SIMON COWELL'S CYNICAL DECISION

Although I am not usually a fan of so-called reality TV shows, I have been hooked in to the current series of X Factor. Of course, everything about such shows is really about as far from reality as you can get; yes, the show and its copy-cat variants do make stars of a handful of people, but you can't help feel that you're being manipulated by very astute producers as you follow the progress of the talented and the talentless.

Whilst I have been happy enough to watch the show thus far, and go along with the make belief world, last night's decision by Simon Cowell demonstrates just how controlling the producers (of which he is one) are. Louis Walsh's only remaining group, John & Edward, together with Lucie Jones, received the fewest votes and as such has to sing again so that the judges could decide who should leave the show.

So far, so good.

The decision, according to Cowell, would be made purely on the performances that J&E and Lucie were about to make. Lucie, after a shaky start, quickly gained her composure and sang like an angel. J&E, on the other hand, the jokers in the pack, performed as anticipated: out of tune and hyperactive.

After the performances, Dermot O'Leary pressed the judges for a decision. Walsh naturally saved his act and Minogue saved her act. Cole chose to send J&E home and then it came down to Cowell. Last week he failed to make a decision and relied on the public vote to determine who would go home. This week he was in control of J&E's fate and the nation willed him to send home the weakest act. In all the previous weeks he was always arguing that it was a joke that they were in the show, so his decision should have been quite easy.

But, he paused, he shuffled in his seat and he cogitated. Before he made a decision he said that neither act would win the show and droned on further before saying that he would let the public decide.

Lucie received the fewest votes and left the show.

If it is a talent show then Cowell should have sent home John & Edward, who without a doubt have been the worst performers in the series. They should never have been allowed to through to the live finals, which is another reason that makes you realise that the show isn't based on talent, but about ratings and hooking in the viewers so that they will vote in their millions and fill the producers' coffers.

No one really minds the fact that so much is being made from the voting system, but when decisions are made that clearly have nothing to do with the apparent aims of the show (to find the best talent) then there is something very wrong.

Whilst there was a lot to admire about Simon Cowell, his decision not to send home the weakest act undermines his credibilty. But Cowell doesn't worry about public opinion and by keeping the jokers in the show it is probably going to result in more people voting for their preferred acts. I imagine next week's show will achieve record numbers of voters.

The conclusion we draw is that such shows are simply vehicles to make money whilst the public is duped into thinking that they are watching a show that is actually interested in identifying the stars of the future, which it clearly is not.

Ryanair Rip-off

Perhaps it just that I haven't flown for a couple of years, and out of touch with the "low cost" airlines, but the experience booking tickets to Rome doesn't encourage me to become a regular flyer.

First of all is the issue of choice.  EasyJet used to fly out of East Midlands Airport (EMA) but now the "choice" is straight out of the options manual from Henry Ford: any airline you want as long as it's Ryanair.

So, it's on to the Ryanair website to get those cheap flights.  The site itself is very easy to navigate around and I was soon nearing the check-out.  Then comes the minefield that is Ryanair's check in and baggage options.  We've already arrived at a sub-total of £420.00 for two adults and two children to get to and from Rome, which isn't too bad all things considered, but then you have a summary page which automatically includes travel insurance for every passenger.

You have to go through each person's details and manually de-select the travel insurance option, but I imagine many simply leave it in as it could easily be assumed that you must have travel insurance.  If you pay with a credit card then you are automatically insured; you don't need to pay their rip-off rates.

On the baggage options I clicked the one case option and there appeared another cost of £28.00.  OK, one bag and I'll check in at the airport despite fuming that there was another unexpected cost to add on.

For my wife and two boys we don't need further baggage so they're left as zero; then we can check-in online for free or for £9 at the airport.  I select the free option and then go to check-out; but I can't proceed as one person (me) has to check in the bag at the airport, even though there are no other bags to check in.

The option is that I must do two separate booking; one for me with a bag and another one for my wife and children without baggage, which means they can check in online.

We decide that as we can all take hand luggage we won't have any luggage in the hold, which means that we can all check in online and for free.

I finally arrive at the payment section and have my credit card at the ready.  But, another catch: if you pay by credit card there's a booking fee.  A what? Another tax!

The rate works out at a 9% surcharge taking our total to £460.00. 

At IKEA they charge just 70p to pay by credit card and that's enough.  We know that the card companies charge around 1% to their customers so Ryanair is making up to 8% for nothing. Disgusting.  The only card that escapes a fee is if you have an Electron card; if you're a regular Ryanair flyer I would get yourself one and quick.

So far, so unrelaxing and we haven't even set foot in the airport yet.  However, without checking in baggage and nothing to collect when we land in Rome we should at least be out of the airport in minutes.

Compare this to travelling by ferry or Eurotunnel; a few clicks and you're at the check out and no issue about how much baggage.  You just select the size of car and include how many passengers.  On the day of travel you drive to the ferry terminal, wait until you embark and then you sit back and enjoy the ride.

There's no fighting through Customs and check in, there's no fear of your luggage ending up in Timbuktu and there's no worry about the cost of parking.

For me it's the ferry everytime.