She states their is no need for animal products in our diet.

That might be right but I have it on good authority that although you can survive without animal products, going without will make you very angry with the world.

SO THE government is talking of introducing a sugar (fat) tax in the hope of reducing obesity.

Already there are presently some 120 taxes – there is even a tax on exporting queen bees.

Of the 120 odd taxes, some 10 taxes raise about 90 per cent of the government’s income.

Do we need another tax so we can employ another handful of public servants raising a few quid?

I have a solution to obesity, however I don’t think The Daily Advertiser would print it.

The cats out of the bag!

Now the proverbial spotlight is on Alan Eldridge, his close friend Daryl Maguire comes into view.

Some questions arise.

Does Daryl Maguire make investments in China via G8way International and are these investments disclosed ?

Will Mr Maguire undertake an investigation into his friend Mr Eldridge now?

Daryl Maguire turns a blind eye to "human rights" abuses in China and it seems the people with whom he deals.

SOMETHING happened to me a few weeks back while I was packing parcels with old newspapers.

I saw something in The Daily Advertiser about Embrace Mental Health meetups at Romanos entitled "Find a safe space and a chance to chat".

The fact there were two beautiful young women pictured had very little to do with noticing the article.

Anyway, I wanted to go to it but there were issues.

It's at a pub. I hadn't been to a pub in ages, I try to avoid them.

Internally I questioned the people who organise it and their motives; why are they doing it?

It's a public relations marketing tool campaign, they're trying to sell something to me, I will then feel obligated to sign up and lock in.

I'll be by myself, I might say something inappropriate or hurtful to someone.

Then I will feel guilty, they will see through me and reject me.

Not at all. It was very helpful.

I arrived early to look for danger signs, bought a coffee, found the people running it and asked my nervously shy questions:

Is it ok for me to be here, what do I have to say, what do I have to do?

They (Samantha and Madeleine) were great.

Only say what you feel like saying, do what you feel comfortable doing, they said.

Everyone else started to arrive and we all sat at an inside table for a bit waiting for everyone else to find each other, then went downstairs for intros then dinner.

It was fun, a very relaxed night to meet and embrace different people about mental health. 

It’s at 6pm, The Hampden (Romanos) on the first Thursday of each month (unless someone has rescheduled them).