Arts
A Glass Half Full
In a previous article, I asked whether you had ever gazed into your pint and wondered about the beginnings of beer and brewing. This time, I’ll ask you another question. It’s about the pint pot [more…]
Culture
Arts
Postkarte aus Bochum (Woanders ist auch Scheiße)
Herbert Grönemeyer made this town a whole lot more famous with his 1984 album “4630 Bochum”. More of Herr G later, but where, I hear some of you ask, is this magical place of which [more…]
Arts
Kenneth (Ken) Essex Hits a Century!
Kenneth Essex, one of the most respected viola players of our time, celebrates his 100th birthday on Monday 20th July 2020. Born the son of a Co-op baker and confectionery manager in Hinkley, Leicestershire he [more…]
America
Wendyball and BLM
I write this article as Keir Starmer says he can’t support BLM due to their Marxist/Socialist ideas about defunding the police and Matt Le Tissier, a famous footballer and Sky TV soccer pundit questions whether [more…]
Arts
The Northern Ireland Housing Trust & Rathcoole estate (1945-1971)
Between the wars, a big public housing build in other parts of the United Kingdom was not replicated in Northern Ireland. Nor had there been grants for slum clearance. What public housing there was, had [more…]
Arts
The attitude should be gratitude
During these increasingly polarized times, it is easy for logical debates to give way to emotionally charged shouting matches. Once the idea of free dialogue is gone, riots, destruction and violence are sure to follow, [more…]
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…]
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…]
19th Century
Morse Code
Just a few of the umpteen songs I could have chosen! Apparently I’m a bit of a numpty for not making the link between “The Longest Day” and Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony! So, with June being [more…]