Originally Written on Thursday, September 27, 2012 The last few days have been interesting, politically and economically speaking, in Dear Old Blighty, or Englandshire, for our American friends. Today, the UK's Office of National Statistics, ONS, have published the latest report on the state of the economy. Most of it does not make brilliant reading. The … Continue reading BAE and EADS : A personal view
England, Airports and the English South East Bias.
Originally written on Tuesday, August 28, 2012 It is not very often that I get involved in politics. Actually, that is not quite true, I am often venting about British politics, often with my good freind and adversary Mr Lambert Simnel, I just tend not to write about it very often. The last time I did was … Continue reading England, Airports and the English South East Bias.
Books ….. or the Future ?
Originally written on Friday, February 25, 2011 This week has seen a small, but I think quite important shift in the way humans consumer information, both fact and fiction. Computers have been with us for while; I've written about it here in the past. I've commented on the rise of the portable computer, the hand held computer and … Continue reading Books ….. or the Future ?
A Danish Romp.
Originally written on Tuesday, January 4, 2011 Denmark; home of the Danes, famous for it's Dens, large quantities of sliced, fried and grilled dead pig, Copenhagen with it's wonderfully multi-coloured water side homes and buildings and it's "green conferences"; 'Copenhagen is Hopen-Hagen' as they announced in 2009 when Copenhagen hosted the Climate Change Conference; puns and … Continue reading A Danish Romp.
Food, Glorious Food.
Originally written on Sunday, December 5, 2010 For me, one of the things that really defines a country, a culture, people, is food. In the extreme countries are defined by their food, by their cuisine, the ingredients they use and the way they prepare a meal. The Italians, for example, are epitomised by pizza and pasta, … Continue reading Food, Glorious Food.
Wet ‘n’ Wild in Congo B’….
Originally written on Friday, November 19, 2010 It is not very often than I simply post pictures, however, with the recent rains that we have had here in Pointe Noire, Congo B', and the protestations of "neigh, neigh and thrice neigh" I felt it was only fair to present the empirical evidence digital photography..... Pointe Noire … Continue reading Wet ‘n’ Wild in Congo B’….
10:10 15:11
Oringinally written on Sunday, November 14, 2010. Part of the problem with being where I am, Pointe Noire in the Republic of Congo, is that I very often miss some of the important news items or events. Not the big stuff, like the terrible start to the season Leeds are having, or that Stephen Fry has started endorsing … Continue reading 10:10 15:11
David Hockney : Modern Genius
Originally written on Sunday, November 14, 2010 David Hockey has always been a bit of an artistic hero to me. For as long as I can recall, I have been a fan of his work. I am not entirely sure how I became aware of Hockney's work. Perhaps, when I was younger I saw similarities between … Continue reading David Hockney : Modern Genius
Congo, Day…. er, two ?
Originally written on Thursday, November 4, 2010 So, tomorrow, being the last day of October is the time when, according to story, myth and, perhaps, legend is the time when ghouls and ghosts, witches and demons are said to haunt the land with chilly fingers that reach out for a quick ephemeral fondle as you climb … Continue reading Congo, Day…. er, two ?
Scribbles from Congo : Day One of 30…. ish.
Originally written on Saturday, October 30, 2010 ....or, that at least is the intention..... I have been here in Pointe Noire since May this year and, as regular readers recognise, I have been plodding my way, inexpertly around Africa for a touch over five years now. Libya, Madagascar, Swaziland, Zambia, South Africa, Gabon and now the … Continue reading Scribbles from Congo : Day One of 30…. ish.
Yorkshire Day.
Originaly written on Saturday, July 31, 2010 The 1st of August is Yorkshire Day. Savour it. Yorkshire is a wonderful place. And the world has a lot to thank Yorkshire for. More than you will realise. But I'll come to that in a few lines. I have to say, I love Yorkshire. It has everything. The wonderful historical … Continue reading Yorkshire Day.
