08 June 2017 Following The Oracle Has Mrs May misjudged her position? By John Watson Data is all very well but for it to be useful you have to know what it means. A failure to interpret forecasts correctly ruined Croesus in 347 BC. Now it threatens Mrs May. Of course the two cases are… Continue reading Issue 108: 2017 06 08: Following the oracle (John Watson)
Tag: John Watson
Issue 107: 2017 06 01: Policies on terrorism (John Watson)
01 June 2017 Policies On Terrorism A still, small voice of calm. By John Watson Election campaigns are dramatic events. The accusations, self-justification and traducing of the other candidates are the political equivalent of the earthquake, wind and fire which surrounded Elijah on Mount Horeb in chapter 19 of the first book of Kings. But… Continue reading Issue 107: 2017 06 01: Policies on terrorism (John Watson)
Issue 106: 2017 05 25: The Magic Flute (reviewed by John Watson)
25 May 2017 The Magic Flute King’s Head Theatre, Islington ***** Reviewed by John Watson Charles Court Opera, specialists in putting on opera in small places, is ideally suited to the Kings Head. This production, directed by John Savournin, cuts the work to the bone. The orchestra is replaced by a piano. The running time… Continue reading Issue 106: 2017 05 25: The Magic Flute (reviewed by John Watson)
Issue 106: 2017 05 25: The Care Blunder (John Watson)
25 May 2017 The Care Blunder The need for Jekyll and Hyde. By John Watson Rather disappointingly Hegel never actually said “thesis, antithesis and then synthesis” but you can see a good illustration of the idea in Mrs May’s political approach. Start with the thesis – the gradual increase in state provision control, which began… Continue reading Issue 106: 2017 05 25: The Care Blunder (John Watson)
Issue 105: 2017 05 18: The Templars and the Internet (John Watson)
18 May 2107 The Templars and the internet The ghost of Jacques de Molay By John Watson The ghost of a dead man haunts the internet. Whose can it be? Some unfortunate innocent, wrongly traduced online and driven in his despair to an early grave? No, of course there are such ghosts but this is… Continue reading Issue 105: 2017 05 18: The Templars and the Internet (John Watson)
Issue 104: 2017 05 11: Pledges and Promises (John Watson)
11 May 2017 Pledges And Promises The fun will shortly begin. By John Watson “Sweet lovers” may love the spring, but the public’s enthusiasm for general election campaigns is rather more muted. And yet they have something in common. In spring, as the buds burst open, we see the renewal of much with which we… Continue reading Issue 104: 2017 05 11: Pledges and Promises (John Watson)
Issue 103: 2017 05 04: EU to win in France? (John Watson)
04 May 2017 EU To Win In France? Nemesis in numbers. By John Watson Whew! The sigh of relief can be heard from Finland to Spain. It is going to be all right after all. M Macron is still well ahead in the polls and it would take a political earthquake to bring Le Pen… Continue reading Issue 103: 2017 05 04: EU to win in France? (John Watson)
Issue 102: 2017 04 27: The Treatment (John Watson)
27 April 2017 The Treatment (by Martin Crimp) Almeida Theatre Reviewed by John Watson Stars **** As always at the Almeida, the direction (by Lyndsay Turner) and the acting were both excellent. In particular Indira Varma (Jennifer), Ben Onwukwe (the taxi driver), Mathew Needham (Simon) and Ian Gelder (Clifford) turned in performances which could fairly… Continue reading Issue 102: 2017 04 27: The Treatment (John Watson)
Issue 102: 2017 04 27: The Distortion Of The Political Process (John Watson)
27 April 2017 The Distortion Of The Political Process The election – just too simple. By John Watson No one likes shortages. The worst, of course, are of food or wine. There is nothing more irritating than to arrive at the shop and find that the treat you had promised yourself has already left the… Continue reading Issue 102: 2017 04 27: The Distortion Of The Political Process (John Watson)
Issue 101: 2017 04 20: Draining the swamp (John Watson)
20 April 2017 Draining The Swamp Mrs May’s appeal to the people. by John Watson Gosh, for a political magazine like the Shaw Sheet, the year 2017 has cherries on it. We were looking forward to the French and German elections, popcorn at the ready, sauvignon blanc in the fridge, avidly reading Richard Pooley’s articles… Continue reading Issue 101: 2017 04 20: Draining the swamp (John Watson)
Issue 100: 2017 04 17 Bojo Misses the Party (John Watson)
13 April 2017 Bojo misses the party He is right not to go to Moscow. by John Watson It is always wise to be careful what you wish for and the reason normally given is that you might just get it. In the bowels of the Kremlin they must be pondering that at the moment… Continue reading Issue 100: 2017 04 17 Bojo Misses the Party (John Watson)
Issue 99: 2017 04 06: Bid Candy And Worse (John Watson)
06 April 2017 Bid Candy And Worse The details revealed. By John Watson Spring is in the air. A fire is burning in the hearth. The whisky bottle is to hand. It only remains to decide what sparkling work of literature to choose for the evening read. Should it be The Hound of the Baskervilles?… Continue reading Issue 99: 2017 04 06: Bid Candy And Worse (John Watson)
Issue 98: 2017 03 30: The Brexit Negotiations (John Watson)
30 March 2017 The Brexit Negotiations A matter of timing. By John Watson Okay then, what happens next? The press is full of guidance as to the steps which follow the giving of notice under Article 50. Today there will be a White Paper. Tomorrow Mr Tusk will send out guidelines regarding the structure of… Continue reading Issue 98: 2017 03 30: The Brexit Negotiations (John Watson)
