Two blokes, a flying pizza and a posh bird from Kashmir

Two things have impressed me this week, the first being the magnificent Joanna Lumley and her fight for settlements rights for soldiers from the brigade of Gurkhas. She's been fantastic, and for someone who claims to have no understanding of politics it's been clear to me that Ms Lumley is now running the country and doing a damn sight better job than the majority of the cabinet!
I can just picture Gordon Brown holding his head in his hands as clips of 'Purdey' and a hundred retired Gurkha warriors screaming "Ayo Gorkhali!" were beamed around the globe.

Joanna Lumley herself first came to my attention way back in the seventies with the tv series 'The New Avengers' and, along with Tiswas' Sally James, was right at the coalface when yours truly started to realise that women had an appeal that went further than being able to cook a souffle.

Incidentally, what's the problem with allowing the Gurkhas the opportunity of remaining in the UK after they have completed their service?
If they are prepared to die fighting for this country then not only should they be allowed the possibility of living here permanently, but they should be given a massive pat on the back and subsidised housing at the very least.

The second thing to have impressed me this week is the new Star Trek movie, and be warned, I'm about to get VERY geeky.

As much as everyone who grew up in the seventies claims to be a Star Wars fan, I always preferred Star Trek if I'm honest. I love the tv series and I'll happily hold my hand up and say:

"My name is Inchy, and I'm a trekkie"

I have every episode of Star Trek: The original Series (TOS) on video.
Ditto Star Trek: The Next generation (TNG).
I have all the Star Trek movies on dvd.
I have The Star Trek Encyclopedia and numerous other books.
I have . . . etc etc, you get the picture.

The new film though is fantastic. A decent plot, a great cast, top notch special effects and they have remained truthful to the existing Star Trek universe . . .

. . . but

I feel I have to query some of the decisions made by JJ Abrahms, the director.

* Uber Geek Alert! *

Plot: The young James T Kirk rides his motorbike across the Iowa plains to watch the Enterprise being built.
Hello?! The Enterprise was quite clearly built at the Starfleet Utopia Planitia fleet yards on Mars, everyone knows that and it even states that fact on the commissioning plaque on the bridge!

Plot: The Enterprise, and indeed the remainder of the fleet, leave Earth orbit and go immediately to warp speed.
Erm, correct me if I'm wrong, but a starship cannot engage warp drive when in the vicinity of a planetary body, ie a planet*. (*Star Trek: The Motion Picture)

Plot: The paint on the Enterprise has barely dried, indeed it's her maiden voyage, when young James Tiberius takes command of the helm, but, like me, you're probably thinking, "Wait a minute, the Enterprise was commanded by Captain Christopher Pike for the first 10 years of its operational life before Jim Kirk took over?!"

Having said all that, it's brilliant, and I fully understand and accept that the film had to take my beloved Star Trek in a new direction. The film itself is really about three heroes, Kirk, Spock and the Enterprise itself. It also has to be said that all the cast definitely add something to the mix without taking away from what has boldly gone before, even Simon Pegg.

Live long and prosper.