Democracy
An Appointment at Noon
The Medical Officer and the young lieutenant inspected the work of the firing party; “She’s still alive, the volley has failed to kill her said the MO,” the young lieutenant looked down at the sagging [more…]
Month: January 2024
Arts
Fabulously Flamboyant Fridays: Synth Pop Part Three – Breaking Up Is Hard To Do
Greetings pop pickers and welcome to another edition of Fabulously Flamboyant Fridays – our occasional Campari and soda drenched probe into the rainbow and glitter world of artistes who are quite simply fabulous, darling. This [more…]
Arts
Always Worth Saying’s Question Time Review
Question Time 25th January 2024 The Panel: Alex Burghart (Conservative) Jonathan Ashworth (Labour) Bronwen Maddox (CEO of Chatham House) Sonia Sodha (Columnist and Author) Konstantin Kisin (Satirist and Podcaster) Venue: Gillingham Despite, or perhaps because [more…]
Fiction
Jinnie’s Story – Book Six, Chapter Fourteen
Jinnie checked her phone again, Nigel and Camilla’s Virgin flight had taken off on time from London and was expected to land about 10 minutes early. Glancing at the dashboard clock she saw she had [more…]
Arts
No More Heroes Any More?
The recent death of JPR spurred me on to complete an article I started a few months ago on the subject of childhood heroes. I know for many JPR was a proper hero in the [more…]
Eating
Caribbean Christmas 2023/24, Part Two
Day 1 – 22nd December, Gatwick to Bridgetown Barbados My alarm woke me at 05:00. In no rush to get up, I lay there for 15 minutes before struggling out of bed. I showered and [more…]
Authoritarianism
Kenya: Redefining Clientele Chic
On the 60th anniversary of Kenya’s independence, Gathanga Ndung’u writes that the country has spent decades as the loyal servant of imperialism. The country may have express highways, a busy international airport, a modern railway, [more…]
Diary
A View (Miles Away) From The Greenhouse; 1,000 Cuts, The Destruction Of A Nation
Took a little ride out with the camera club up to Ashness Bridge and then walked up to “Surprise View” where I came across this handsome fellow taking a (probably) well earned break from his [more…]
20th Century
Report From Israel, 1957 – Part Five
In 1957 my uncle, John Alldridge visited Israel for the Birmingham Mail. This is the fifth of his reports. – Jerry F Eilat, Gulf of Akaba You can’t go home (they said) until you’ve bathed [more…]