It’s a Dog’s Life

Update The Coronavirus survival campaign has been developing day-by-day and enough changes have been made to offer a meaningful update to the original non-template; indeed there have been some encouraging moves very few of which have made a jot of difference to my self-isolation routine. Against a background of daily Text messages offering axiomatic and oft…

As an untutored non-Graduate, it is likely that my views on the collective outburst of Oxford Dons will attract the criticism that “he is too stupid to understand the issues”. However, allow me to express dismay at the public vilification of the Vice Chancellor, Professor Louise Richardson; such vituperation is not only unjust but also…

Born in 1943, this author was part of the war effort; unfortunately his arrival meant another mouth to feed while Britain was digging for victory, so his arrival offered more support to Hitler’s cause than to Churchill’s. His middle class status at birth came under threat when the Ex Forces head of the family took…

INTRODUCTION It may be just my generation that has a gut feeling that all is not well in UK PLC since there is a natural inclination to view the past through rose-tinted spectacles. Of course the fact that, ‘back then’ we had no need of spectacles in the first place and certainly had yet to feel…

An upside down world……… “Why does everybody have to be happy all the time?” Doc Martin Professional musician, and WWII RAF pilot, Peter Gibbs, stood up at a rehearsal of the London Symphony Orchestra and said to Herbert von Karajan: “I did not spend four years of my life fighting bastards like you to be insulted…

Recent discussions on Brigadier-General Reginald Dyer’s role in Amritsar (April 1919) spawned this piece. It may seem unfair that someone who committed an arguably dastardly deed remains better known than other more worthy folk. In giving the thoughts below no opinion is offered on the rights or wrongs of their causes, rather such meanderings are intended to…

   “The sardonic and sinister figure of Lord Kitchener bestrides India. We dislike his brutal and domineering methods” Times of India 22nd August 1905 Peter King’s book The Viceroy’s Fall rather confirmed my pre-disposition to look unfavourably on the alleged achievements of Kitchener although some may feel that I lacked objectivity in choosing to read…

      A pig in shit…………….. An Informal Apologia. Much of this piece is based on personal experiences of long ago and, since I neither kept a diary nor have been blessed with a formidable memory, there are bound to be inaccuracies.   Further, since many of the events took place forty years ago, it is inevitable that a…

INTRODUCTION As winter begins to bite and the train timeable has been amended to the disadvantage of those who travel from our local station, I am reminded of my contemporaneous thoughts when the ‘Beast from the East’ rendered rail travel even more miserable than usual. TRAVELLING BACKWARDS As memories of miserable morale sapping train journeys…

“Hell is very likely to be modernisation infinitely extended” – Tom Stoppard A dog food company’s TV advertisement tells us that it offers “over a million” menu variations. Many might feel it is hard to imagine that there is a need for such a wide choice. So, is the demand for such extravagant options led by dogs? Has…