Author Archives: odeboyz

Too honest

Posted on March 25, 2019 by odeboyz

A gamekeeper in Oregon arrested a man for killing and eating an Egret. He pleaded guilty explaining to the judge, “I was just trying to feed my hungry family. I’ve never done anything like that before.” The judge freed him … Continue reading →

Posted in Humour, wildlife | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Book Review: Zhou Haohui ~ Death Notice (Translator Zac Haluza) (2014)

Posted on March 25, 2019 by odeboyz

Waterstones dreaded ‘Buy one, get one half price’ has led me- greedily- to buy absolute lemons in the past. On this occasion I wasn’t disappointed. In fact I was delighted. Zhou’s novel is set in Chengdu. This is an enormous … Continue reading →

Posted in Literature, Review | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Small pleasures

Posted on March 21, 2019 by odeboyz

A receptionist at an accountants office got a call. She was asked by the caller to put him through to Mr. Dewey. “I’m sorry, sir,” the receptionist said, “Mr. Dewey passed away yesterday.” “Oh. I’m sorry about that. Goodbye.” But … Continue reading →

Posted in Humour | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Comparative Poverty: The Top 1% vs the Top 0.1%

Posted on March 21, 2019 by odeboyz

Someone at the bottom of the top percentile of incomes is on about £120,000 a year. The top 0.1%, however, gets over £500,000…. The very rich price the reasonably rich out of houses and schools: top private school fees have … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Finance, Travel | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Quirky facts

Posted on March 18, 2019 by odeboyz

1) The cruise liner, QE2, moves only 6 inches for each gallon of diesel it burns. 2) A million seconds is less than two weeks, but a billion seconds is 31 years. 3) If the population of China walked past … Continue reading →

Posted in Humour, Mathematics, quips | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: Sir Henry Howarth Bashford ~ Augustus Carp, Esq., by Himself (1924)

Posted on March 18, 2019 by odeboyz

Sometimes I chase up references and with the magic of Google and Amazon read reviews of books I’ve never heard by authors who’s names have long disappeared. If they’re not too expensive, I buy them. Not every move outside my … Continue reading →

Posted in Humour, Literature, Review | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

A Beautiful New Council Development

Posted on March 17, 2019 by odeboyz

A new build housing development Who, could deny, the need But, as in these multi-pound deals Might there be, an element of greed? Cram it dense, build it high Blot the landscape, the rich will buy But first, destroy the … Continue reading →

Posted in housing, local politics | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Karl Marx’s favourite painting

Posted on March 14, 2019 by odeboyz

They are presenting a petition of protest to the city fathers of Düsseldorf in an opulent council chamber. Through a large window, an orator can be seen in the square outside addressing a raging crowd. Marx loved this painting for … Continue reading →

Posted in Philosophy, Politics | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Nazi Doctors, Sexism and Lung Cancer

Posted on March 14, 2019 by odeboyz

In Hitler’s opinion women should have focused solely on Kinder, Kuche, Kirche1 . German sexism predated Hitler. This created a beneficial situation for Nazi doctors. Women provided a huge control group for their epidemiological studies into lung cancer.2 They knew … Continue reading →

Posted in Health, History, Politics | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Jack Benny* on Abraham Lincoln

Posted on March 11, 2019 by odeboyz

Any man who would walk five miles through the snow, barefoot, just to return a library book so he could save three cents – that’s my kind of guy An American comedian from the mid-20th century now forgotten.

Posted in Humour | Tagged , , | Leave a comment