My neighbour has to move two land-pods he used for guests to stay in. They are sitting too close to the trees and the damp speeds up the growth of a particular mold on the wood which lessens the lifespan of the pods. So he asked a farmer to come over and me to be…
Fascism
When I was at college I understood that anyone you didn’t agree with very quickly became a fascist. Fascism has been with us forever which is why it is absurd these days to continually talk of left and right in politics. A left leaning right wing thinker will have socialist ideas of society and a…
Birthdays
The Romans famously started counting their lives at inception so when they were born they were already nine months old. It meant that mothers and father instead of celebrating a day the mother was creaming her head off for hours, they could celebrate a really good joint climax. I don’t think children felt as squeamish…
Civilians in War
Articles 48 and 51 of the Geneva Convention (written between 1864 and 1949) discuss the targeting of civilians in war and state that civilians are not to be targeted unless they take an active role in the conflict. It does not go on to differentiate between civilians acting under duress and those acting in concert….
Indigenous
Go back far enough no one is indigenous to anywhere but maybe Africa and maybe the Pacific region. There are thoughts that there were several human-like apes around each one of which had a particular adaptation (e.g good hands) but otherwise were more ape and they met up and bred. So maybe bits of us…
A Poem at Last
I wrote a sonnet a few days ago after not writing for years. It isn’t very good, in fact I would suggest it doesn’t work well and fails after the sixth line but I finalised it. For the past two years or more I have started a couple of lines and giving up, nothing was…
Too Much Information
It was interesting for a second to hear the news of the prostitute giving evidence against Donal Trump by describing what they did around the time of the alleged assault. I actually think the assault took place and if not with her obviously with others, these are never single events (in both meanings of the…
Revolve the Spinning Top
A speck of agitation is Self – Moulded by atoms and deformed By abstract hope – Stillness? Can it be gathered Does its harvest yield, nourish The discontent of argument? Thoughts nearly always Remain young even as the Withered lips smile The thoughtful idea is beauty – not age. Being part of the spinning top…
Remembering the Falklands
So the President of Argentina will talk for decades to have the sovereignty of the Islands back in the hands of the Argentinians. Or Spanish as it was and as the whole of Latin America is basically European it is a mute point to suggest the originally owners are long dead. The only good thing…
The Figures
When I was following my first general election in the UK I stayed up late to listen to the returns and the first was way up in Scotland and Labour won. The commentator then said that this meant nothing as they were a small constituency, usually racing to be the first to declare a result….