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IF THE number-crunchers and their political masters in Whitehall are serious about tackling traffic congestion and pollution, there should be no question of ending free parking at this region's railway and metro stations.
Public transport has to be a convenient and cheap option if commuters are to be teased out of their cars.
FROM the southern tip of England to the most northern point of Scotland, the names that dominate our high streets and shopping malls are the same.
There is no denying the convenience or cheap prices of these giants.
DEMOCRACY is the cornerstone of the liberties we enjoy, but is fragile.
Politicians who fail to inspire or who do not fulfil their pledges deal it a serious blow by encouraging cynicism and apathy among voters, but there is a more immediate danger.
DRIVERS cuss about the location of many speed cameras, claiming they are there simply to raise revenue rather than save lives.
But few people would raise a word against the siting of a new camera in Watery Lane Middleway, Bordesley.
MEN like Leonard Smith, veteran of the D-Day landings, helped to ensure the survival of the freedoms that today we take for granted.
We who were too young to serve in the Second World War are honoured to have in our midst heroes who risked their lives so that future generations may live in peace, free of the threat of tyranny.
AS THE last few votes are counted, expect the headlines to be dominated by the major parties. Quite rightly.
Conservatives are delighted at tightening their grip on Birmingham City Council, their Liberal Democrat partners are celebrating their own successes and Labour supporters are happy that the party did not face the meltdown that they feared.
AS THE number of deaths among our soldiers serving in Afghanistan and Iraq rises to horrific levels, it would be easy to become anaesthetised.
Easy to forget that each of these losses is a life cut short. Easy to forget that each of these losses means anguish for the family, friends and comrades left behind.
IT IS easy to overlook the courage shown on our behalf by police officers.
Officers like Pc Richard Gray, shot dead as he attended a domestic disturbance in Shrewsbury at the weekend.
I MET a woman once. No, I really did, it can happen. And I fell in love with her I heard it's good for the soul.
During an intimate moment I asked her "Do you like speedway?"
And blow me down she replied: "Speedway? I love speedway."
So I'm thinking 'Get in this could be The One'. Then she said: "I used to be a Cradley Heathen!"
Typical you find the woman of your dreams and she is a Cradley Heathen!
IN A city that endured the horrors and heartbreak of the pub bombings, the Northern Ireland peace agreement has a special resonance.
As the number of casualties mounted on both sides of the Irish Channel, few would have thought that one day the two sides in the vicious divide would sit down in government together.
THE agony being endured by the parents of little Madeleine McCann is beyond imagination.
But that has not prevented the nation sharing their grief as they wait for news of their little daughter, who vanished six days ago from an apartment in the Portuguese resort of Praia da Luz.
COUNCILLORS have a duty to play by the rules. But they also have a duty to act in the interest of the people they represent and sometimes these responsibilities collide.
Liberal Democrat councillors Martin Mullaney and Ernie Hendricks have found themselves in hot water over their campaign to safeguard the Grade II listed former Tram Depot in Alcester Road, Moseley.
IF THE treatment John and Sue Porter received at the hand of British Gas was unusual, their case would be worrying.
Here was a couple who were hounded by the energy company for electricity bill that had been run-up before their house was even built.
THE group of Birmingham youngsters who headed out to South Africa to work with schoolchildren there have come back wiser people.
The 24 teenagers saw levels of poverty far removed from anything they would have witnessed in the well-heeled West Midlands.
THERE is no point in mourning the passing of those magnificent Birmingham buildings that were bulldozed in decades past. Nothing will bring them back.
Instead it crucial that this city creates new buildings that please the eye, lift the spirits and are unique.
DRINK-driving, once viewed as little more than high jinks, is now rightly recognised as a serious offence that brings carnage to our roads.
But, of course, humans are frail creatures and all too often people behave in ways they know to be wrong.
JUST yards from Villa Park faithful stands one of Birmingham's historic gems.
Aston Hall, a fine Jacobean house surrounded by rolling parkland, has been preserved for the people of this city to enjoy.
Hopes of a prompt start between Warwickshire and Durham today have been scuppered. Half an hour before the start, though no rain is falling, the Edgbaston groundstaff bring on the covers, apparently having heard bad news from the Met Office.
A prompt start is clearly out of the question. No announcement yet over the P.A - but then, apart from the ever-diligent pressmen, there are only half a dozen people in the ground to announce to. Just as easy to pop down and tell them directly.
