Most people might think that Isaac Newton and John Milton have very little in common with me, but they would be wrong. Despite some disparities with regard to stature within our chosen fields of endeavour, we belong to a select group. We (I like to think of the three of us as ‘we’) are all […]
Archive | Politics
One step forward, two steps back
I was never entirely sure about my mother’s attitude to religion, as she often criticised my father for being too dogmatic in his atheism. When she was dying, I asked her if she wanted any religious element in her funeral. “Of course I don’t!” she snapped back, “what would I want that for?” Then she […]
We have been here before
As I write, the news is dominated by the Grenfell Tower disaster. Yesterday it was confirmed that in the recent refurbishment flammable plastic cladding was installed rather than the recommended fire-proof alternative. This gave rise to a saving of £2/square metre. It is far too soon to say whether this was the main reason for […]
“Can I just check that your health insurance is up to date?”
Much of my time is now spent staring at a computer screen, and consequently information technology has inexorably put me back in touch with my contemporaries from medical school. I am sorry to report that there appears to be an epidemic of occupational burnout within the group. My Facebook feed is alive with news of […]
The Lonesome West
Amid a world-wide shift in political alignment, we have yet another once-in-a-generation call to the ballot box. Tony Blair cannot bring himself to support Jeremy Corbyn to be Prime Minister. Tony Blair is extraordinary, even amongst a group of people as unusual as ex-Prime Ministers. I find him every bit as unlikeable as Donald Trump. […]
À la recherche du temps perdu
Theresa May seems to have been dreamily reminiscing about her childhood in an Oxfordshire vicarage. She wants to open new grammar schools in order to create a Great Meritocracy. It may be a stage-of-life thing. I find it takes very little provocation to make me think about my youth. Simon Wessely writes an entertaining blog […]
Sometimes bad is bad
I watched the 2014 documentary about Gerry and Sylvia Anderson “Filmed In Supermarionation” the other day. It was really entertaining. Four Feather Falls, Supercar, Fireball XL5, Stingray and Thunderbirds were part of my childhood, although I lost interest somewhere around the first broadcast of Joe 90. My favourite part of the documentary was when Gerry […]
Hard times in the land of plenty
Most people know someone a bit like Donald Trump. The only unusual thing about him is the huge amount of money that he inherited. He parades his faults shamelessly. I would be reluctant to talk to him at a party, let alone vote for him. The polls suggest that many people gave him their vote […]
Histrionics and quantum politics
Last week started with a somewhat anti-climactic announcement from the Prime Minister about mental health services. Her speech ended with a statement that “parity means parity”. If this was intended as a triumphant conclusion to a stirring performance, it fell rather flat. The phrase echoed her hollow “Brexit means Brexit” catechism. The Prime Minister seems […]
Reasons to be cheerful
What if the worst happens? Well, it has. Donald Trump is going to be President of the USA. His campaign rested on his status as an existential “winner”, a promise to reverse America’s misfortunes through the power of will and the demonization of minorities. These ideas belong to a political tradition that is indistinguishable from […]