How much does Humphreys earn?

Quite a lot. Lowest estimate seems to be £150,000 for the Radio Guardian "Today" programme. So £3,000 a week. But what does he do for that? Well, he's only there one day in two, so that's 3 days a week. £1,000 a day. The programme runs for 3 hours. But he's only on for about half an hour. He introduces the news 2 or 3 times for half a minute. Also he does half of the press review (or Presseschau) - 3 x 1 & 1/2 minutes. Then he does 3 interviews of 5-15 minutes each. He clearly does no preparation as you never hear him say something you don't know.

So at £1,000 a half-hour that's £2,000 an hour, or £70,000 for a 35 hour week or the equivalent of £3,500,000 a year. When a banker or footballer gets that much, he whips himself into a fury. (Under the impression that if you scold the over-paid, they hurriedly give back most of the money. Strange it doesn't happen.)

Law? Or no law?

John Humphreys on Radio Guardian is outraged that a school has banned an 8 year old girl for wearing earrings. Or at least her mother is keeping her at home because she's not allowed in the playground. On health & safety grounds.

I hope this anti-education mother is prosecuted. Since 1870 it's been compulsory for all 8 year olds to be in school. There are no exceptions, even if the school forbids earrings for 8 (!) year olds.

J Vince Cable fan club

Evan Davis, the BBC's gay economics correspondent, to George Osborne, Tory finance spokesman, on why he, Davis, thinks LibDem finance spokesman Mr Cable is infallible:

"He used to be chief economist at Shell!" Well, yes, he was 1995-7, when Mr Cable became MP for Twickenham, that cutting-edge working-class area (for those who don't know SW London, I'm being sarcastic.)

Well, that doesn't mean he knows much about politics. But more importantly, he's not LibDem leader. Nick Clegg is. & he thinks the pension is £30. Pension Credit (from age 60) is £124. You could just about live on £30. So long as you spent about £3 a week on gas & electricity.

So much for LibDem economics.

Odd fact: Mr Cable was originally SDP. Like Charlie Kennedy, the notorious Scots drinkard, whose life (lie) of deception has never been criticised by the BBC. (He was finally outed by ITV)