The groundstaff knew what they were doing. Steady drizzle. Not a scene of total inactivity, however. Two crows have just flown across the ground in the direction of Moseley.
Rain now falling heavily, water gathering on the covers, still no official announcement, players must be taking lunch. A loan seagull pecking the outfield. No crows visible.
To say prospects of play are remote would be the biggest under-statement since Emperor Hirohito told his people, after the Japanese surrender in 1945.
"There has been a development in the war situation - not necessarily to Japan's advantage."
Umpires have conferred. Groundstaff emerge and start to remove covers. Motorised blotter is at work on water lying on edge of square.
Commendable show of enterprise. Slight snag - glowering clouds overhead which appear to contain more rain than you could shake a stick at.
Covers fully back on. Drizzle.
Two spectators present. One at back of RES Wyatt Stand, one in member's area in front of the scoreboard.
A pied wagtail hops over the boundary rope at the City End. Surely they've got to call it off soon...!
4pm - and called off for the day.
THIS is an area that's been starved of football glory over recent years so let's rejoice West Bromwich Albion's success in reaching the Championship play-off final at Wembley.
The job, of course, is only half done. The Baggies must beat Derby County if they are to win a place among the elite of the Premiership.
AT THE age of 26, businesswoman Reena Thakrar should have been looking forward to a life full of happiness and success. Instead she was cut down by ovarian cancer.
Our hearts ache for her family, friends and colleagues as they struggle to come to terms with such a tragic loss.
Good morning ladies and gentlemen.
It's never very encouraging to drive to a day's cricket with your windscreen wipers on full throttle. Sure enough, Edgbaston is looking very, very wet. The motorised blotter is out there doing its best but the sky looks poised and ready to dump plenty more wet stuff on the ground.
The umpires have taken a look. Lunch will be taken early at 12.30pm, with another inspection at 1pm. Any play before tea looks highly unlikely and no play today a distinct possibility.
By the way thanks to everybody who posted messages yesterday. Keep 'em coming.
I clearly need to clear up the matter of the loan seagull. I can exclusively reveal that it is on a season-long loan from the Sealife Centre with a view to a longer-term move to Edgbaston at the end of the season.
Re. today's birdlife. Not much so far but there is a big crane lurking behind the Tom Dollery.
EVER wondered what goes on behind the scenes of the Mail? Well with our new blog you'll get the chance to find out.
From time to time I'll be popping in to give you a glimpse behind the scenes of the Birmingham Mail and responding to your comments.
PICTURE bill power is the buzz word on the Birmingham Mail's editorial floor today.
'Bills' are the posters we display outside newsagents on those A-boards, and also what we plaster all over vendors' boxes in town.
Our newspaper sales manager Gemma Tandy had the idea after seeing the dramatic picture earlier this week of the bus smash in Dudley. It sent a real buzz through the circulation department as they reckoned it would attract readers' attention more than just words.
Inspection still scheduled for 1pm, but rather ominously, slight drizzle has started up again.
Covers have been removed and the pitch rolled but much will depend on how wet the outfield is.
A quiet morning, but there was a flurry of excitement when the crane swivelled 180 degrees and lowered some breeze blocks on to the development at the Pavilion End. It was an 'I was there' moment.
Good news. Play scheduled to start at 1.45pm. Durham won toss and field. Sangakkara makes Bears debut, Daggett omitted from 12 so Groenewald returns to team in place of Tahir.
Underway at last - and Ian Westwood and Darren Maddy must wish it was still raining. Westwood shouldered arms to his 13th ball and was lbw Otis Gibson for 0.
1 for 1. Sangakkara strolls out under thick cloud with the ball swinging - tricky conditions for his first Bears innings. Maddy promptly misses a drive - lbw Onions 0. 1 for 2.
Sangakkara benefits from Warwickshire's first five of the season - a tight single adorned by four overthrows.
Then Trott is bamboozled by Onions' slower ball, which misses off-stump, but next ball edges to Gibson in the gully. Trott out for 3. 19 for three.
Warwickshire are in a right old pickle, after the intervention of Mustard and Onions.
Jim Troughton edged Onions to wicket-keeper Mustard to leave the Bears 23 for 4. A good toss to win for Durham, it seems.
Sangakkara, 18 not out, is batting with considerable skill against a swinging ball and a skein of geese has just passed over the RES Wyatt stand.
