Monthly Archives: May 2016

A Supermarket Conversation

Posted on May 31, 2016 by odeboyz

A woman in a supermarket is following a grandfather and his badly-behaved grandson. He has his hands full with the child screaming for sweets, biscuits, all sorts of things. The Grand-dad is saying in a controlled voice: “Easy, William, we … Continue reading →

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Should Governments Prevent Preventable Harm?

Posted on May 27, 2016 by odeboyz

Fluoridation of water is a cheap, effective and harmless mechanism for combating tooth decay. It’s pumped into the general water supply. Tooth decay is rarely life threatening but can be painful and disfiguring. The argument goes that as there is … Continue reading →

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Cowardice: Was Shostakovich a coward?

Posted on May 24, 2016 by odeboyz

But it was not easy being a coward…. to be a coward was to embark on a career that lasted a lifetime. You couldn’t ever relax. You had to anticipate the next occasion when you would have to make excuses … Continue reading →

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Fame

Posted on May 24, 2016 by odeboyz

Gavrilo Princip famously assassinated Franz Joseph An action cascading down the ages. Creating war and mayhem all over Europe. He became the hottest of hot topics and Died a forgotten man without glory -a miserable coughing death of TB- (They … Continue reading →

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The Old Shove Halfpenny Board

Posted on May 20, 2016 by odeboyz

Years ago I didn’t know that most pubs kept a “shove halfpenny board” but when I was ten I had no idea what it was all about. So it was somewhat of a surprise when, one evening, Dad came home with a board … Continue reading →

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The saw mill and the saw fly

Posted on May 17, 2016 by odeboyz

I spent many years of my life as a carpenter in Essex. I often went to the Five Oaks Lane timber yards (Hog Hill, Collier Row) in the 80s and 90s. It specialised in softwood. I was buying some timber … Continue reading →

Posted in Autobiography, Entomology | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

A Grumpy Old Man

Posted on May 16, 2016 by odeboyz

All dress up in our best Togs Food aplenty, on large platters The hall, nice enough Well, thought I, ‘this should all go well After all, it’s the company that matters’. Family, I’ve known for years Friends, we’ve known for … Continue reading →

Posted in Autobiography, Humour, Poetry, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Girolamo Savonarola and the bonfire of the vanities

Posted on May 13, 2016 by odeboyz

The Franciscan monk Girolamo Savonarola was the antithesis of Pope Alexander VI. Savonarola was an ascetic monk who preached against wealth and conspicuous consumption. Pope Alexander devoted his life to power, wealth and the pleasures of the flesh. As Savonarola’s … Continue reading →

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Holiday

Posted on May 10, 2016 by odeboyz

I go on holiday like an escaped prisoner The fearful airport has armed warders patrolling Surveillance cameras and hidden profilers Dogs sniffing, menacing, fear-inducing. Impeccable papers. Confidence-inducing papers. My papers. My thousand yard death stare keeps them at bay Slitted … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Why Conservatives win elections

Posted on May 10, 2016 by odeboyz

“…we have a disposition to admire, and almost to worship, the rich and the powerful, and to despise, or, at least, to neglect persons of poor and mean condition…..We see frequently the vices and follies of the powerful much less … Continue reading →

Posted in Philosophy | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments