Authoritarianism
Year of the Rabbit
When I first arrived in Hong Kong, many years ago, I bought a microwave grill for the new flat from Park and Shop, a big supermarket chain. Could it be delivered? “Yes, when do you [more…]
Month: January 2023
Arts
A Postcard From a Long Christmas Cruise, Part One
Being single and with no very close family, Christmas is not an easy holiday. I get invited to stay with cousins, but I have often felt like an outsider as they all have children and [more…]
Arts
A Postcard From India; Goa
Another long day of travelling, including two longish taxi rides and two internal flights, via Hyderabad, saw us arrive in Cavelossim. The journey to the airport in Goa, through the last of the “rush hour” [more…]
20th Century
Buried Treasure
Amongst a century of detritus at the BBC there lies some buried treasure. Between layers of fake news, preachy left-wing documentaries and un-funny comedy, the BBC’s iPlayer hides a gleaming gem of an old archaeology [more…]
Hobbies
Shunting dusted off
I’ve not frequented this site as often in the past – the last year or so, though #FFriday with a beer or two is always worth a visit and the gaffer continues to get his [more…]
Business
Economic Evolution: Darwin’s Idiot Speaks, Part One
Having been born into and grown up within the never-ending promise of prosperity guaranteed by Keynes’s gospel that saved us all from the purgatory of the Depression, I like others only began to see a [more…]
20th Century
Sisi – The Foulest Crime of The Century
Last time our 1955 Ford Prefect road trip found my grandmother photographed standing on the Jet d’Eau side of Lake Geneva. An interesting crown-topped cupola lay squatted in silhouette on the other side of the [more…]
Hobbies
Going Postal Spare Crossword 249
First correct entry out of ‘the hat’ wins a book of your choice (subject to T&Cs) & a mug! Email entries to me by 6.00 pm Friday, subject ‘Crossword’. Contact here on email Winner of [more…]
20th Century
My Leg Ends of Pop Music – Part Seventeen – Hawkwind
After 60 proper legends of pop (OK, you may have thought that some were a bit iffy), it is now time for my Top 20 Leg Ends of pop. These are those groups or artists [more…]