Arts
The (Postwar) Fall of France, Part One
Has there ever been a stranger accession to power in a western democracy recently than that of Emmanuel Macron? In 2014, he rose from nowhere to Minister of the Economy and then in 2017 was [more…]
European Union
Arts
A meeting with an illegal migrant
Liège, autumn 2018 It was pouring with rain in Liège, so I decided to store my backpack in a station locker before spending a few hours traipsing in the wet around the place. Unfortunately, the [more…]
Authoritarianism
The EU Pandemic Relief Deal
A blueprint for a European superstate After intense negotiations, long days and nights of clashes and a distinctly sour note underlying the entire summit, European Union leaders finally agreed on an unprecedented 1.82 trillion-euro ($2.1 [more…]
Authoritarianism
Balancing Disease & Cure – It’s Not Just the Virus
In his latest book (“The Body – a Guide for Occupants”) Bill Bryson highlights the limitations on what money can buy. He points out, for example, that America spends more per capita on healthcare than [more…]
Authoritarianism
The Great Confinement
Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. C.S. Lewis Greetings [more…]
Arts
Just a matter of trust
We are all currently sliding on a well greased mat, guided by the cavernous walls and twisted pathways of the ponderous helter-skelter of fate, rapidly descending into oblivion. Any reasonable or sane individual will by [more…]
Animals
Larry’s Diary Week Thirty Three
Monday Morning all, welcome to another week’s happenings in Westminster from your favourite cat Diarist (I have to big myself up, no one else will). A story this morning proves that some people never learn. [more…]
Animals
Larry’s Diary Week Thirty One
Monday Good Morning everyone and welcome to another week’s doings in the wonderful world of Westminster. It’s a wet morning in London today with some hail. That’s better than up north where there is a [more…]
Animals
Larry’s Diary Week Thirty
Monday Monday morning and it’s breakfast on my own as the gang are still at Chequers. It was another wet and windy weekend courtesy of Storm Dennis. I hear that some of the poor people [more…]