General – Page 379 – Boadicea's Chariot

I think it is a fair assumption that someone who goes round the streets shooting people at random, and then turns the gun on himself, is not in his right mind. This being the case, why is it that the BBC has seen fit to devote at least half an hour – it may have been more – to coverage of this sad event? Continue reading “Too much information”

Another Aussie success

Sam Stosur has just beaten Serena Williams in the quarter-finals of the French Open. She’s had a great tournament so far and would be a worthy champion. This also means that whichever lady picks up the trophy will be a “newbie”, now that both the Willams sisters and Justine Henin are out. It’s time women’s tennis had some fresh, younger faces at the top.

Bearsy, I realise you are more interested in cricket, but there are other sports…

Falling In Love Again

… with real British Indian food, fish and chips cooked with proper batter, bitter marmalade, and pubs that know what a spritze is!

Misguided, but the voice of the century

Mario Lanza – La Donna e Mobile

Speak your mind

All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent.
Thomas Jefferson

Goodnight everyone, sleep well

White guilt (3)

I wonder if it’s worth it for me, personally, to read Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s new book. Since her views are so close to mine, and she speaks with greater authority, I would only be nodding my head in agreement through most of it, reinforcing the views I already hold:

A feminist, she is infuriated by those Western feminists who will not take on subjects such as female circumcision, honour killing and the sale of brides in Muslim societies (and among Muslims in our own societies) because they wish to blame Western colonialism for all ills. Reference

The way to better understanding, I have generally found, is to read the views of those with whom you disagree. I would, however, recommend her work to those of you who insist on seeing the other point of view through the lens of your own cultural values, not those which apply in forming that other view.

Nomad. Ayaan Hirsi Ali

Sweet song

Cherubino, The Marriage of Figaro

Geriatric motherhood

How old is too old to have a baby? Once, such a question would hardly have needed asking: a time came when women could no longer have babies, and that was that. In these enlightened times, however, things are rather different. No-one who does not want a baby need have one (which makes you wonder why it is that there are still the number of abortions taking place – more than 189,000 in the UK last year) and many a career-minded young woman decides to put off having babies until her late thirties or forties. At present, the cut-off point for IVF is fifty, which many of us might think is well old enough, particularly if you are trying for a first baby. Continue reading “Geriatric motherhood”