Last week was, well, interesting. At some point I will write about it. For now, this - I spent two days at the National Archives (one of my happy places) and hauled away a couple of thousand pictures of pages from various (60 or 70? distinct folders - some literally a page, others 3 inches... Continue Reading →
The politics of Tom Lehrer: Noam Chomsky with a Piano?
Tom Lehrer died, aged 97, in late July. Lehrer had written 37 (well, a few more) songs in the 1950s and 1960s, and on the basis of this is still (rightly in my opinion) regarded as one of the pre-eminent satirists of the 20th century. Interviewed in 2014 Weird Al Yankovic said "I wouldn’t call... Continue Reading →
Brian Bilston’s poem “Today’s Climate Forecast”
Brian Bilston nailing it, July 10 this year.
“Leaning in” – it’s easier, after all…
There's a new book called Fascist Yoga, which I am probably not going to read, but I am probably glad that it exists. Meanwhile
Two Noble Kinsmen (Bard to the Bone #017)
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 →
marchudson.net 