Arts
The Swaling, Part Eleven
Arriving at the border town of Irun, in the northern Pyrenees, there is always a bit of a scramble. A change of rail gauge means a change of train. Our connection was the overnight service [more…]
Blog
Hobbies
Crossword No. 125
First correct entry out of ‘the hat’ wins a GP mug. Email entries to me by 6.00 pm Sunday, subject ‘Crossword’. Contact here on email Last week’s winner. 124 jgm2 ( I really will get [more…]
Hobbies
Always Worth Saying’s Volkswagen Golf 7 GTI Car Review
This is a review of the Golf 7 GTI, not the new Golf 8. Ominously, the Golf 8 is advertised as being “all digital”, as though that were a good thing. However, the car reviewed [more…]
Arts
The Great Escape, Part Two
A sickening, plastic sounding, crunch. Check self – fine. Look around for any obvious danger – none. Smell for petrol – none. The area wasn’t notably busy, some people across the road were looking over [more…]
Arts
Korea’s Nelson
Mokpo, 2016 Forming a dramatic and beautiful backdrop to the depressed centre of Mokpo was Mount Yudal. It is smaller than the Wrekin, but its cliffs and crags made it seem much higher. After a [more…]
Engineering
Le Château de Guédelon
Introduction I suppose it is only natural when confronted by an ancient architectural marvel such as a Roman aqueduct or a mediæval cathedral to stare in wonder and to ask oneself, ‘How on earth did [more…]
20th Century
The Spitfire, of course, Part 3
A look at the Miles M20, the “Emergency Fighter” Design and build us a cheap fighter, knock it up out of wood, shove in this night fighter engine, loads of fuel, plenty of ammo and [more…]
20th Century
Roosevelt’s Disastrous New Deal
Britain’s Keynesian press & public service broadcasters view President Roosevelt’s New Deal as something to ‘put on a pedestal’ (Guardian June27). Sadly the New Deal has gone into main stream academic & political economic archives [more…]
Fiction
Joe Malone, Part Sixty-Seven
Nina’s face disappeared on the screen of the videophone. I was left looking at the dancing pole. The topless dancer had gone. Nina’ asked a question. “Just how long were you thinking this short Iceland [more…]