From Warlord to V.E. Day…
Today is the seventy-fifth anniversary of V.E. Day and another chance to reflect on how I have something wrong with my brainā¦ I always feel like these around these big commemorations. The fact that World War 2 lasted about six years means that thereās always another landmark divisible by 5 around the corner. If weāre […]
Continue ReadingThoughts About Ending the Lockdown…
17.55. Had an early tea (dinner for those in the south) and Iām back at my desk with the window open, a slight breeze blowing, the birds singing. It would be so very calming except for the sound of the neighbourās grandkids splashing and screaming in their paddling poolā¦ Iām not sure why Iām writing […]
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The Amazing Generosity of Rishi Sunak
So I checkedā¦ I checked to see Iād be eligible for any of the help the government have so generously offered the self-employed for the past/ongoing three months of lockdown. And, I admit, at first, I was blinded by the chancellorās delivery. I believed Rishi Sunak when he stepped up those many weeks ago and […]
Continue Reading#DrawDominicCummings
Iāve always loved optical illusions and visual puns. I especially like those paints that involve a face made from other objects, such as Giuseppe Arcimboldoās Vertumnus, which is a painting of the Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf the rednoseā¦ Sorry, I mean: Rudolf II. He did others but thatās probably the most famous. This was my […]
Continue ReadingSex and the Single Data Modeller
The news that Professor Neil Ferguson has been crunching something more than the numbers during lockdown means I need to stick a new post-it on my monitor to remind me that itās ānone of my bloody businessā. Itās the business of certain newspapers, though, who seem to take great delight in having found somebody displaying […]
Continue ReadingThere Are No Miracles
Once upon a time, when I was less grey but significantly more unhappy, I used to be a computer programmer. Well, I say āprogrammerā but I was probably one step away from a hacker; little more than a one-man-band who would write software to order, bypassing all the formal training Iād been taught at university […]
Continue ReadingOn Book Shaming
So I find myself sitting here wondering how I would feel if Michael Gove had a book by David Icke on his shelfā¦ Probably more worried, if Iām honest. Icke doesnāt write out of any respected tradition except that of the seers and mystics who have always been around making a pretty penny from the […]
Continue ReadingOne Month Update
Just finished one piece and Iām about to go and grab some food before I pen something for the blog. So, in the meantime, I thought Iād quickly write an update on this experiment in caffeine-fuelled creativity. Iām now over one month into this project. During that time, I have noticeably increased my caffeine intake […]
Continue ReadingAlas, poor Icke! A fellow of infinite bullshitā¦
So, Youtube has finally stopped David Icke from using their platform. Well, thank some-Christ-like-figure for that! You might not be old enough to remember the emergence of Icke. Heās a former lower-league goalkeeper turned forgettable sports presenter turned annoying Green Party spokesman turnedā¦ well, itās never been polite to say what I thought he became. […]
Continue ReadingHancock’s Half-Sour Achievement
Weāre all well used to reading political news that we know will skew either to the right or the left. The government trip over their feet and certain papers drag them to the iron maiden before slamming the door on their toes. The government achieves a small victory and other papers fete them as if […]
Continue ReadingReview: The New Abnormal Podcast
My current favourite podcast (other than our own) is new and hosted by Rick Wilson and Molly Jong-Fast. I canāt recommend it highly enough, particularly if you enjoy US politics in its rawest form, by which I mean, rich with vulgarity. The New Abnormal (great title, by the way) isnāt afraid to put things bluntly. […]
Continue ReadingExtroverts are ruining lockdown for us introverts
Heads up for another important date in the diary: Friday, 8th May, when the nation will commemorate VE Day with a national doorstep singalong to Dame Vera Lynnās āWeāll Meet Againā. Jotted that down? Good. Now youāve had fair warning to lock your doors by eight and be in bed before the public displays of […]
Continue ReadingComplexity vs Right & Wrong
I’m back. A few jobs done but I’m not in a mood to draw. Having one of those: “what’s the point” days. I know I moan too much about blogging — though it’s not the activity as much as the lack of feedback that gets to me — but itās useful as a place to […]
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