Monthly Archives: February 2018

Winston Churchill’s recipe for a long life

Posted on February 27, 2018 by odeboyz
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Book Review: George MacDonald Fraser ~ Flashman at the Charge

Posted on February 27, 2018 by odeboyz

The Flashman series is twelve books long. They were very popular in the 1970s but have faded with time. This review is therefore a review of a re-read. How does it stand up to the expectations of a former devotee? … Continue reading →

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Let the poor face their fate- Utopian Dystopia

Posted on February 26, 2018 by odeboyz

Is a Tory dream Human misery! Well that we’ve seen. Squalor, oppression Would anyone question Disease, overcrowding The private renting that shrouds The rich getting richer On the backs of the disenfranchised. Those who are subjugated, Crushed, defeated by the … Continue reading →

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A Trade Unionist goes to Japan

Posted on February 23, 2018 by odeboyz

A Japanese firm took over a British company and knew that there would be cultural problems so they took both senior management and trade unionists to Japan. When they returned they gathered together in the board room for a discussion. … Continue reading →

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The Evian Conference and Kristallnacht, 1938

Posted on February 23, 2018 by odeboyz

The world was faced by the involuntary migration of hundreds of thousands of destitute German Jews from the Reich in 1938. Roosevelt called an international conference to try to resolve the situation. Roosevelt hoped international outrage at Nazi anti-Semitism would … Continue reading →

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It costs an arm and leg

Posted on February 20, 2018 by odeboyz

Men of the 18th century are often painted with one hand inside their vests to save money. This is because the artist would set the price based on how many hands, arms, or legs were in the painting. From this … Continue reading →

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Film Review ~ Lady Bird (Saoirse Ronan and Laurie Metcalf)

Posted on February 20, 2018 by odeboyz

Lady Bird is a coming-of-age film with the angst of mother and daughter extremely well done. The daughter is the underachieving ‘Lady Bird’, who’s renamed herself. She’s stuck in a Catholic school in Sacramento, California. She’s dissatisfied. The school is … Continue reading →

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Why it’s better to have a general anaesthetic

Posted on February 16, 2018 by odeboyz

A man is recovering from surgery when the Surgical Nurse appears and asks him how he is feeling. I’m OK but I didn’t like the four letter-words the doctor used in surgery,’ he answered. What did he say,’ asked the … Continue reading →

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Games Lessons in the 1950s at Sir Philip Magnus school, London

Posted on February 16, 2018 by odeboyz

I have never liked sporting events, especially team games. Every Wednesday afternoon my class, of around 28 pupils from Sir Philip Magnus school in North London had to muster outside the school gates for the obligatory torture session. All or … Continue reading →

Posted in Autobiography, School, Sport | Tagged , , , | 15 Comments

Irish Famine Memorial

Posted on February 13, 2018 by odeboyz

The Irish famine of 1845-9 caused a million deaths out of a population of about 8.3M. There were a further million refugees from Ireland who went mainly to mainland Britain and the USA.

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