Giving the bird

On the day: 
30/06/2012 


On the way: 
"Please turn that down."
She's looking tired, the mum, and trying to chat to the nan. But the little boy, in spectacles and over-the-knee football socks says no. "No." Truculently. 
He's playing a game on her mobile, noisily. Not just the volume on the phone but also the vocal accompaniment. "Stop," he shouts. "Stop." 
It doesn't help that the game doesn't respond to his spoken commands. It certainly doesn't help that his mum is telling him that it's not responding to his spoken commands. 
"No. No. Stop." 
"Is it them birds?' she asks. 
No answer. 
She sighs. "He's so spoilt," she notes wearily to nan. 
"No I'm not," he yells without lifting his head from his game. 
If he hasn't worked out that no amount of yelling will alter the trajectory of a virtual bird hurled from a catapult at a flimsy structure of builders' detritus and mutant pigs, what are the chances he has looked back on his behaviour and smiled inwardly, thinking, "Oh the irony"? 


On the pod: 
Vertigo - U2 


On the front page: 
Demand for inquiry into the City's 'corrupt elite (The Times)