Author Archives: odeboyz

Alfred Hitchcock phones Georges Simenon*

Posted on July 13, 2020 by odeboyz

John Lanchester’s observation about Simenon’s amazing work rate reminds me of Deirdre Bair’s story of Hitchcock telephoning Simenon at his home in Switzerland, only to be told by his secretary that the writer couldn’t be disturbed because he had just … Continue reading →

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Book Review: Michael Dobbs ~ Goodfellowe MP (1998)

Posted on July 13, 2020 by odeboyz

If you like politics nasty, sinister, corrupt and Machiavellian then a Michael Dobbs novel is just for you. He learned his trade as an advisor to Margaret Thatcher before realising that that cesspit could be monetised. From that insight was … Continue reading →

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My Enemy

Posted on July 13, 2020 by odeboyz

I tried to love my enemy I invited him into my house Offered a glass of chilled juice Talked about holidays and family (But I didn’t bore him with photos) Encouraged him to chat about himself I’d hoped that it … Continue reading →

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Karl Marx studied in this room

Posted on July 9, 2020 by odeboyz
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The man with spare false teeth

Posted on July 9, 2020 by odeboyz

A dinner speaker was in such a hurry to get to his speaking engagement he realized that he’d forgotten his false teeth. In a panic he said to the man next to him, “I forgot my teeth.” Amazingly his fellow … Continue reading →

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Why the west is stagnant

Posted on July 6, 2020 by odeboyz

Thomas Piketty, the French economist, calculates that more than half of total wealth in Germany today is inherited — an estimate confirmed by German economists. In the 1960s and 1970s, the share was just a little over 20 per cent. … Continue reading →

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Book Review: Tim Harford ~ Messy: How to be creative and resilient in a tidy-minded world (2016)

Posted on July 6, 2020 by odeboyz

Britain had a TV show whose catch phrase was, ‘The computer says no’ and it reflected a stifled uncreative world. It satirises the mechanistic attempt at deleting risk from everyday life looking for monochrome ‘perfection’. A hideous uncreative world doomed … Continue reading →

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Komodo Dragon

Posted on July 2, 2020 by odeboyz

If you want to know more about them see Komodo dragon https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Komodo_dragon  

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Using Torture properly (?) a lesson for the USA

Posted on July 2, 2020 by odeboyz

Empirical evidence on contemporary torture is sparse. The archives of the Spanish Inquisition* provide a detailed historical source of quantitative and qualitative information about interrogational torture. The inquisition tortured brutally and systematically, willing to torment all who it deemed as … Continue reading →

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The Mozart Problem: Educating Exceptional Children

Posted on July 2, 2020 by odeboyz

He was playing the harpsichord and the violin at the age of five, and writing little pieces of music.* Introduction Mozart’s father was a musician and realised Wolfgang was exceptional. Leopold home schooled his son, constantly expanding his musical frontiers. … Continue reading →

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