I’ve been thinking recently just how insidious truth can be. Just when you think that you can control the message, pesky old truth manages to inveigle its way to the surface. Slowly and surely, cunning old truth manages to find a way around all the obstacles that have been placed in its path. Take two current examples: firstly, the phone hacking saga. Ironically, at the same time that some people are up in arms at the prospect of Rupert Murdoch increasing his influence over British news, his own media empire is under attack over a story that he can’t make go away. Even with all his resources it doesn’t seem that he can control the news agenda. The second example comes from the extraordinary scenes unfolding in Egypt. Social media has undoubtedly been a catalyst in encouraging disaffected Egyptians out on to the streets. The frightened authorities have foolishly reacted by shutting down electronic communications. They seem to have forgotten that previous popular uprisings, including the ’89 velvet revolution, predate Facebook and Twitter. It seems that those holding on to power in Egypt may well find out that truth has a habit of making itself heard whatever is done to try and block its way.