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The Green, Green Grass of Everywhere Outside London
I have seemingly been in London for too long. Sleeping and waking intermittently on the meandering coach from London Victoria to Stockport, towns feel as rustic as the middle of nowhere. I was in a cab through south London last week, from Fulham to Brixton, and marvelled at how green everything was every time that we passed a patch of common. I ( Read more... ) -
On the Logic of Egalitarianism, OR, Fuck Pareto Up the Ass
I read this diatribe just now, which suggests that the US is more "socialist" than Sweden for the following reason:
"The Tax Foundation recently noted that in 2009 the U.S. collected a higher share of income and payroll taxes (45%) from the richest 10% of tax filers than any other nation, including such socialist welfare states as Sweden (27%), ( Read more... ) -
Larry Elliott on Is Osborne fit to run the economy - or to ruin it?
"By all accounts, Clement Attlee had a brusque manner when he was prime minister. He was never one for beating around the bush and on one occasion called a junior minister and told him he was being sacked. Somewhat stunned, the minister asked, why? Not up to the job, was Attlee's five-word response.
This government has now been in power for almost a ( Read more... ) -
Michael White on 15 Facts Which Expose the Great Tory Debt Lie
"It's not Labour profligacy that caused the deficit - if the last government was spending too much why did the Tories promise, until summer 2008, to match its largesse? Labour needs to become as tireless at making this case as the coalition is at repeating, ad nauseam, that it "inherited this mess".
The only way to galvanise opposition to the ( Read more... ) -
On the Writing of Runes
Knife like ice ( Read more... ) -
In an office in London
They were sat in the corner, nattering,
Two women, forty-mutter-mutter.
"How's your daughter?"
"Oh, she's fine.
And yours?"
"Fine too."
"And what about Libya?"
"Incredible."
"Amazing."
"Maybe - there IS power in the people?"
And there it was,
The giant stirring,
A hot blast of destiny,
Right there,
In an office in London.
Posted via LjBeetle -
On Coca, Cola and Coriander
For as long as I can remember, I have disliked Coca-Cola. It's not specifically that I dislike the taste - I love those chewy "cola bottle" sweets - but something about the real thing, even the smell of it, always makes me nauseous. Having seen the exposé of the original "secret recipe", which is still fairly faithfully adhered to, I have finally ( Read more... ) -
On This Day, Which Shall Not be Named
It's a sort of cross between Halloween (as was) and Armistice Day in the feelings it stirs. On the one hand, terror and loathing; on the other, regret and sorrow. Terror of the darkness, alone and ever-so vulnerable; loathing of the monstrous grinning pairs, partying and happy. Regret for lost life, wasted and tragic; sorrow that the wastage goes ( Read more... ) -
Thoughts on Relativity, While on a Train through Sussex
They all run away ( Read more... )