Rob Hosking

The Baron then offered a holiday toast. Apparently.

Heard someone suggest two Christmas-related bans the other day. One being that we should not allow Christmas advertising until December 1: yet other that something terminal should be done to all existing copies of ‘Snoopy’s Christmas’.

It’s difficult not to feel some sympathy for both suggestions but it got me pondering a wider question: is there something about Christmas which brings out the…

‘I mustn’t tell you on an open line how we shall be travelling, but we shall be coming by puff-puff.’

– Winston Churchill to Franklin Roosevelt, during visit to Canada, early 1942.

Second hand bookstores, like libraries and the great outdoors, will be the final repositories of our civilisation.

‘Nothing makes a man more reverent than a library’

– Winston Churchill

Not going to quite agree with this comment, which comes from an aside in a famous essay ol’ WSC wrote about his discovery of painting as a hobby.

I’ve lovedlibraries, certainly, ever since I ever discovered them when I was aged five (my first ever library book was Dr Seuss’s ‘Horton the Elephant Hatches an Egg’ from the…

Thought of the day – on conservatism. How it should be.

‘Now, the disposition to be conservative in respect of politics reflects a quite different view of the activity of governing. The man of this disposition understands it to be the business of a government not to inflame passion and give it new objects to feed upon, but to inject into the activities of already too passionate men an ingredient of moderation; to restrain, to deflate, to pacify and to…

www.youtube.com/watch

‘Something deep’ – a few thoughts on reading, and on books about books

This was first written for what I thought at the time was World Book Day.

Turns out 23 April used to be World Book Day. It isn’t any more. It’s now earlier in the year. Forget when. The brain’s a bit foggy right now, for boring medical reasons I won’t trouble anyone with.

But here’s a little something I put together earlier, for the World Book Day that turns out to be Not World Book Day.

‘Some…

Thought of the day – an ironic Keynesian moment

‘The avoidance of taxes is the only intellectual pursuit that carries any reward.’

-John Maynard Keynes

Thought for the Day –

‘Let us think the unthinkable, let us do the undoable, let us prepare to grapple with the ineffable itself, and see if we may not eff it after all.’

-Douglas Adams. For Towel Day.

Thoughts on the Harry & Meghan nuptials

Well, it sounds like the Royal Wedding went off okay. That has to be a relief, I’m sure.

I slept through it, as is my own personal tradition for royal weddings, but I know a lot of people were excited and worried about different bits so I’m glad everything seems to have been tickety boo.

I suspect people were watching Prince Philip closely at that bit where the minister asks if there is anyone…

Reasons to be Cheerful

Ian Dury’s birthday. One of the cleverest wordsmiths to ever front a rock band – and what a rock band. The Blockheads were magnificent, especially the rhythm section of bassist Norman Watt-Roy and drummer Charley Charles.

Here’s the band live, and in their prime. Love that great loping bassline.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?…

Not so Stranded in Paradise…

‘A million miles from New Orleans Drinking a can of beer

I think about Memphis and Detroit  City 

I hear you ladies there are young and pretty

Will there be rhythm and blues on the radio?…‘

 ‘No movie stars or really big deals,

Me and the band just need a place to play

What more can I say?

This is a record  with pictures from New…

For the new addition to the Royal Family

One of the many cover versions of this song. Saw them do this at Sweetwaters ’84. I think it was probably worse than this version.

Perhaps, if Prince Louis ever becomes King, (he’s what, fifth in line? It could happen) this could be the new British Commonwealth Anthem.