Shyheels

I'm guessing you braved the new world and ventured into The Big Smoke

Trump will see it all as a left wing plot against him, driven by his old enemies The Media

There are quite a few 'colourful' businessmen, some of them billionaires, who have had wildly fluctuating careers and who enjoy a broad measure of respect and admiration. Richard Branson springs to mind, for one. Trump had the advantage of having wealthy parents, sure, but took the ball and ran with it and has far outstripped their levels of financial success. Although I doubt that he is as rich as he lets on, he is certainly a billionaire, having started out as a millionaire, and so on that level he is a successful businessman and entrepreneur, even if some of his business practices seem rather sharp. I am by no means a Trump supporter - I think he is a disaster already as president - but one can't condemn him across the board for everything. He's made quite a tidy pile in real estate and property development. Give the devil his due.

It's called Chapter 11 and airlines use it all the time to trade their way out of trouble while freed from their creditors. That is nothing unusual in the states. Trump wouldn't have gone to jail in any event - bankruptcy itself is not a crime - and $3 billion in debt does not mean the bank lost all if it. Indeed under .Chapter 11 he may well have traded his way out in which case the banks might only have lost a bit if the interest. sounds like the rumour mill has been working overtime. We'd all be richer if we'd never made any bad financial decisions.

That's not quite right. He's had several businesses go bankrupt, but usually makes money on his property deals which have mainly been in and around NYC. He is not by any means such a big deal that the government would not allow him to fail. Trump Inc. going down the gurgler would barely cause a ripple in the US economy. He's a billionaire property developer with a topsy turvy past. That's all. He's not Goldman Sachs.

He enjoys quite a wide following in the rust belt who believe his promises and think that he will somehow turn back the clock to 60s (or earlier) America and create exactly the sorts of jobs they and their grandparents had. The world has moved on, and by looking backwards, they are missing the opportunities presented by technology and the renewable resource industries - which will create vastly more, and better, jobs. He is abdicating leadership not just politically, but industrially as well.

I am so, so well acquainted with that

Often in the course of my work I find myself lecturing to groups in the 75-to-death age bracket and it can be challenging. Half of them are insisting I speak up - although I am already speaking quite loudly, if not shouting - while the other half are rolling their eyes and saying: "You don't have to shout, you know!"

What's wrong with the sink?

The spoken part The bit that landed on the deaf ears

Mainly they are just making sure things are properly in the plastic trays - they wouldn't necessarily even know whose tray goes with who, and wouldn't take the time to try matching up which jacket or shoes or laptop goes with which passenger. We are all just so many sheep being pushed through a race...utterly anonymous and without souls

Absolutely. No need for any of that. Just a nice pair of PVC jeans paired with something to cut the hardness and overtones.

No going down in flames, eh?

To be honest I doubt the guy at security gave your wedges even a moment's thought. They see hundreds of people daily for a few seconds at a time and I suspect they all become a bit of a blur. If you had been wearing pink patent thigh boots with six inch stiletto heels he might have recalled you later, but anything short of that would have been quickly forgotten, assuming he noticed at all in the first place.

All in all PVC seems infinitely preferable to being tarred and feathered (well, maybe not actually feathered)

Quite right! I think a nice girl in PVC would be/would have been infinitely preferable to some of the notorious 'talent' they foisted on the world at large. And yes, neutrality is certainly not their long suit. The entire world of journalism is sinking fast though, not just the BBC. It is a disgrace.

I see the BBC has issued a style guide to its newsreaders strictly advising against any PVC or leather. Now there's a surprise...

Probably not so cheap when you think about medical costs and getting it off later! A nice pair of Topshop PVC jeans for £55 seems a better deal to me...

Sounds like you had quite an adventure. How you - or indeed anyone - manages all that in five inch heels is a bit of a mystery to me. Most impressive. Chapeau!

Not sure about the shine...

Might as well!

BA is a dreadful airline

Those were in Topshop? very nice although I am pretty well sorted with for PVC with my jeans - and jeans suit the boho thing I like much more than slinky leggings, but those certainly do look nice. The jeans are not as tight a fit as those - snug but not sprayed on. I really like the Topshop PVC jeans a lot. Certainly has been humid and thundery - not the best weather for wearing PVC!

Hope you're not flying British Airways...

Embarrassing yes, but as you say why would you be expecting the cleaner to unplug the thing?