Prayers for two of the lately departed.
Norman Geras, blogger, one of the first go on my blogroll.
Oscar Hijuelos, Cuban-American writer, two of whose novels (The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love, Mr Ives's Christmas) moved me a lot.
Lord have mercy
Requiescant in pace
Saturday, 2 November 2013
Tuesday, 10 September 2013
Grumpy in the news (almost) OR What do you do when a prejudice is confirmed?
It's the nearest I've got to being newsworthy for some time. On the way to the bus stop this morning I was passed by a cavalcade of police vehicles. Now, I like to think of myself as reasonably unprejudiced, but I guessed their destination instantaneously - and as it happens I was right.
So was my perspicacity a good thing or a bad thing?
So was my perspicacity a good thing or a bad thing?
Wednesday, 3 July 2013
Net price
Inconvenient realities of the aid industry, no. 587: sometimes the stuff you give away suffers the usual fate of unwanted presents.
Note the standard stonewalling tactics from the people who make a comfortable living from spending our money. Step one: accuse the NAO of not giving the full picture because it's only looked at four countries (and it's not like Nigeria is a country of any great size or importance, is it?). Step two: rebut the charge that the programme isn't working by citing stats from Ghana and, er, well, what about Ghana, eh?
Why should they worry? They know they'll get away with it. Business as usual, folks!
Note the standard stonewalling tactics from the people who make a comfortable living from spending our money. Step one: accuse the NAO of not giving the full picture because it's only looked at four countries (and it's not like Nigeria is a country of any great size or importance, is it?). Step two: rebut the charge that the programme isn't working by citing stats from Ghana and, er, well, what about Ghana, eh?
Why should they worry? They know they'll get away with it. Business as usual, folks!
Walsall mystery
Last week: bomb left outside mosque. Most serious incident yet in the big enormous Islamophobic backlash.
Then the narrative started to become a little unclear. Having been a little surprised to learn that a 75 year old had been arrested, we then heard that he had been released on bail. And then it all went quiet. Cue indignation from Sunny Hundal at this off-handed treatment of a dangerous terrorist? Apparently not.
What can it all mean?
Then the narrative started to become a little unclear. Having been a little surprised to learn that a 75 year old had been arrested, we then heard that he had been released on bail. And then it all went quiet. Cue indignation from Sunny Hundal at this off-handed treatment of a dangerous terrorist? Apparently not.
What can it all mean?
Friday, 28 June 2013
Hate speech
Graham Linehan, creator of the peerless Father Ted, has revealed that he wouldn't be able to write the show now because he has come to hate the Catholic Church so much.
I think that's a pity but I can understand how he feels.
I'm just wondering whether he will now be free to enter the United Kingdom.
I think that's a pity but I can understand how he feels.
I'm just wondering whether he will now be free to enter the United Kingdom.
Thursday, 7 March 2013
Things we got up to...
...before we were really human.
On a related topic, I note that the Cornish councillor who went off on one about "putting down" disabled children fell on his sword last week. That'll teach him to spurn the offer of equality and diversity training. So having enjoyed our fit of righteous indignation, all that is left for us to do is to, er, stop putting down disabled children.
On a related topic, I note that the Cornish councillor who went off on one about "putting down" disabled children fell on his sword last week. That'll teach him to spurn the offer of equality and diversity training. So having enjoyed our fit of righteous indignation, all that is left for us to do is to, er, stop putting down disabled children.
Monday, 4 March 2013
Wasting police time
Things the police can't quite manage to get round to.
Because they're up to their eyeballs investigating serious crimes (via DJ).
I'm not aware that any Gipsy blood runs in the Grumpy veins, but I certainly wouldn't rule it out. So if you wish to comment on my fashion sense and personal hygiene standards, I advise you to choose your words very carefully indeed.
Because they're up to their eyeballs investigating serious crimes (via DJ).
I'm not aware that any Gipsy blood runs in the Grumpy veins, but I certainly wouldn't rule it out. So if you wish to comment on my fashion sense and personal hygiene standards, I advise you to choose your words very carefully indeed.
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