Category Archives: Politics

Education, Education, Education

Ask me my three main priorities for Government, and I tell you: education, education and education. Tony Blair’s speech at the Labour Party Conference, 1 October 1996 “[Gove] apologised, however, when the list of terminated school-building projects he had released … Continue reading

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One for Suella Braverman

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The Tragedy of the West Bank Conflict

It’s internationally accepted that Israeli sponsored settlements in the West Bank are illegal. Israel have, nonetheless, made them a central policy for their coalition government. Settler townships only exist because of this political commitment. The full panoply of surveillance drones … Continue reading

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Miles Davis on *White Music*

“…I’m quitting Julliard1 because what they’re teaching me is white and I’m not interested in that….before I quit Juilliard…I took some lessons in symphonic trumpet playing…Trumpet players from the New York Philharmonic orchestra gave me lessons, so I learned some … Continue reading

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Film Review: Oppenheimer (2023) (Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey jr)

At three hours long I nearly avoided this film. A grave error of judgement. Three hours flew past leaving me with a warm sense of privilege. Why? I felt that I’d been part of something, which was out of the … Continue reading

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Israel’s Medieval Defence System

The Normans conquered England in 1066 and built castles to protect themselves. Their sophisticated castles were a brilliant, functional response to threats from a hostile population. Castles were successful until the civil wars of the 17th century.1 Cromwell’s New Model … Continue reading

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American Mass Shootings: Entertainment for Psychopaths?

“Mass Shooting Tracker: four or more persons shot in one incident, at one location, at roughly the same time.”1 The invasion of Ukraine began on February 24th 2022. In the USA, on that day, there were two mass shootings with … Continue reading

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 Book Review: David McCloskey ~ Damascus Station (2021)

This thrilling thriller reads like a CIA promo novel. It’s consistently on message presenting a compelling and unambiguous world view. The Syrians are portrayed as barbaric, merciless killers who’ll do anything for their nefarious ends. This includes torturing a CIA … Continue reading

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The Importance of the Death of Oliver Cromwell, 1658

The transition of power in monarchies is brutally simple: The king is dead, Long live the king. After Charles the First’s execution, Charles his son, became king1. Power remained with parliament and the army as he was a fugitive in … Continue reading

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Black Lives Matter: Nat ‘King’ Cole, 1956

Nat King Cole was an enormously popular crooner, earning $4,500 a week1 in Las Vegas in 1956. He headlined at the whites-only Thunderbird Hotel, where he wasn’t allowed to venture beyond the showroom and the cook’s resting area behind the … Continue reading

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