goodbye cruel world

That was the clever headline in one of our newspapers today about the story that the News of The World newspaper is to close because of the phone hacking scandal. I am not claiming a gift of prophecy but I did say to Sally earlier this week that I thought the NOTW was finished.

It seems that there is nothing we like more than some righteous indignation and moral outrage at the failings of others. The media go into feeding frenzy mode, the public feel better about themselves and an individual or two are placed in the stocks of public opinion and pelted with bile and vitriol.

Before we get too self-righteous about this we ought to check if someone has been quietly drawing in the sand and asking us about whether we are qualified to throw first.