DO looks really matter that much? Teacher Francoise Rabin, 51, underwent £50,000 worth of beauty makeovers - eyes, nose, teeth, liposuction. The results were certainly dramatic. She had, she said, always been jealous of her prettier sister. She also felt, understandably, that life had been grim since her husband died 14 years ago. Being attractive, she thought, would make it easier to cope, give her confidence.

Let's hope it does. She certainly bubbled over when she appeared on television. Maybe that insecure, jealous person has gone for good. Maybe it really was that easy.

When people shed lots of weight, they often say they become different people - happier, more confident. Except, of course, for all those who put the weight back on again, as if they want something to hide behind.

Being attractive alters the way people treat us, which will alter the way we respond so yes, in some ways, of course looks matter. But can changed looks change an entire personality too? I hope so, because that's what Mrs Rabin wants so badly.

We all want to look good. Most of us struggle to make the best of what we've got and as a result, more people look younger for longer.

But if we put so much emphasis on the way people look, where will it all end? We learn that a healthy baby was aborted, very late in the pregnancy, because it had a cleft palate. Only physical perfection is acceptable now, so it can't be long before beauty's an essential too.

And then, maybe, the experts will get to work on personality transplants.

A GROUP of top doctors has called for a total ban on smoking in public places. Well, yes. As someone who emerges from smoky pubs with eyes red rimmed and streaming, I'm all for it.

(I know, I know, I could just stop going to smoky pubs, but that's not the point, is it?)

But almost as dangerous to public health and temper is the number of people who eat in public places. Especially in the street. True, the smell isn't quite so bad in the open air. But people seem incapable of spending an hour or so in the town centre without some sustenance - greasy burgers, chips, tomato relish squishing down their clothes. Not a pretty sight. Small children in buggies are given large bars of chocolate which they smear happily on any passer by. It doesn't do them much good and isn't very healthy for the rest of us either.

Far worse is the litter.

You might eventually grow ill from passive smoking. You're far more likely to break your neck slipping on a discarded squished chip. Or maybe the lettuce leaf and tomato which are much too healthy for most burger scoffers, so are just thrown to the ground.

I've seen rats in broad daylight in the centre of Durham, having a feast of a time on discarded fast food. And that can't do much good for public health and wellbeing, not to mention the city's image.

But the worst town in the region is probably Bishop Auckland. Are the residents more careless? The council less concerned? Whatever the reason, it seems always to have the slimiest, smelliest pavements.

Not a pretty sight - even when smoke's already in your eyes.

GOSH, remember the fuss over Leo Blair's christening and the effort his parents made to prevent us seeing photographs of him? The Blairs have always, understandably, tried to keep their children out of the limelight.

So whose bright idea was it to get Leo to autograph his own photo for President Jacques Chirac and then get it on the front pages of many newspapers?

A nice, smooth diplomatic touch - or just plain old hypocrisy?

SO now it's cheaper to buy a house than have a baby. Research by the Liverpool and Victoria Friendly Society reveals that from birth to a degree at 21, having a baby costs over £140,000. Gulp.

But hang on a minute.

Presumably these figures include those all terrain designer buggies that cost about the same as a small car, designer labels and, of course, endless trips, treats and expensive snacks to stop children getting bored.

Does no one have hand-me-downs any more? Babies don't care if it was someone else's pram before theirs, or if their dungarees once belonged to their big brother or a total stranger who gave it to the charity shop.

And there's no rule of nature that says children curl up and die without a television in their bedrooms from the age of two.

They can live without their own computer, too, and can probably struggle by with a tiny fraction of the toys in their cupboards. So let's re-think that £140,000.

On the other hand, if the thought of it is enough to make the eyes water, then maybe the report could prove a pretty effective contraceptive.

www.thisisthenortheast.co.uk

/news/griffiths.html