Today in the Parliament of my Mind

If there is one thing in common with previous conflicts of both dubious legality and morality is the unspoken and publicly denied sub-plot of regime change. It is hard to imagine any apologist for Gadaffi outside his precarious Tripoli stronghold but external intervention in the affairs of any sovereign state is always uncomfortable. Where Saddam was an apparent psychopath but icily sane, Gadaffi appears to actually be substantially deranged. Nevertheless, in Zimbabwe where a leader treads a fuzzy line between these two, no cruise missiles have yet landed. Perhaps oil is simply more valuable than tobacco although both industries have a great deal of scary cynicism in common. Peripheral though modern day Libya might be to the values of the main protagonists of the Arab League, I wonder whether offended Islamists might even now be planning their protests in the cities of the west. I don't think I'll rush to buy an Oyster Card.

Far away from Benghazi and Fukushima, a pleasant spring crept across Britain and is, apparently, here for a few days. I hope Palm Springs can compete. At work, to turn to my humble life, I regained my confidence and it remained mercifully undiluted by complacency. My recent setback has brought some sort of catharsis, an unexpected cleansing of a mildly embittered and conflicted soul. I felt neither antagonistic nor combative and I imagine both colleagues and pilots benefited - if they noticed at all. A body free of excessive stress and enjoying a modified diet needs less rest and I have been bounding - well strolling - through afternoons, even after early starts without my familiar naps. We completed APIS for our Los Angeles trip and booked exciting excursions for our Norwegian cruise. I just hope that God notices I am really far to busy to die yet.

The 54+ years of my life have been punctuated with terrible disasters around the world but who remembers them and their victims when they slip from the front pages and TV headlines? Who remembers Bam or even Aceh province? These are two examples from thousands. In those dark corners of a world which seems so pleasant to us, the bereaved still mourn, the homeless still weep and the hungry still hunger. When, tonight you slip with a loved one, post-takeaway, between your 1000 thread count sheets, please spare a last waking thought for those people.