Mark Mardell’s most recent weblog entry superbly explains the recent tensions between Poland and Germany that so marked the last EU treaty gathering: Poland had won concessions in the voting system, but made overt reference to the suffering they experienced during the second world war. The post itself is a fascinating read, and does an excellent [...]
A while back I had a few thoughts about the third series of Doctor Who that’s currently airing. I’m quite pleased to discover I was spot on with my predictions, which makes a nice change. Previously I’ve fallen flat on my face and got predictions horrifically wrong. So we’re nicely set-up for the season finale [...]
I didn’t see the seemingly infamous Panorama programme itself, but have certainly come across plenty of scare-mongering and atrocious reporting in the last few months regarding the supposed “danger” posed by Wi-Fi network routers. Somehow, at least in deluded and panic-stricken sections of the media, these devices are a new menace unseen before and that [...]
The new series of Doctor Who is shaping up nicely, and is grasping various hot-topic nettles, and not backing away from scariness for such a prime-time family slot. People dying simply because they turned up to a champagne and canapé launch and didn’t run is refreshing in a grim way. Nice it’s not become A-team [...]
Imagine the situation where a young child finds themselves being abused by an authority figure. If that authority figure was a child carer, a relative, or a public figure of some sort there would - when it was discovered - be outcry and almost certainly criminal prosecution. Yet if that public figure is a religious authority [...]
Ian Paisley is not somebody I find I agree with too often. My blood pressure is more likely to rise to dangerous levels when I hear him speak than to find I agree with his point of view. In my media-based view of Northern Ireland politics, rhetoric and mutual-hatred seems to be the common theme. [...]
I’ve previously written about the west-coast main-line railway, with it’s fast trains and efficient and cost-effective service. I’m a big fan, and much prefer travelling by rail than by air. The horrible news about the derailment last night has pretty much meant that my forthcoming trip to London will require me to fly: The east-coast route [...]
Ah, the old chestnuts of Religion and Politics. Don’t ever bring them up in the pub, so the saying goes. The reason is you’re probably going to upset, annoy or become enemies-for-life with your former friends and drinking buddies, and that’s no way to behave. In a pub of all places. Personally, I’m all for a [...]
The Repeal vote has opened with a truly disappointing shortlist that is sure to appeal to middle-England, but is sadly reactionary and horribly predictable in it’s contents. Listening yesterday to the (disappointing) panel wafting it’s way through the nominations, and brushing aside the opportunity to push the debate in interesting directions, I soon lost hope [...]
I heard Radio Four are looking for nominations of laws that should be repealed, and no2id Glasgow’s timely e-mail coaxed me in to action. So regular readers won’t, of course, be surprised to read that I’ve nominated the Identity Card Act 2006 as the single worst piece of legislation that’s appeared in years for the way [...]
