Category Archives: Politics

Toxic elitism in British grammar schools in the 1950s

” In the sixth form we were divided into subject based groups on a very traditional basis. The academically brilliant were encouraged to enter Sixth Classics to study [ancient] Greek and Latin. The next most able were encouraged to go into Sixth … Continue reading →

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A robot bartender chats to customers

The robot bartender says, “What will you have?” “Whiskey.” The robot brings back his drink and asks, “What’s your IQ?” “168” comes the smirking reply. They then chat about physics, space exploration, and medical technology. After the guy leaves he … Continue reading →

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Kennedy, Khrushchev and the Great Compromise 1962-3

  The 1958 installation of missiles in Italy and Turkey provided compelling evidence, for the Soviets, of the USA’s malign intentions. Khrushchev resolved to remove the American missile threat to the USSR’s existence. The Cuban Revolution in 1959 provided an … Continue reading →

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Fidel Castro, Regime Change and American Imperialism 1956-61

Fidel Castro successfully deposed the Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista in 1959. It quickly became apparent to the Americans that Castro wouldn’t be another patsy like Batista. Batista fulfilled the model of Latin American dictators insofar as he promoted American big … Continue reading →

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Paul Simon, the singer, on Nelson Mandela

Yeah, yeah. And he says, “What are you doing defending this guy Mandela? He’s obviously a communist. My friend Henry Kissinger told me about where all of the money’s coming from,” and all of this. I was, like, all due … Continue reading →

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Lunacy

Dictator Kim Jong Un, in North Korea President Donald Trump, in America Each with inflated egos Each believe they’re supermen: fools. As bigger nuclear payload rockets Designed to kill without pity Demonstrates the might of true stupidity To the millions … Continue reading →

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Theresa May: an unlucky political general

“I know he’s a good general, but is he lucky?” Napoleon Early evidence suggested that Theresa May was a lucky political general. Political accidents fell in place in exactly the right order for her to emerge as Prime Minister in … Continue reading →

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Nationwide Building Society: July 2017

Along with virtually every other bank and building society Nationwide work hard at attracting savers. This is their latest offering and in truth it isn’t bad i.e. it is quite attractive. However it is locking savers into negative interest rates … Continue reading →

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A disappointed Tory writes in the Evening Standard, June 2017

For Theresa May 10 Downing Street has become a death cell. Although no date has been set for her execution, there can be no appeal. What other verdict could there be? She has already entered the record books. The worst … Continue reading →

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My disabled son and SCOPE

This is a true story about my then young family. My eldest daughter Rita was about eleven years old whilst my three sons Terry, Steven and Robert were seven, five and three. So from about 1982 I was wearing several community … Continue reading →

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