You  can never underestimate the power of human stupidity.

I watched the whole “killer clown” nonsense unfurl among our pals across the pond with a tut and a shake of my head.

“Only in America,” I mused.

As in only in America would you find halfwits and crackpots daft enough to dress up as a creepy clown and hang around scaring the bejesus out of people.

And then, lo and behold, we have numpties on our own doorstep thinking this is a cracking wheeze to pull.

Gosh, how funny it must be to see terrified women and children.

No doubt their sides are aching from laughing so much at their own wit.

Until, of course, someone gets such a fright it leads to serious consequences. It is not beyond the realms of possibility someone gets such a scare they do something without thinking, like run into the road without looking.

Of course, there will be tomes about the “killer clown” craze tapping into the dark roots of popular cultural while feeding on deep-rooted phobias.

Personally, I think it’s paddling in the shallow end of a twisted sense of humour … the driving force behind all practical jokes.

There is nothing witty, big or clever in making someone look or feel stupid – something which such pranks are designed to do.

It speaks more about the inadequacies of the perpetrators rather than their victims.

Is their own self-esteem so low they must try to ridicule others to feel good about themselves?

It is childish nonsense that you’d like to think reasoning adults would grow out of. Sadly, it is pretty obvious some don’t.

This “killer clown” nonsense is a fad, driven by chumps who can do little better than ape what they see on their screens.

It will pass and hopefully before it has tragic consequences.

If only we could say the same for all practical jokers.

A rematch? Let it be a fair contest

Go Nicola … I’ll have IndyRef2 anytime you like.

But then I would say that, wouldn’t I, being pro-independence and all.

There are, however, an awful lot of folk out there who don’t think the way I or the rest of the 45% do.

Can I just ask, if we are to have the debate again can we do it without the heavy hand of Operation Fear?

Let’s discuss the facts and be clear-eyed about what’s on offer. That goes for both the Yes and No camps.

Above all let’s do it as friends and neighbours. That’s what we are, after all.

Running into ballot issue

ONCE again I have been cruelly-rejected by the London Marathon ballot.

Boo! Don’t they realise I’m a finely-honed athlete ready to run with the best?

A pal suggested they don’t want me on the starting line for fear I will demolish records.

Instead, I will now spend the winter demolishing Pringles and fine Belgian ales.