News of a delayed Auckland-Christchurch flight because a bloke tried to carry a rifle on a plane suggests a typical authorities over-reaction, delay-wise. Was it in his bags and exposed by the xray? We’re not told but not many bags will accommodate a rifle. But if in the hold then no issue so he must have been carrying it, somewhat naively for these hysterical times.

Following my comments on great newspaper headings and the Dominion’s (as it was them before amalgamating with the Evening Post) “Chainsaw Wielding Cross-dresser pursues Westport Mr Whippy”, the Herald website gave us a pretty good one yesterday.

A few days ago Cherie Blair was slammed for telling a London secondary school audience that most African women’s first sexual experience is rape. An audience member criticised her for “sweeping unsubstantiated statements.”

“Pope in ring-kissing controversy” the Herald’s heading read. There’s no doubt about it. The buggers (pun intended) will never let up. Is there a plus side to any of this?

There’s much to be sad about with the collapse of newspaper readership and I particularly miss the loss of clever caption writers. Money’s no longer available for such specialists anymore, this leading at times to ridiculous headings by halfwits.