I've been delighted to hear so many US broadcasters take a closer look at their country's founders as they celebrate 250 years since the Declaration of Independence. Yes, it was a nasty civil war that was more of a coup than anything else. Concepts like Liberty were a con. Americans just swapped remote masters in London for equally unsavourary local homegrown versions. Egality and Equality were good catch phrases but once the British were out many of those who fought the redcoats found that's all they were. Worries about the future of slavery within the British Empire were more pressing concerns for the men behind the declaration. And London's ban on settlement west of the Appalachians was an even bigger worry. Slave owner George Washington had been involved in illegally selling Indian land and unless London was taken out of the picture, he, like several other leading "Patriots" was going to jail. And it was the French who beat the British by forcing them to divert military resources to defend their far more lucrative Caribbean colonies rather than the bunch of buckskin-clad tobacco-chewing backwoods marksmen of legend. It's important to know where and what we really came from. It's fitting that Trump is president for the 250th anniversary. He's a real chip off the Founders' block.

I hadn't realised that the bonnet badge of the Royal Regiment of Scotland had been designed for the 1960 film Tunes of Glory. Well almost. The makers of Tunes of Glory had to come up with a fictional Highland regiment for the film of the book, both written by former Gordon Highlander James Kennaway. That involved a costume designer coming up with a bonnet badge. A lion rampant imposed on a saltire surrounded a wreath of, what looks to me like, thistles was decided on. The RRoS in real life opted for the lion and saltire without the surrounding spray but a crown above the lion. I'm afraid I can't be sure of the fictional regiment's somewhat busy tartan. But it may have worked better than the bastardised Government tartan, with its outsize gaudy green squares, adopted by the RRoS. The Tunes of Glory kilts, trews and thistle collar badges reappeared in Carry on Up The Khyber in 1968.

I think I'm in danger of hoisting myself by mine own petard. Getting a book published is not easy. But it seems to be easier if a would-be author comes from a Home Counties, or London, Pony Club background. The number of Pony Clubbers among the published seems disproportionate. I recall some dyslexic woman proclaiming in a posh voice that not only had she been published but her book had barely required any editing or correction. I took this to be evidence of how uneven the playing field is. The dice are loaded from the start. I thought a publisher who specialised in books by folk who had spent at least seven years of their life living in a council house might help even things up. But I've often argued that all discrimination is wrong. Two Wrongs cannot make a Right. So, my proposed Council House Press, which would favour those from less privileged backgrounds, must be a bad idea.

I heard an American supposed academic interviewed about a book published under his name about Artificial Intelligence. You may have beaten me to the punchline coz he used AI to write the book. And, surprise, surprise, it had several invented quotes in it. You'd think someone who proclaimed himself an expert in AI would have foreseen that. The Yank claimed every writer these days uses AI. Oh, no, mister, they don't. For what should be obvious reasons. But sadly, time is money and time saved by using AI to research and quickly composed AI text will soon see the cheap drive out The Good.

I just finished listening to a BBC programme about something called Toxic Masculinity. Sounds pretty nasty. I'm a guy. So, whatever I do must because of that be masculine behaviour. I don't need told what is and is not masculine. But what struck me from the programme was how what was regarded as toxic if a man says it has been for decades acceptable if a woman said it about guys. Toxic Feminism has been with us for years. In fact for decades the BBC has given a platform to some very unpleasant utterings - as long as it comes from someone without a penis. I still think the BBC would not broadcast a programme that banned all female contributors and yet one that bans men is acceptable. Let's end the double standards. And stop offering platforms for toxic sexism from anyone.