BENAZIR Bhutto is murdered in a terrorist attack, and Pakistan erupts in violence.

In Kenya, fears of a rigged election have sparked off the sort of atrocities once associated with Rwanda.

Welome to 2008, where democracy seems increasingly under threat.

Mugabe remains in power while his people starve. Human rights abuses continue in countrries across the world.

Our own British political system seems stymied by a lack of vision among our leaders, bogged down as all parties scrap for the muddy middle ground.

Yet there now seems to be at least one beacon of hope - Barack Obama.

The word the pundits are using about his win in Iowa is 'momentum'.

The fact that a black man beat Hillary Clinton into third place in the Democratic caucus in such a predominantly white state means that while the race is not yet over - and whoever wins the Democratic nomination also faces a tough ride from Republican candidates like Rudi Giuliani - this could be the start of a huge sea change in the USA.

There is something we could learn from Iowa.

I think all our local councils' decisions should be based on the same process as the Democractic caucus there - that opposing views should each go and sit in a corner of a room and try to persuade each other to join them.

What excellent theatre this would provide for the jaded local council reporter, tired of the cabinet system or ruling group meetings where all the real decisions are thrashed out before the official council meeting gets under way.

Argus reports would also be far more lively: "Councillor Evans made an impassioned speech about the potholes in his road and sparked a mass movement from the upper left corner to the lower right - a landslide for spending the cash to adopt the street."

Or what about: "In the 'more lollipop ladies for Cwmbran' corner, 43; in the against corner, one councillor being glared at by all the rest."

Or perhaps if Gordon Brown does something a large proportion of the country is against, like say, invading some oil-rich land with the USA, we could put him in the 'naughty corner' until he gets the troops out.

LOVED the story about the 102-year-old fisherman who is emigrating from the UK to New Zealand in case he gets to 105 and regrets not going.

It made me get itchy feet....I'm just looking out my atlas...

AND finally...

I think a bit of experience-broadening might be in order for the friends in Lincolnshire who are re-creating the Star Wars films with household objects and toys as props and scenery in a small garage.

"You take a hard hat, put an Imperial sticker on it and suddenly it's an Imperial work helmet.." one said.

Sad, sad, sad.