Monthly Archives: November 2025

A quick route to poverty

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Dorothy Parker on drunkenness

“The best way to avoid a hangover is to stay drunk.”

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Kerry Packer, Australian super-gambler

It is reported that Packer won over $33 million in a week playing at the MGM Grand Casino instantly making him one of the most famous Australian gamblers. Another one of his famous wins came while playing a high-stakes game … Continue reading

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Poetry in motion

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Letter from the West Bank: Getting a child vaccinated

Travelled first thing from Ramallah to Nablus but oh dear were delayed cos checkpoint not open so onto the next one and no one there (all Israeli soldiers absent) so onto next one queued for 35 minutes, onto next one … Continue reading

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A Professor of Philosophy and Naomi Campbell meet Mike Tyson

“Two years before his (A J Ayer) death1…he managed…. To rescue the supermodel Naomi Campbell from the unwanted attentions of Mike Tyson. Tyson informed Ayer, in rather strong words, he was the world heavyweight champion. Ayer replied, and I am … Continue reading

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War Studies: American Exceptionalism and war by other means: 2011 and 2025

On May 2nd 2011,1 Obama watched Osama bin Laden being assassinated. Fourteen people watched the snuff movie with him, President Obama said, “Bin Laden was not a Muslim leader; he was a mass murderer of Muslims. Indeed, al Qaeda has slaughtered scores of … Continue reading

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Bugger: It wasn’t grim up North

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A Lee Evans joke

I love kebabs, they give you all that meat, that saturated fat, and they give you that little bit of salad. What’s that, the healthy section? Never see a drunk do that, do you? “Where’s me salad! What you trying … Continue reading

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Latch Key Kid, Leeds, 1950s

During the war my father worked brutal hours building bombers. He worked for 20 days and then had a day off. His shifts were 12 hours on, 12 off, which alternated every 20 days between days and nights. He made … Continue reading

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