Category Archives: education

Len Deighton on boarding schools

Her boarding school had very quickly taught her to hide every human feeling: triumph, disappointment, glee, love or shame. NB 65% of Rishi Sunak’s cabinet went to private schools Deighton, Len. Spy Sinker (p. 212) (1990) Penguin Books Ltd. Kindle … Continue reading

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Empty threats gone wrong

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Cooking for Slackers: Spanish style ‘Egg and chips’

Excellent chips are impossible to do without a deep pan. (Air Fryers1 and oven chips2  produce a pale imitation of the real thing.) This recipe is exciting with minimal effort and low, low cost achieved without special equipment. Ingredients Two … Continue reading

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Is Michael Fabricant MP a good role model?

Role Model: a person looked to by others as an example to be imitated. Michael Fabricant is Lichfield’s veteran MP. His majority has increased by a hundredfold between 1997 and 2019.1This is despite the fact that he isn’t an indentikit … Continue reading

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Cooking for Slackers: Gourmet tomato soup

A true Slacker will pour a can of soup into a mug and drink: Cold. This recipe is for Slackers who hate crude reductionist diets like that. Ingredients: One can of Heinz tomato soup1 Two slices of thick sliced Hovis … Continue reading

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Football Review: England vs France, 10th December 2022

I blame British insularity, and Brexit in particular, when England lose matches they should have won. This match, 2-1 to France, is no exception. The principal English striker, Harry Kane, is a Spurs1, ‘lifer who’s never played in foreign leagues. … Continue reading

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A modern Girl Guide

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A dim but logical student

A science teacher tells his class, “Oxygen is essential to life. It was discovered in 1773.” A puzzled student says, “How did they manage before 1773?”

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George Harrison as a parent

In 1978, George married Olivia Arias and in the same year they had a son, Dhani.  Dhani only discovered his father’s past when he was at school.  “I came home one day from school after being chased by kids singing … Continue reading

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Institutional sadism at Repton School 1930s

“Michael [Dahl’s friend] was ordered to take down his trousers and kneel on the headmaster’s sofa with the top half of his body hanging over one end of the sofa. The great man then gave him one terrific crack. After … Continue reading

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