Cycling
West Country Rides, Five
It takes a week to cycle from Penzance to Berwick. It took me 40 years. Because on the way, I wanted to include every town in England, in what amounted to some two years of [more…]
20th Century
Kill not cure: the economic prescriptions that failed
Introduction In my essay ‘From Socialism to Welfarism: the Betrayal of the Working Class’, I observed that the early socialist thinkers developed their ideas at the peak of the industrial revolution. Socialist theory was therefore [more…]
Drinking
Cruising to the Canaries – Part Two
Day 5 – Wednesday, Funchal, Madeira I awoke just after six; it was still dark, so turned over and went back to sleep for another forty minutes. This time it was grey and grotty, and [more…]
Communism
One out, all out – and none in
On Thursday Starmer was cock-a-hoop about his one in one out plan he conjured up with the frog president Micron. The diminutive Napoleon like figure was fresh from losing a court case where he had [more…]
Literature
An Old Man’s Musings Part Thirty-Four
I don’t contribute to the unread comments so these scribblings are sometimes a week or so behind events and thoughts shared on the blog. Phaasch, I feel your pain but also the joy. July 4th [more…]
Animals
Larry’s Diary, Week Two Hundred And Eighty-Seven
Monday Good morning all, the cat is back! I have had a lovely couple of weeks off and the weather has been pretty good. I have spent lots of time out on my favourite windowsill [more…]
Economics
Great Expectations (of Free Money)
‘It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.’ So begins Dickens’s A Tale of Two Cities with a line that might apply as much to the modern-day state of British welfare [more…]
Fiction
The Past is Present, Chapter Fourteen
Dave watched the car drive off, he pulled on his balaclava pulled down only as far as his forehead, it looked like a woolly hat. He reminded the chief inspector to say nothing, “Listen only, [more…]
Arts
Fabulously Flamboyant Friday: The Day Music Died Pt 3 – Live Aid
Greetings pop pickers and please be welcome to tonight’s Fabulously Flamboyant Friday and another of our fortnightly mastications upon the marshmallowy pillows of musical magnificence. In the first two parts of this series we examined [more…]