  Sutton has been held by the Lib Dems for yeasrs and the popular administration has also returned MPs who cut their teeth on the coumncil.  This unrivalled local knowledge must play a part. Sutton's prize is jobs, hotels, cafés, shops and a new public plaza. Crucially the development will bring Tramlink

What a great story – an American serviceman in immediate post war Britain who helped rescue 27 people from floods in Norfolk – has just died. His obit is humbling. Reis Leming was a 22-year-old American airman and couldn’t swim but braved storm waves and freezing temperatures to rescue 27 people during the devastating east coast floods of 1953. It nearly killed him - on his third rescue trip in a dingy he to be rescued himself.   He was taken to the American hospital at Sculthorpe. For years afterwards he had nightmares about the first remark he heard when he awoke — “cut off his legs!” — discovering only later that they were the words of a nurse wanting to remove his rubber suit so that he could be massaged back to life.   telegraph.co.uk

Looks like the Daily Telegraph has got it in for Triumph motorcycles - a genuine British success story. Under the page one headline, 'Downhill Brakes on at Triumph' they report 'performance going into reverse'...yet they're actually referring to a less than one percent fall in sales (from £345.3m to £342.3m.  Not too bad in a recession, I suggest. Admittedly profits are down 29 per cent, but given the company's staggering investment in genuinely new models at this month's Milan Show, is that a disaster?  It's certainly not 'performance in reverse'. Over the last year Triumph has upped its R and D spend from £22m to £24m as it develops new bikes. These bikes are expected to include small-capacity models aimed specifically at the booming markets in India and Brazil, two countries where Triumph is actively involved in setting up new production facilities. Did the Torygraph's news, about what is a privately-owned company, warrant a fr

The Reverend Giles Fraser, the churchman who resigned from St Paul’s Cathedral rather than deal with the tented city invasion, has been named ‘Hero of the Year’ by Stonewall, the homosexual rights group. Rev Fraser is known as an outspoken advocate for tolerance and equality for homosexuals in the church.   He is also the founder of the Inclusive Church, the campaign group for full recognition of homosexual relationships. Stonewall also named Cardinal Keith O’Brien ‘Bigot of the Year’ at Stonewall Awards for his opposition to equal marriage and for saying same sex relationships are "harmful to the physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing" of ordinary people. Colin Macfarlane, director of Stonewall Scotland, defended the Bigot award. He said: "We've never called anyone a bigot just because they don't agree with us, but in just the past 12 months the Cardinal has gone well beyond what any normal person would call a decent level of public discou

Err, let’s see … a rethink, yes that’s my first decision He’s hasn’t even been ‘enthroned’ yet, but the new Archbishop of Canterbury, Eton-educated Justin Welby, has already announced a u-turn on gay relationships. According to the Daily Telegraph, he says he will “re-examine” his opposition to same-sex marriage. Oh dear. Oh dear. Seems we’re going to get another wishy-washy Bish. How disappointing that he didn’t say something on the really big issues affecting Christians and the Church of England – shrinking congregations, secularism, the declining role and relevance of the church.   Instead he focuses on homosexual marriage … NOT an issue for most Christians, I suggest, including me. His statement gives the impression that this is a priority for him, while I want him to deal with the really big, important issues.   Don’t you? Bishop Welby is 56 and will take over as leader of the world’s 77 million Anglicans early next year.   His predecessor, Dr Rowan Wil

But wait – it’s worse - the man tipped to succeed wishy-washy Rowan Williams went to Eton !   And he describes himself as ‘a theologian’ and an ‘ethicist’.   So he’ll be in touch with popular opinion then?! How do we know it’s Justin Welby, current bishop of Durham ?   Ladbrokes have suspended betting, after a sudden rush of bets on the man!   Surely the C of E hasn’t engaged in any insider-dealing? If all this is true, then the dear old C of E has missed a chance to get a non-stereotype, in the shape of John Sentamu, current Bishop of York.   Sentamu is not posh, not white, not a rarefied academic.   In short he’s a man who IS in touch, despite being a few years older than Welby, a former oil executive, whose friends seem to have been conducting a sophisticated campaign to get him appointed.   How else to explain all bods who’ve been popping up on Radio 4 to sing his praises? Ah well, the job’s not a permanent one and when Welby goes, perhaps we can have a more in-touch,