7 September 2023 Friends in high places By Paul Branch Old mates of Vlad Putin must be getting increasingly worried. A quick check of past behaviour towards the great man would be in order, not to say a run through of any recent conversations and whether anything untoward might have been said. Did I give… Continue reading Friends in high places
Article Category: Comment
Sex, Obesity & Violence
3 August 2023 Sex, Obesity and Violence The struggle with the inner penguin. By John Watson It is the penguins that give it away. No, I’m not talking about some double agent penguins living off Scotland who feed information about our fleet movements to the Russians and whose coats are the colour of a tuxedo.… Continue reading Sex, Obesity & Violence
Swing High
3 August 2023 Swing High by J.R. Thomas Sometimes you have to laugh at the national press. There they were, all ready with articles about the imminent demise of Toryism, the certain ousting of Rishi, and the rise and rise of Starmer’s Labour, when on Friday 21st July the roof fell in. Well, maybe sagged… Continue reading Swing High
Farage, Facts & Free Speech
3 August 2023 Farage, Facts, and Free Speech Populist victim or freedom fighter? By Lynda Goetz ‘I don’t agree with Nigel Farage on most things, but…’ has been the opening sentence of a number of media pundits and high-profile personalities, before asserting that in spite of his apparently unfashionable or even ‘appalling’ views he should… Continue reading Farage, Facts & Free Speech
Big tech
3 August 2023 Big Tech Missing the target by John Comai Another week, and yet another butting of heads between US tech titans and European competition regulators. This time, it concerns Microsoft’s practice of bundling products for purchase (known as “tying” in antitrust lingo) and the subsequent objections raised by Salesforce-owned Slack. The drama has… Continue reading Big tech
Barbie, Maaate, No!
3 August 2023 Barbie, Maaate, No! Mainstream sexism kicks Ken where it hurts. By Neil Tidmarsh Barbie, maaate, no! Your film’s a toxic sexist rant against men! Greta Gerwig, maaate, no! The movie’s a mean-spirited slander on the male sex! Mattel, maaate, no! It might surprise us that the Barbie movie has become a critical… Continue reading Barbie, Maaate, No!
Corbynista Rides Again
3 August 2023 Corbynista Rides Again Corruption? We shall see. by Don Urquhart 7 July 2023 There is a place called Teesside Freeport. Last month the Guardian reported that Michael Gove was initiating an investigation into alleged corruption there. Because he is picking the members of the review panel some have questioned its neutrality. Andy… Continue reading Corbynista Rides Again
Water, water everywhere
3 August 2023 Water, water everywhere By Paul Branch In the news again for various reasons is water. Life’s great supporter along with oxygen. Nature’s gift to lush British gardens. A treat for foreigners visiting our damp shores as they try to escape the worst excesses of global warming. We are truly blessed to have… Continue reading Water, water everywhere
China
3 August 2023 China Could you rule it? By Robert Kilconner Imagine, for the moment, that you ruled China. No, not the Victorian China of the emperors, but the modern China we read about in our daily newspapers. Of course, if you happen to be President Xi reading this you will not have to do… Continue reading China
Sunak’s Sweet Spot
6 July 2023 Sunak’s Sweet Spot Only a beginning. By John Watson Many of us have spent time over the last few weeks listening to the first test matches of the Ashes series and those who have will know that, when a batsman comes in, the commentators discuss his strengths and weaknesses. “Ah, he has… Continue reading Sunak’s Sweet Spot
A Botched ‘Gotterdammerung’
6 July 2023 A Botched Gotterdammerung Prigozhin misreads Wagner’s score. By Neil Tidmarsh On 5th April 1531, a chef was boiled to death at Smithfields, the prime venue for public executions in medieval London. The chef – one Richard Rouse – had been found guilty of murder. He’d tried to poison the Bishop of Rochester… Continue reading A Botched ‘Gotterdammerung’
Sack the Governor!
6 July 2023 Sack the Governor! by J.R. Thomas A reader of this organ, a distinguished City figure, told me of a visit he once made to, as some rags might put it, a leading City banker. Our man was shown up to the executive floor, and then into the chairman’s outer office, through the… Continue reading Sack the Governor!
So What Now?
6 July 2023 So What Now? Our restricted future. By Lynda Goetz From a personal point of view, June has been a wonderful month: the weather has been fantastic; the garden has never looked so good; my long term-partner and I had a magical wedding; my first grandchild is due in September; and we have… Continue reading So What Now?
