A quick glance through the news is always the same thing. Once again the plight of residents in Queensland, Australia, takes centrestage, but the the usual collection of political and financial wrangling makes life seem one long argument from start to finish. No wonder people turn to soap operas. What's the alternative? Learning that a female celebrity was sleeping with a different guy every night as one newspaper headline proclaimed this morning?

How much of our news is nothing more than exaggeration and fantasy? Do people really sleep around in that manner? I don't doubt there are individuals who sleep around a lot, and these individuals are a rarity in any population whether we like to admit our own less hedonistic lifestyles or not. After all, if Jordan is headline news for behaving in this manner, it must be exceptional. Unusual. Newsworthy.

Or is she wrapped up in some fantasy lifestyle of her own? You could could get very moral about her her reported behaviour and that is precisely what the media would like, so that revelations of her wild nights sells more papers. All part of being a celebrity I guess.

Discreet Extravagance

One of the side effects of a succesful life is the accumulation of wealth and the material bounty that allows you. Outward symbols of status are nothing new. Human beings instinctively proclaim their status with outward displays of wealth in clothes, cars, and as we note, sexual excess.

Walking along the local high street yesterday, head down against the blustery wind and persistent light drizzle, I passed a row of parked cars, which at first sight was certainly nothing unusual in Britain today despite the price we pay for that privilege.

The thing was that in amongst the hatchbacks and family cars was an Aston Martin. Normally such a car would stand out, an obvious sign of wealth. Yet this one was an unwashed maroon colour, and fitted right in with the perfect urban camouflage. I almost didn't notice it was there, and if I were honest, only the big hips of the car made it stand out at all.

There was also a porsche 911 I used to see driving around Swindon that was painted in grafitti. Not coloured by some socially undesirable youngster in a hoody, but deliberately by the owner. Not quite as discreet perhaps, but certainly without the solid colour and deep polished shine we usually associate with cars owned by succesful wealthy individuals, I somehow doubt it saw much vandalism.

Then again, I don't see it driven around any more.