In every tribe of men known to mankind, there is always a jerk to be found who can’t get his head round the niceties of life. Take for instance Dr Nicholas Riemer of Sydney University. John Howard’s old alma mater, Sydney University, is to award Howard an honorary doctorate as an acknowledgment of his achievements. Dr Riemer woke to find this news slammed fair and square between his eyes. He doesn’t like it and has reacted to the said news as if he’d found a live hand grenade down the front of his underpants. He is running round the campus in ever decreasing circles protesting at this outrage of disingenuous adoration of Howard but he runs the risk of self harm by vanishing up his own fundament.