Monthly Archives: October 2017

The Stone set

Posted on October 31, 2017 by odeboyz

Eventually, my name on a cold grave stone Tells that I once walked this way Please, don’t call me back to say goodbye I’m silently, happy to be alone. Regrets, I seldom have, now old The journey was, as if, … Continue reading →

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Book Review: John le Carre ~ A Legacy of Spies

Posted on October 31, 2017 by odeboyz

With unhappy memories of dinosaur rock bands trading on their illustrious past, I wondered if this was a literary version. ‘Is it possible that Smiley et al can be successfully mined?’ was a nagging thought before I opened the book. … Continue reading →

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Why Can’t Babies Vote? Insights from the Sorites Paradox

Posted on October 27, 2017 by odeboyz

The 1918 Representation of the People Act swept away gender and property as qualifications for the franchise, leaving age as the sole criterion. Although there’s been tinkering with the actual age at which British citizens can vote, the principle remains … Continue reading →

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Casting problems for the school play

Posted on October 27, 2017 by odeboyz

A Jewish boy comes home from school and tells his mother he has a part in the play. She asks, “What part is it?” The boy says, “I play the part of the Jewish husband.” The mother scowls and says, … Continue reading →

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Film Review ~ The Death of Stalin (Steve Buscemi and Simon Russell Beale)

Posted on October 24, 2017 by odeboyz

The court of Stalin was populated with cringing, bullying, mediocre psychopaths. Psychopath-in-chief Beria (Simon Russell Beale) moves from a boozy, jocular meeting with Stalin straight to the torture chambers of ‘his’ prison. Throughout the film he jokes about torture. Lists … Continue reading →

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The Amazing Size of Africa

Posted on October 24, 2017 by odeboyz

Africa is three times bigger than the USA. Look again at the standard Mercator map and you see that Greenland appears to be the same size as Africa, and yet Africa is actually fourteen times the size of Greenland! You … Continue reading →

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Those few of forlorn hope

Posted on October 20, 2017 by odeboyz

Council estate children, might well be described in this manner. Parents, with no ambition, with children of little hope other than ‘achieving’ what their parents limit of have. The mother who openly calls her child a ‘dopey cxxt and I … Continue reading →

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Beware of clever wives

Posted on October 20, 2017 by odeboyz

A New York attorney representing a wealthy art collector called and asked to speak to his client. “Saul, I have some good news and, I have some bad news.” The art collector replied, “I’ve had an awful day; let’s hear … Continue reading →

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Book Review: Walter Tevis~ The Hustler

Posted on October 17, 2017 by odeboyz

It’s a disappointing thing to have to say in a book review that Tevis is unknown but the film with Paul Newman is a classic. He also wrote ‘The Color of Money’ and he’s unknown for that as well. So! … Continue reading →

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The river Ingrebourne flows gently past our ‘village’

Posted on October 17, 2017 by odeboyz

For generations the children of our estate have played in or near the river. They had their fishing nets with a jam jar for the Mino they caught. Then they’d race home to Mum proud to show what they’d caught. … Continue reading →

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