A Computing Quandary : circa 1997
Originally written on Monday, July 19, 2010 I have, as they as in England, some money burning a hole in my pocket. Not a lot of money, but a little. I also have a nibble in the back of my mind for a gadget I want to buy. I know what it is and I know what … Continue reading A Computing Quandary : circa 1997
England 1 – 4 Germany : The Anglo Saxon view…..
Originally written on Sunday, June 27, 2010 England 1 - 4 Germany. It is not very often I write about football, with Rugby being my sport of choice, but, having sat through the abysmal last sixteen game between England and Germany and the utterly abject performance by England there are more than a few thoughts going through my … Continue reading England 1 – 4 Germany : The Anglo Saxon view…..
Douglas Adams : A Great Man.
Originally written on Friday, May 7, 2010 The words of Douglas Adams have been on the head of this site since day one. It was the very first thing I did when I put this soap box together. Douglas Adams was a genius. In every conceivable sense of the word. The man wrote what is possible the … Continue reading Douglas Adams : A Great Man.
Animal Rights or Soft Porn…. ?
Originally written on Saturday, May 1, 2010 5:20:15 PM As some of you may know, I am a committed vegetarian and lover of animal rights. Being an atheist is pretty central to this, with the underlying conviction that we, as an animal, simply do not have the right to exploit other animals just for our pleasure. … Continue reading Animal Rights or Soft Porn…. ?
The Greatest Britons…..revised. Again.
Originally written on Monday, July 13, 2009. A simple list, which has been updated again.... when will I ever make up my mind! As I said previously ""I missed from the list possibly the most [positive] influential Briton there has been for years, certainly during my life time. A man who was an inspiration to me and many … Continue reading The Greatest Britons…..revised. Again.
The Joy of Travel.
Originally written on Thursday, March 26, 2009. There are many parts of human progress that have advanced by vast orders of magnitude over that last 100 or so years. Physics, astronomy, medicine are three. Genetics, despite the enormous drag factor that is organised religion, has mapped the human genome to a point where two entire human … Continue reading The Joy of Travel.
Towel Day : 25 May 2010
Originally written on Monday, 24. May 2010. Towel Day is an annual celebration on the 25th of May, as a tribute to the late author Douglas Adams (1952-2001). On this day, fans around the universe proudly carry a towel in his honour. The commemoration was first held in 2001, two weeks after Douglas' death on May … Continue reading Towel Day : 25 May 2010
The Golden Age of Travel…..
Originally writte on Tuesday, 18. May 2010. A good part of my life is spent travelling. Not just from one city to another, or even one region to another but more often from one continent to another, most notably from UK or Europe and then on to Africa. There was a time when the boat or … Continue reading The Golden Age of Travel…..
Douglas Adams : A Great Man.
Originally written on Friday, 7. May 2010. The words of Douglas Adams have been on the head of this site since day one. It was the very first thing I did when I put this soap box together. Douglas Adams was a genius. In every conceivable sense of the word. The man wrote what is possible the … Continue reading Douglas Adams : A Great Man.
Food on the Hoof : The Swazi offering….
Originally written on the Sunday, 28. September 2008. It has, I will admit, been some time since I scribbled any thoughts, sane or inane, on the subject of food, and more importantly food on the hoof. For those of you who are new to this concept, food on the hoof is not just the quick 'grab … Continue reading Food on the Hoof : The Swazi offering….
The Return of the Swaz…
Originally written on the Sunday, 28. September 2008. So, I've been here in Swaziland now for a few weeks so I think it is about time I provided an update on my thoughts of this place. My initial thoughts have not really changed, only enhanced really. Swaziland ISa beautiful country. Even in winter, which we are leaving … Continue reading The Return of the Swaz…
Sixty Years….
Originally written on Sunday, 28. September 2008. I have just learned that this year is the 60th anniversary of the UN Declaration of Human Rights. Is it really, I hear you say. Yes. And to mark this 'celebration' the Economists Intelligent Life quarterly has asked a collection of eminent thinkers to list a freedom gained and … Continue reading Sixty Years….
The Future’s Dull, The Future’s Grey
Originally written on Monday, 22. September 2008. Gordon E Moore, co founder of Intel, observed a trend that was as true in 1965 as it is today : the processing power available to users would double every two years. This has become known as Moores Law. Broadly speaking, this trend has been proven correct for pretty much every … Continue reading The Future’s Dull, The Future’s Grey
South Africa
Originally written on Sunday, 31. August 2008. A one hour flight from Dresden down to Frankfurt followed by a ten hour over night flight and one arrives in the South African city of Johannesburg. Luggage arrived, a car was waiting for me, despite that I was two hours late, and I was as far south as … Continue reading South Africa
Swaziland
Originally written on Saturday, 30. August 2008. The first thing about Swaziland I did not know was if the place was actually a country in it's own right, or like wales, was just a part of country it is in. Well, Swaziland is a country, its full name being the Kingdom of Swaziland. Which means of … Continue reading Swaziland
E E Cummins
Originally written on Saturday, 12. July 2008. somewhere i have never travelled, gladly beyond any experience, your eyes have their silence: in your most frail gesture are things which enclose me, or which i cannot touch because they are too near your slightest look will easily unclose me though i have closed myself as fingers, you … Continue reading E E Cummins
Book Review
Originally written on Tuesday, 1. July 2008. Publishers very often have large and imposingly heavy desks, behind which they smoke large cigars and ponder the return of the black polo neck jumper. As is their way, they are often waiting for the publishing panacea, a large heavy book to drop out of the skies and sell … Continue reading Book Review
Madagascar : Thoughts from the High Town
Originally on Friday, 18. January 2008. Four months ago I arrived in Antananarivo, Madagascar. Madagascar is classified as the planets fourth largest island. Not a particularly amazing statistic, in itself but, one should ask oneself, if you exclude Man, what is an island ? In simple terms, an island is simply a mass of land that … Continue reading Madagascar : Thoughts from the High Town
So, just how big is that…..
Originally written on Friday, 26. October 2007. It occurs to me that many of you are not familiar with the unique and, frankly, quaint way in which the English measure things. Yes, we have pints [slightly more than half a litre [or liter if you really must] ] in which re receive our beer and our … Continue reading So, just how big is that…..
Planes, Trains and ………
Originally written on Sunday, 26. August 2007. Over the last few years I have flown quite a bit. Not always to the ends of the earth, not always to the most exotic of locations and not always for the longest flights, but there have been a few flights, with a few different airlines, to and from … Continue reading Planes, Trains and ………
News from the North : The Final Instalment. Part Two [the last bit]
Originally written on Thursday, 23. August 2007. So, a simple question. Did I enjoy my time in Libya ? Simple answer, Yes, I did. Libya, or at least the Libyan political system, both internally and externally, is a complicated and often janus beast. But the country, the landscape, the geography of the country is a beautiful … Continue reading News from the North : The Final Instalment. Part Two [the last bit]
Libya : A quick History
Oringinally written on Thursday, 23. August 2007. For those of you are not totally certain, Libya is on the northern coast of Africa, pretty much in the middle, south of Malta, Sicily and Italy. It's history is a long but not very complicated one, being one of people immigration and the occasional battle. A brief Time … Continue reading Libya : A quick History
News from the North : The Final Installment. Part One
Originally written on Tuesday, 14. August 2007. In a week or so I will leaving Libya, probably for the last time. 12 months after I thought I would be leaving for the last time and 23 months after I first arrived here. This therefore is my last 'News from the North', the last update in the … Continue reading News from the North : The Final Installment. Part One
The Good, The Bad and the Ugly
Originally written on Tuesday, 17. April 2007. When Stevenson saw the fruit of his labours finally hit the tracks, there were serious reservations that, should the confounded contraption ever, heaven forbid, exceed ten miles / hour, your brain would melt and seep out of your ears, your insides would become your outsides, your eyes would spin … Continue reading The Good, The Bad and the Ugly
