20 October 2016 Broad Kilts Storm clouds over the Scottish Highlands? by J R Thomas This is a wonderful time to be in the Scottish Highlands. The heather is black and brown now, so even in October sunshine the hills are dark shaded, but the leaves are turning gold on the beech trees in the… Continue reading Issue 76: 2016 10 20: Broad Kilts (J R Thomas)
Tag: J.R. Thomas
Issue 75:2016 10 13:Time for Moore (J.R.Thomas)
13 October 2016 Time for Moore The sculpture at Perry Green by J.R.Thomas Regular readers will know that this column has a taste for anniversaries; preferably those overlooked but worthy of comment, rather than those vigorously commemorated for no particular reason other than marketing opportunities. This week it is our favourite type of event –… Continue reading Issue 75:2016 10 13:Time for Moore (J.R.Thomas)
Issue 75:2016 10 13:True colours (J.R.Thomas)
13 October 2016 True Colours Four weeks to go by J.R.Thomas There are two strands of opinion on what Donald Trump is about. Well, there are a lot more, but they certainly fall into two schools of thought. One is that The Donald is actually an astute carefully calculating politician, adept at reading the popular… Continue reading Issue 75:2016 10 13:True colours (J.R.Thomas)
Issue 74:2016 10 16: Crossing the River (J.R,Thomas)
06 October 2016 Crossing the River Brexit – the smell of opportunity. by J.R.Thomas The tears have dried; the deleted Facebook friends have been refriended; the plans to move to the Dordogne and live a simpler life shelved… As the pain recedes to a distant memory, the Remainers come nervously from their burrows to find… Continue reading Issue 74:2016 10 16: Crossing the River (J.R,Thomas)
Issue 74:2016 10 06: The Clan (J.R.Thomas)
o6 October 2016 The Clan A film by Pablo Trapero Making Money Where You Can Reviewed by J.R.Thomas Being of (somewhat distant) Scottish descent, I was delighted to see that this movie was on release in London; nothing like some tartanry, bagpipes, and misty Highlands to enliven an autumn evening. But Whisky Galore this was… Continue reading Issue 74:2016 10 06: The Clan (J.R.Thomas)
Issue 73:2016 09 29:The Lives of Others (J.R.Thomas)
29 September 2016 The Lives of Others Cruz? Sanders? Rubio? Where are they all? by J.R.Thomas Ted Cruz. Remember him? And Marco Rubio; his name might be familiar to you? Before we move onto this week’s main event, the debate Tuesday night in Hofstra University, New York, between the winners; whatever happened to the losers?… Continue reading Issue 73:2016 09 29:The Lives of Others (J.R.Thomas)
Issue 73: 2016 09 29: Reflections from an allotment (J.R.Thomas)
29 September 2016 Reflections from an Allotment by J.R.Thomas The Shaw Sheet does not have, as yet, a gardening correspondent. In spite of that, we had thought to bring our readers insights into the emotions of Labour’s leader as, the struggles of the leadership challenge over, he finds time to relax once more on that… Continue reading Issue 73: 2016 09 29: Reflections from an allotment (J.R.Thomas)
Issue 72: 2016 09 22: Radical Pinstripes (J.R.Thomas)
22 September 2016 Radical Pinstripes Mr MacMillan’s recipe. by J.R.Thomas The departure of David Cameron from the political stage – a moderately popular act sadly ending by our hero tripping and tumbling into the orchestra pit, dragging half his fellow stage strutters with him, probably marks the end of one of the periodic periods of… Continue reading Issue 72: 2016 09 22: Radical Pinstripes (J.R.Thomas)
Issue72: 2016 09 22: Swinging the Ball (J.R. Thomas)
22 September 2016 Swinging the Ball The loss of the Grimsby dock buildings. by J.R.Thomas This part of the Shaw Sheet gets all the glamorous assignments. Last week the curving soft sands of the Dorset coast and the early autumnal hints of the Lake District fells; this week: Grimsby. Ah, fair Grimsby, dreaming gateway to… Continue reading Issue72: 2016 09 22: Swinging the Ball (J.R. Thomas)
Issue 71:2016 09 15:In sickness and Aleppo(J.R.Thomas)
15 September 2016 In Sickness and Aleppo Stressful campaigning. by J.R.Thomas The late Professor Hugh Berrington, a distinguished figure in political science and especially in the psychology of political leadership, had a favourite opening theme for his public lectures. It was to the effect that his audience should be very alarmed; their political leaders… Continue reading Issue 71:2016 09 15:In sickness and Aleppo(J.R.Thomas)
Issue 71: 2016 09 15:Wool and Sand(J.R.Thomas)
15 September 2016 Wool and Sand Has the National Trust lost its way? by J.R.Thomas More trouble in Arcadia. Dear old Nanny is getting herself into more fights, fights that respectable elderly ladies really should avoid. But the trouble is, Nanny has shortened her skirts, slapped on the make-up, and is spoiling for some action.… Continue reading Issue 71: 2016 09 15:Wool and Sand(J.R.Thomas)
Issue 70:2016 09 08:We are not a muse (J.R,Thomas)
8 September 2016 Fading Icons – We Are Not A Muse Where should we look for inspiration? by J.R.Thomas It’s one of those stories that probably isn’t true, but should be. Leonard Cohen, writing his first album in New York whilst his great love, muse, and inspiration, Marianne, was in the Cohenesque paradise of… Continue reading Issue 70:2016 09 08:We are not a muse (J.R,Thomas)
Issue 70:2016 09 08: Fanning the flames (J.R,Thomas)
08 September 2016 Fanning the Flames There is a pyromaniac in each of us. by J R Thomas There’s nothing like a good centenary anniversary for boosting business, especially the tourist business. 2015 was a good year for Belgium (two hundred years since Waterloo) and Runnymede and Westminster (eight hundred years since the signing of… Continue reading Issue 70:2016 09 08: Fanning the flames (J.R,Thomas)
