As I say, hilarity. Arising from hypocrisy and crass stupidity.

'Allowing smoking in a pub not a real crime'? Would it be a crime if it wasn't Nick Hogan? What constitutes a crime in that case, or is it a matter of who commits it?

It's always worth coming on here for a smile. Anyway, here's today's mental exercises for the sagacious law professors, ethicists and elevated equestrians pitching in here(answer ALL questions):

Law: civil and criminal

1) Is entering premises and intentionally stealing documents from a someone a crime? (OK, a hint: section 9 of the Theft Act 1968) (10 points)

2) If a tiny part of the contents of said documents (e.g. a contract) are then posted on a website, is that a criminal or civil offence? Explain your choice. (No more hints - you've had one!) (20 points)

3) If person A sends person B a private e-mail, containing a viciously untrue allegation, then promulgates it to all and sundry within an organisation with a view to destroying person B's reputation by nature of the allegation, what offence has been committed? (20 points)

Ethics

4) Person A sends someone Private Messages in an internet forum, then uses the forum to complain that they have been discussing / publishing the contents of those messages with other people. Person B sends Person A Private Messages, which another party, Person C then hints strongly to B the contents of the messages he sent to A. What kind of character is Person A? (Assume - correctly - that B does NOT disclose the contents of PM's, e-mails or other discretions.) (25 points)

5) If Person A from Q.4, operates the website mentioned in Q.2, is there a criminality issue / moral conflict? (25 points and a Gold star for the best answer!)

Ends

I won't enter the discussion of the merits of the Denby / Bloom situations, I think they're both overblown teacup storms, indicative of deeply sinister, cliquey croneyism and hysterical mischief-making, both as destructive as each other.

For me, I cannot stop thinking about my (fairly lengthy) chat at the leadership hustings last autumn, where I was regaled with stories of planned "professionalisation" of a certain entity. Seems like years ago.