Truly Tremendous Tykes Top Table
Originally written on Friday, 13. April 2007. It has been an exciting season in National League One, the second division of Rugby's hardest domestic league, the English Premiership. Last season Leeds Tykes were relegated from the top table of English Rugby, consigned to a year of fighting for the right to promotion, a year without any … Continue reading Truly Tremendous Tykes Top Table
Food on the Hoof
Originally written on Friday, 30. March 2007. Welcome one and all to the latest excursion into the world of food. Roald Dalh understood food. He wrote about it more than once. There were Giant Peaches, rivers of Chocolate, Henry Sugar and Nibbleswick, which, is not strictly speaking food, it is a food related act that Pavlov … Continue reading Food on the Hoof
The 2007 Six Nations : Final Thoughts
Originally written on Friday, 30. March 2007. Well, depending on your point of view, the best team came first or second. France clinched their second Title in two years, but were less than thoroughly convincing, which, if they are hoping to take England's crown of World Champions later this year, on home soil, then they will … Continue reading The 2007 Six Nations : Final Thoughts
Food on the Hoof
Originally written on Friday, 23. February 2007. This is the latest instalment from the English Epicureans occasional deranged ramble about good food, out and about. Good food should not be the preserve of the high priced, swanky restaurant, the up market chic bijou eatery that has both a Maître d' and a sommelier and where the menu has … Continue reading Food on the Hoof
Rugby : 2007 Six Nations
Originally written on Friday, 23. February 2007. Would you believe it, England and France at the top of the Six Nations, Wales and Italy at the bottom vying for the Spoon and Ireland and Scotland nicely in the middle, each with one win and one defeat. Scotland came into this in good cheers, predicting, on the … Continue reading Rugby : 2007 Six Nations
Food on the Hoof
Originally written on Saturday, 30. September 2006. This is the second instalment in my occasional series of scribbling about food on the hoof. Wherever you go in the world, there is always at least one nice place to eat, one great restaurant that serves excellent food, either local or imported. Great fish dishes, excellent meat courses … Continue reading Food on the Hoof
Food on the Hoof
Originally written on Monday, 21. August 2006 GRIMSBY (n.) A lump of something gristly and foul tasting concealed in a mouthful of stew or pie. Grimsbies are sometimes merely the result of careless cookery, but more often they are placed there deliberately by Freemasons. Grimsbies can be purchased in bulk from any respectable Masonic butcher on … Continue reading Food on the Hoof
News from the North…
Originally written on Saturday, 12. August 2006. It has been a few weeks since my last update, but it has not been an uneventful period. Liz and Phil's Navy traded a Harrier Jump Jet for a lorry, we've discovered a pair moons, sorry, no, planets, no sorry, suns, er, objects that seem to be causing more confusion … Continue reading News from the North…
Leptis Magna
Originally written on Monday, 5. June 2006. Lepcis Magna or Leptis Magna, an ancient city along the Mediterranean Sea, located near the modern-day city of Al Khums in Libya. The city began as a trading port for the ancient people of Phoenicia around 1000 BC and then became part of the Roman province of Africa Proconsularis. … Continue reading Leptis Magna
The New Libya ?
Originally written on Friday, 2. June 2006, 11:56:06 So, I'm back in Tripoli and will be for a little while to come. So has anything changed here in the last five months since I have been away. Well, actually, it has. As from 1 July, the Americans will no longer be seeing Libya as a terrorist … Continue reading The New Libya ?
So where is Stockholm…. ?
Originally written on Monday, 3. April 2006. ... not as easy a question as you might think. I'm spending a few days here, entirely work related you understand, but I have just had my first potter round the Swedish capital. I have to say it is a beautiful city, really wonderful. I arrived around 1600 today, … Continue reading So where is Stockholm…. ?
Red Sky at Night, Shepards Delight
Originally written on Sunday 19, March 2006. ..... red sky in the morning, shephards warning, or so it goes. These pictures were taken by a colleague in Tripoli, mid Feb 2006. I was not in Tripoli at the time, so I can only go on eye witness reports. But, as the story goes, there was … Continue reading Red Sky at Night, Shepards Delight
Mark Daniels 