Get Closer

Shallow, fake... Palin's beyond parody

The kid-glove treatment of the Republican vice-presidential candidate is an insult to women

Heroin is hard work. You don't drift into it

Shooting up is a complicated business. You don't try it just because your favourite singer did

Northern shock strikes fear into Ashley

Newcastle's owner has discovered to his cost that business acumen is worthless when it comes to running a football club

Only the rich can afford state schooling

Well-connected children might not need the leg-up of private education. But for everyone else...

China's apologists are clueless

The Olympics were quite a show. But it's wonderful what you can do with total control over people

Not a community shield winning plan

The police have lost much credibility and now wish to establish the principle of getting paid twice

If this deserves a mark, we're all d**med

There's a time and a place for profanity. But it's not in English exam papers

A World Cup here would go off the rails

England's hugely complicated rail network would not cope, nor be able to offer a free service for fans

Paul Gascoigne needs protection - from us

The footballer desperately seeks the attention of his playing days

Forget your barnet and use your loaf

Tyranny of the 'short back and sides' haircut is bound to get in the way of free thinking

A beef about BA and spare wheels

When it comes to big business, it's the bottom line that counts, not the poor consumer

Who says the cricket sweater is dead?

Imagine a podgy club bowler wearing the new skin-tight Clima-Cool sweater. It won't work