Derek - much more of this and they will be printing "I was there" t-shirts for Sangakkara's debut innings! He is on 77 out of 126 for four and, in poor light against a moving ball, batting simply majestically.
Loudon is supporting well at the moment with 39 and the pair have so far put on 103 in 21 overs.
Sangakkara's batting has been very special. At one stage he had 53 out of 65 for 4! Light closing in again but if anyone lives close enough I recommend getting down to Edgbaston for this.
Loudon completes a rather unusual half-century.
He took 26 balls to get off the mark, then moved from 0-50 in 33 balls!
138 for 4. Sanga 77, Loudon 51,
Tea: Warwickshire 157 for 4 (39 overs). Sangakkara 90 (15 fours and a five), Loudon 57 (ten fours).
They have so far added 134 in 26 overs.
Sangakkara reaches century from 137 balls with 17 fours and a five. Standing ovation. A simply brilliant innings. Partnership with Loudon passes 150. 182 for 4. Sanga 103, Loudon 65.
The loan (not lone) seagull returns. Frankly, I'm surprised it has not brought a few mates to watch this knock from Sangakkara.
Of course, maybe it hasn't got any mates.
Although it looks gregarious enough to me.
190 for 4. Sangakkara 105, Loudon 71.
Sangakkara and Loudon, having turned down an offer of bad light, post a 200 partnership in 44 overs. Sanga 119, Loudon 89.
223 for 4.
It is also revealed that sweetcorn is responsible for more blocked drains in the UK than any other substance.
Loudon reaches ton from 140 balls with 19th four. Partnership 226 and counting.
AS they say in luvvie land it will be alright on the night but the Brummies first bow on national television was almost a washout.
I suppose it was lucky no-one did break a leg.
The whispers were it would have been called off if Sky was not ready to beam Birmingham into warm homes across Britain.
The first bit of Sky stardust I noticed Murdock's men had sprinkled on Perry Barr were the four dolly birds standing on the start line before each race. The in-house camera man had also obviously been taken with the girls' spandex shorts as he repeatedly zoomed in on their rain soaked rear ends.
267 for 5 at the close. Loudon caught at slip for 105 but Sangakkara unbeaten on 137 having played simply beautifully.
A day containing some truly memorable strokes, but none better than Jimmy Anyon's cover-drive for four from the last ball of the day.
Good night folks. Get here tomorrow if you can to see this man Sanga bat!
WHEN the Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott is trundling around Britain in one of his Jaguars, chances are that he will have travelled along one of this city's motorways.
It is hard not to pass through or near Birmingham: the city is, after all, at the heart of the country.
Alright Barry.
Alright Dave, how am ya?
Ahh fair to middlin
I ay seen ya for bit, you been up to much?
Ahh a bit of this and that and going here and there.
Last time I saw yam you had hair and tosh
Ahh the sands of time ay been kind kidda then again yam didn't have a spare tyre round ya waist.
LESSER people might have crumbled after suffering the injuries that struck Anne Luttman-Johnson when, at the age of 21, she was left paralysed from the hip down after a car crash.
But Anne, now 44 and a manager with law firm Irwin Mitchell, skies, microglides and has sailed the Atlantic.
Amazing how sports stories and opinions sell so many newspapers. Take today: on the Baggies triumph we have a new column 'Boyden Biting His Nails', where Baggies fan and broadcaster Malcolm Boyden tells how nervous fans are "glowing like a glass-blowers' arse", and fellow-fan Adrian Goldberg asking 'Is the Premiership really worth it?'
And yet the strength of sports is ages old. Not wanting to brag about today's paper too much, but page three has snippets from two golden oldies... our 1957 Villa reporter Alan Smith musing on his memories of the 1957 FA Cup triumph, and 1982 Sports chief Leon Hickman remembering Rotterdam. Who said newspapers were dying!!?
Morning folks. I am sure we are all feeling a bit melancholy this morning, Lincoln City's play-off bid having tragically failed for a fifth successive year but better news is that Edgbaston is dry at the moment so play should start on time.
Thanks again to all who have commented in the formative days of this blog. I should mention that, being pretty much a Luddite (I'm still getting to grips with the pocket calculator - just how DO you do percentages?), I don't know much about the land of blogs so if anything seems strange or upside-down or inside-out or you think the whole operation needs moving a little bit to the left then feel free to let me know.
A Sanga double-ton would be jolly nice. Started on time, although in rather poor li