20th Century
The History of Pop Music – 1999
Featured song: Robbie Williams – She’s The One This is the last of a series of articles looking at pop music from 1955 when in my opinion proper pop music began up to 1999 [more…]
20th Century
20th Century
Black Chips Down in Somaliland
Americans know Somalia from the film “Black Hawk Down” based on the U.S. intervention of 1993. The U.S. had armed Somalia’s strong man, Siad Barre, as a counter to Ethiopia’s Marxist government, but with the [more…]
19th Century
Easter Railway Review
I’ve been meaning to tell you this for a while, but real life keeps interrupting. One’s pen’s been distracted by a diminishing Navy, war in the Gulf, Question Times, Holy Week and even the installation [more…]
20th Century
The History of Pop Music – 1998
Featured song: All Saints – Never Ever (UK Version)
20th Century
Tanker Wars
All has changed. Or has it? We have been here before, literally. The Puffin is a well-travelled bird with a good memory and can recall rolling dunes, desert villages, remote sun-drenched harbours and trails of [more…]
20th Century
The History of Pop Music – 1997
A History of Pop Music – 1997 This is a series of articles looking at pop music from 1955 when in my opinion proper pop music began up to 1999 when they stopped making it. [more…]
20th Century
Labour’s bad boys – Part 9 Peter Mandelson
Peter Benjamin Mandelson, these days better known as Baron Mandelson, has had to resign 3 times from official positions. A devious snake of a man one hopes he is finally out of our sight. He [more…]
20th Century
Book review: Fearless on Everest, by Julie Summers
‘Sandy Irvine sat outside his tent, shoulders hunched, his hat pulled down over his ears, his scarf shielding his badly sunburned face. His skin had been severely blistered by the sun, and the wind on [more…]
20th Century
Labour’s bad boys – Part 8 Ron Davies
In 1998 poor old Ron Davies was held to ridicule. In 1983 he was elected to represent Caerphilly in the House of Shame. He was appointed Secretary of State for Wales in Satan Blair’s cabinet [more…]