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Continue reading →: Of Judges, Politicians, Crown Prerogative and Article 50
My RSS feed makes interesting — and amusing — reading this morning. Both in the mainstream media and the blogosphere, there are many interesting and strident opinions on yesterday's judgement in the Queens Bench Division of the High Court. Most of them are wrong. Britain's Constitution is famously "unwritten" but can be…
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Continue reading →: We all need to watch “Stranger Things” on Netflix
I have not yet watched the show myself. I base my advice entirely upon this one sentence from James Delingpole's review in the Spectator: "… At no stage do you feel as though the plot or characterisation has been skewed to serve up some empowering message about race or gender…
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Continue reading →: Comrade Kirk and Commissar Picard
I don't believe I have mentioned it here before, but I have always been a fan of Star Trek. In the course of this year I have been watching the programmes again in sequence. I have discovered something in them that I had never noticed before. Gene Roddenberry, the producers…
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Continue reading →: Democracy in crisis
Following the current political debates on both sides of the Atlantic is discouraging for those who like to believe (or perhaps delude ourselves) that our opinions are guided by reason. The unpleasant tactics of the US Presidential campaign provide much fuel for cynicism. As someone opposed to the big state…
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Continue reading →: The modern woman
I like women. I have always had more female than male friends. This, despite the fact that while (pace my late wife's trenchant view to the contrary) men and women can undoubtedly be friends, sex quite often does get in the way*. This also despite my not buying into —…
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Continue reading →: Is normality now unelectable?
I have never favoured the view that elected officials need be just like us. Ideally, given the scope of the responsibilities of those leading what is regrettably the most powerful and dangerous force in our society, it is desirable that they be unusual. Most importantly they would (unlike most of…
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Continue reading →: Home again to the post-trip blues
I embarked on the Pont Aven in Santander on Monday afternoon after an uneventful, delightful run from San Sebastian. We sailed at 1515 CET. I have wised up to the idea that there is internet on board. There is, as advertised, but it's OAP broadband; capable of handling the odd email…
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Continue reading →: Back to Spain
After breakfasting with and then waving my friends off to Toulouse airport in their rather cool little rented FIAT 500 Abarth, I stowed my baggage and hit the road again. Driving conditions were perfect and the roads were clear and dry. The sun shone, but it was not too warm.…
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Continue reading →: Carcassonne
When planning this trip one of the first decisions I made was to visit Carcassonne. When I posted my planned route on my personal Facebook page two friends of mine from Poland said they would meet me there. We booked into the same hotel, just outside the gate of the medieval…
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Continue reading →: Jaunts & Errands
Friday was a day free of commitments. At the suggestion of my local friends, I stopped by at their place for a coffee and to be briefed on a suitable excursion for the day. They sent me off to Valbonne where a market was in progress on the town square. I…








I’m sure there are a few fire and brimstone types they could have had instead of a woke woman. Putting…