Blog
A nod and a wink
My Uncle Peter was on the phone this morning with his red hot tips for the Grand National this afternoon. He has contacts in the racing industry and will ring me sometimes to share news of a massive win. But when we go to the races together, he doesn't seem to have...
Dying of a broken heart
My paternal grandparents died within a month of each other when they were in their 80s. I don't know if the second one died of a broken heart because from memory they always appeared very stern and aloof. But my grandmother certainly lost the will to continue living...
Ken Livingstone’s secret children
Ken Livingstone says he kept quiet about his "three undisclosed children" in order to protect the privacy of his former lovers. I would suggest it was to protect his own political image. Having five children by three women is not so uncommon these days,...
Driving around on biofuels
I have just issued this letter by my MEP Robert Sturdy to our local papers on new legislation due to be introduced this month to increase the use of biofuels. It's something we will have to get used to. I remember Robert telling me about a German MEP who was a farmer...
Will the Olympics worsen China’s human rights record?
I do share the concerns of Amnesty International that China will worsen its human rights record by trying to suppress its critics and dissidents in a bid to portray a stable and harmonious image ahead of the Olympic Games in August. While I believe our athletics...
The pain has returned
I spent a sleepless night last night tossing and turning. But who was I to complain when it was David who was quietly suffering in pain. At 1am and 2am. Suffering considerable pain long into the night. So I dosed him up with painkillers and hoped that would help. He...
Will you get fooled today?
Heather Yaxley has beaten me to it and published some of today's April Fool's Day stunts which have hit the headlines. The Daily Mirror claims that ITV has come up with Dancing On Ice using greyhounds to try and top the Strictly Come Dancing ratings. A Greyhound...
The new media and politics
I was sorry last night to have missed the Reform/Bloomberg party to celebrate the new media politics revolution. I missed Jeremy Hunt, Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, speak on how new media should transform politics and government. Bloggers and...
Why do women stay with brutes?
I was astonished to read about the cruelty levelled by Sir Vidia Naipaul against the women who loved him - his Oxford educated wife Pat and mistress of 20 years Margaret Murray, for whom the attraction was merely sexual. I found John Carey's review in yesterday's...