Arts
A Street Corner in Pest
Friends tell me that I’m a ‘Master Raconteur.’ At least, I think that’s what they’re telling me. Perhaps it’s an anagram? No matter, I must recount the following. Every tall tale should have its own [more…]
War
America
Bashar al-Assad’s Journey
As we stand on the cusp of the Syrians and Turks continuing diplomacy by other means it may be an opportune time to have a quick look at Bashar al-Assad. The son of the former [more…]
19th Century
The Final Betrayal?
Parliamentary session to discuss the Surrender Act starts at 9.30 am. Right click to open Parliament TV I’ll add a live feed and agenda when they become available. Crossword later today. Swiss Bob Update: Ministerial [more…]
America
Iran Seizes British Flagged Tanker
I write this at 2015 on Friday 19th July, so by the time you read this things may have developed further. Right now the breaking news is a few hours ago the British flagged tanker [more…]
Authoritarianism
From Draft to Bookshop – A Journey
Almost two years ago this weekend my wife and I, rather nervously, drove into a small Devon village on our way to visit a family that I had only met through Going Postal but who [more…]
Politics
The Perfidy of Western “Intelligence” Agencies: The A.Q. Khan Case
Preface This article was first published in print nearly ten years ago now, (and under a different name) towards the end of 2008. At the time, Iraq and Afghanistan had clearly become quagmires and there [more…]
Literature
Authoritarianism
How I learned to despise the left and fear the bomb
It was during an English lesson during the late 1970s – English lessons were never about spelling, grammar, creative writing, etymology, poetry or literature, always, always politics – when a short term supply teacher told [more…]
Peace
It’s time to take a couple of minutes for quiet contemplation
Dedicated to all the men & women of the British Armed Services, especially those killed in the line of duty since WW1 and the countless numbers injured and disabled defending our country and way of [more…]