BBC NEWS | UK | New drink laws ‘lead to violence’It doesn’t take genius, or a judge, to work this out. You have to question why a government originally elected as providing moral leadership (remember the ethical foreign policy that lasted, ooh, five minutes) is promoting this self-evidently disastrous policy in the face of common… Continue reading New drink laws ‘lead to violence’
BBC NEWS | Education | Chaucer’s tales become rap songs This depresses me. Why does everything have to be made “relevant”? The excuse given here is that Chaucer’s language is difficult to understand. Yes, it is. Get over it. These children will go away saying they’ve “done Chaucer” – but they haven’t, no more than… Continue reading Chaucer’s tales become rap songs
This blog has just returned from a holiday spent far away from internet access for the most part, and all the better for it. Boris the Topsyturvydom mascot cat seemed to enjoy his stay at the luxury cat hotel, but, like me, is glad to be back, as is his companion Phoebe, who makes her… Continue reading Blogging again
normblog: Apologists among us Norman Geras has some serious things to say about the reaction of some to the London bombings. I share his view, and like him, was appalled at the sentiments expressed in the article in today’s Guardian by Dilpazier Aslam, which seems to suggest that the bombs can be excused as an… Continue reading Apologists among us
I’m described as an “amiable Mancunian bear” here. Well, I suppose there are worse things to be called, but the diet starts here…
On a train last week, the young man opposite me ( he looked about twelve, but obviously had a full time job in advertising, as was confirmed by his full-volume conversation with a friend across the aisle) concluded his talk, not with “good bye”, “see ya” or any of those variants, but a new one… Continue reading In a bit
Guardian Unlimited | The Guardian | Man used electric underpants ‘to fake heart attack’ You couldn’t make this up, could you? One of the best headlines I’ve read for years.
EWM: Letter from ManchesterFurther to yesterday’s post about Manchester in art, this site is absolutely the best place to go for images of contemporary Manchester. Aidan O’Rourke (who also features in the Urbis centre) has done a great job of documenting the ever changing face of the city. To see how it was, take a… Continue reading Eye Witness Manchester
BBC – Manchester – In pictures – Picture of Manchester: galleryThis intrigued me, as a Mancunian. I’m not sure I’m completely won over by these paintings, but they certainly beat the inexplicably lauded Lowry, and offer a more contemporary view of Manchester than the Victorian visions of Pierre Adolphe Valette, e.g. this one
Guardian Unlimited | Arts special reports | Salgado Antarctica 1It really is an extraordinary planet (compared to what? I hear you ask) – look at these photos to prove it. The elephant seal looks disconcertingly like me in the morning.