Things that might have been better expressed
A few examples of remarks, written or spoken, about which the author might usefully have had second thoughts [More >>>]
Category: Arts & Entertainment
Abusing language
Language can be abused in unwitting self-betrayal, by clothing platitudes in pretentious and trendy costume, or by plain old-fashioned murder. Some examples [More >>>]
More random thoughts for the weekend
An old friend, an inexplicably obsessive cricket fanatic, has just telephoned in a state of high excitement about the collapse today of the fourth Test match between England and Pakistan. My first thought was...
Diary and pictures of a Swan Hellenic Cruise
As promised, or threatened, in a recent Ephems post about the impending demise of the Swan Hellenic cruise line, I have now put a not-too-serious diary of our first and last Swan Hellenic experience...
Farewell to Swan Hellenic and superior cruising
The impending demise of the up-market, culture-vultures’ formerly British cruise-line, Swan Hellenic, at the hands of its philistine American owner, Carnival Corp., deserves a regretful obituary. But it was always a smug middle-class affair [More >>>]
The BlairVerseFest: contributions, please!
At last a response to my invitation to contribute to a Blairversefest: limericks, clerihews, Haiku, anything about Mr Tony… More, please! [More >>>]
The Wind that Shakes the Barley should also shake our consciences
Ken Loach’s Palme d’Or-winning film, The Wind that Shakes the Barley, is a superb and subtle film with a vital contemporary resonance. Gutter press cries of ‘anti-British!’ should be ignored [More >>>]
Clem Attlee as poet
Some creditable verse attributed to the young (24-year-old) Clement Attlee, destined to become the greatest ever Labour leader and prime minister. Can anyone provide its source? [More >>>]