Category Archives: Blather

Just not now … Having written two Very Serious Leading Articles with only a column on the morality of suicide bombing to go to today I found myself on metafilter, where a story about a mechanical circumcision device was accompanied … Continue reading → Continue reading →

I have been reading a lot of John Gray this week, for a Guardian profile; and I’m glad of it. He’s a fierce, large-jawed writer, forever taking bites at people, and he gets his teeth into flab and folly with … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Into town tonight, to see Patti Smith and Television. It will be the third time I have seen her. The first time, in Gothenburg in about 1978, she was the sexiest woman I have ever seen. I could hardly sit … Continue reading → Continue reading →

When is this less than reassuring? No Harmful chemicals. Has not been tested on animals. When you find these essertions on a bottle of organic anti-nit goo. I know perfectly well that it’s not going to work; but it is … Continue reading → Continue reading →

For the first few weeks there were never any ads on these pages except for hosting services. Suddenly there has been a rash of religious ads. This shows Google is checking the site. Unfortunately, two of them were from scientologists. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

I don’t know whether it is depression or a sinus infection. I don’t know if it is both. but for the last fortnight I have been almost incredibly stupid, as if I were thinking through treacle, and looking at the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

I keep a scrap list in Ecco of things I really ought to blog about, or stick into a wormseye, or something. It has got out of control. So here are some things which provoked thought, without the thoughts I … Continue reading → Continue reading →

I just want to record that in Waitrose this afternoon I saw a roll of embossed bog roll: sorry “Bloomsbury & tate luxury bathroom tissue enriched with aloe vera” A snip at £1.89. Continue reading →

Two things Bob Conquest told me to Reagan’s credit: that he was the only politician who ever actually listened when he, Conquest, was giving an opinion he had been asked for. For most of them asking for an opinion is … Continue reading → Continue reading →

In my first term at prep school, I was introduced to vingt-et-un. It was the most important and interesting game I had ever discovered, and withiin three weeks I owed an older boy something in the region of 89,000,000 royal … Continue reading → Continue reading →