Year written: 1613 Context of the writing (Shakespeare’s career, political events it was responding to): Definitely phoning it in. Working with a young guy called Fletcher. Basically re-tread of Two Gentlemen of Verona, for better or worse. Plot in a paragraph: Bezzies Arcite and Palamon are captured by king Theseus and fall in love at... Continue Reading →
The centrist rally (see also “Love me, I’m a liberal”)
Saw this online and it made me laugh a bit - ymmv. See also Phil Ochs "love me, I'm a liberal". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cdqQ2BdgOA Blah blah "if you're middle of the road you get hit by the traffic in both directions" blah blah.
Twelfth Night (Bard to the Bone #016)
Year written: 1610 or whatever Context of the writing (Shakespeare’s career, political events it was responding to): We’re near the end, and he is retreading his earlier steps…. Also, franchises suck - by about Sixth Night, he was really phoning it in… Plot in a paragraph: Oh, this is a retread of The Comedy of... Continue Reading →
Brilliant analysis of modern conservatism – “so disgusted by the world it helped to make that….”
I can say brilliant because it wasn't me. Recently I posted a quote by John Kenneth Galbraith And a friend I respect (have never met - this is the 21st century) replied with a typical (for this person) succinct and incisive comment. So spot-on it hurts. Although not as much as modern “Conservatism” does. Key... Continue Reading →
Fish, lakes, trawlers, men, guns, banks…
A few years ago I did a gushing review (this is unusual for me) of an academic book (see previous brackets, only more so). It was a book about "Energy Fables" and how power relations are buried in the assumptions of various "common sense" phrases like "low-hanging fruit" and the "energy trilemma." I don't think... Continue Reading →
Octavia Butler’s words of wisdom
I absolutely loved The Parable of the Sower - need to read the sequel... “Choose your leaderswith wisdom and forethought.To be led by a cowardis to be controlledby all that the coward fears.To be led by a foolis to be ledby the opportunistswho control the fool.To be led by a thiefis to offer upyour most... Continue Reading →
Hold on, we’re in the… ceneocene
When everyone is trying to make periodisations (Anthropocene, Trumpocene, Capitlocene, Chthulocene, Whatsmycene) It is surely the Ceneocene? Sadly, it does seem someone has beaten me to the punch. But wait! There’s more! The Cenes I’ve detailed are but a few of the many Cenes that have percolated to the surface of the junction between science,... Continue Reading →
Statu(t)e of limitations – The Winter’s Tale (Bard to the Bone #015)
The Winter’s Tale Year written: 1610 Context of the writing (Shakespeare’s career, political events it was responding to): xx Plot in a paragraph: King Leontes accuses his pregnant wife Hermione of cheating with his old friend, King of Bohemia Polixenes. The Delphic Oracle tells Leontes he is wrong, but it’s only the death of their... Continue Reading →
John Kenneth Galbraith on modern “conservatism”
John Kenneth Galbraith, succinct. “The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness.” IT IS A PARAPHRASE. See below... (Also, it's worth your time listening to Heather Cox Richardson, the American historian, and her "Letters from an American." She... Continue Reading →
“Section 3.4” – TMI (?) about TNA
I am on a National Archives binge. Occasionally you come up against "retained under section 3.4" It's this. Never hurts to submit a FOI, I guess.
marchudson.net 