Barometer: Sean O'Grady
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Legs of the week
THIS IS Lord ("Derry") Irvine, the Lord Chancellor. Take a long, sober look at this man in tights. Note also the quaint buckled footwear. Affront to modern Britain, or what? Derry certainly thought so and, after a vote in the House of Lords, he will now be able to wear trousers and slip-ons when presiding over the Lords. This is just as well. Derry may possess the sharpest legal brain in Britain, and give his friend the Prime Minister wise counsel (in a Cardinal Wolsey kind of a way). But Lord Irvine's calves are overly plump, without any redeeming shapeliness whatsoever, and shown off to their worst advantage by medieval leggings. Derry's legs have distracted their Lordships for too long.
Voice of the Week
MONICA LEWINSKY may have had calves to seduce a President, but her sexiest asset was her vixen voice. Monica's notorious telephone conversations with her "friend", Linda Tripp, (who was secretly taping them) are now available on the Internet. To listen to what she could do - and did do - for "the big creep", try: www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/
resources/1998/lewinsky/tripp.
tapes/index.html#complete. Linda Tripp seems to be eating her dinner during some of the calls, but Monica has the good manners never to speak with her mouth full.
Toilet toy of the Week
ENJOY GIVING dinner parties? Worried about breaking the ice? Meet Bog Monster. When a guest returns from a discreet visit to the lavvy with their clothes disgustingly soiled - thanks to Boggo - let's hope all will see the funny side. And if you think that's unpleasant, consider the effect the rubber rascal might have on the elderly and incontinent. It would, after all, scare the crap out of the best of us. What a way to go.
Clown of the Week
ANOTHER CAREER down the pan. Former professional footballer Paul Gascoigne (yes, I know he plays for Middlesborough) used felt-tip pens to create this self-pitying self-portrait. Too much to expect a graphic representation of his unkind behaviour to his former wife, Sheryl, but there you go. To thine own self be true, as Five Bellies might say.
Image of the Week
SURELY THE nut cutlet can't have been that bad?
It's Brit Art, or at least a Brit gallery, the Tate, showing this work by Italian Maurizo Cattelan. Those of us brought up on the tales of Squirrel Nutkin and Tufty, television's road safety squirrel, are shocked. On show in a year.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments