Category Archives: Politics

British Health and Covid-19

Posted on June 21, 2020 by odeboyz

Coronavirus is a well understood disease.* There are international strategies in place for meeting the challenges which are presented. Covid-19 is a novel sub-species of a well known disease. Public ignorance, fuelled by governments, has given it lethal qualities which, … Continue reading →

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Black Lives Matter, Covid-19 and Democracy in Sydney, Australia

Posted on June 18, 2020 by odeboyz

“As tragic as it is that we are in a situation where freedom of speech isn’t as free as we would like it to be at the moment,” [Police Minister] Mr Elliott said.* When the Sydney Black Lives Matter planned … Continue reading →

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Book Review: Short Notices

Posted on June 15, 2020 by odeboyz

Robert Dallek ~ Franklin D Roosevelt: a political life (2016) The title says everything you need to know about Roosevelt. Everything that he did was filtered through a meticulous political calculation. Sometimes the outcome was gruesome and unconscionable such as … Continue reading →

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If We Must Die

Posted on June 15, 2020 by odeboyz

If we must die, let it not be like hogs Hunted and penned in an inglorious spot, While round us bark the mad and hungry dogs, Making their mock at our accursèd lot. If we must die, O let us … Continue reading →

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Vladimir Putin’s favourite joke

Posted on June 4, 2020 by odeboyz

A KGB colonel visits a Siberian youth prison , “Why are you here?” He asked the first youth. “For the past week my clock woke me up early so I got into work early. I’m convicted of being a spy … Continue reading →

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Brexit, Northern Ireland and Unification

Posted on June 4, 2020 by odeboyz

The 2016 Brexit referendum aggregated all UK votes into a single total. England’s majority swamped the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish vote, which immediately cast a doubt on the idea of a shared political identity. Brexit’s authority however depended on … Continue reading →

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A J P Taylor on the Nuremberg Trials

Posted on May 25, 2020 by odeboyz

Twenty years ago [1963] I published a book about the origins of the Second World War. At the time it was dismissed as wrong-headed and controversial. Now it has become the accepted version for most people. But there still lurks … Continue reading →

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Book Review: P J O’Rourke ~ Holidays in Hell (1988)

Posted on May 25, 2020 by odeboyz

Satire notoriously ages badly. So much of it depends on the readers knowledge of the setting and personality of what is being satirised. Once the moment is gone so has the point of the humour. Consider the cartoon below. It … Continue reading →

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Soldier Soldier

Posted on May 25, 2020 by odeboyz

Great Granddad, soldier of the Dragoon Guards Impeccably immaculate, imperial in his uniform Young resolute, his features sit square He looks every bit, the soldier there. What was he thinking, as the photograph was snapped His portrait for posterity, generations … Continue reading →

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The Birth of Northern Ireland, 1921

Posted on May 21, 2020 by odeboyz

Ireland’s unique colony-plus status was established in 1801 as a response to the 1798 rebellion. Conflicts during the 19th and early 20th century led to the successful Irish War of Independence, which culminated in the 1921 peace treaty. Northern Ireland … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Politics, War | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments