The Troublesome Immigrant – Eastern Europeans in the UK

There’s an issue that makes it difficult for me to be objective about Nikesh Shukla’s bestselling book, The Good Immigrant – and that is its title. The book was published in 2016, the year of the UK referendum, and it concerns itself solely with the BAME community. There is absolutely no mention at all of Eastern Europeans living in the UK. Correction: there are plenty of … Continue reading The Troublesome Immigrant – Eastern Europeans in the UK

A Defence of Christmas Presents

Have you read any of those articles written by one of those “holier than thou” journalists telling you that Christmas shopping is destroying the planet and you should be content to give and receive only hand-knitted socks and scarves (preferably from recycled wool)? I know I have read plenty of them, and they annoy me (and if you haven’t read any of them, here’s one … Continue reading A Defence of Christmas Presents

Violence against women – with lyrics by Nick Cave, Johnny Cash and Robert Browning

Do you remember a song that was top of the charts in 2008? It went:   They call me The Wild Rose  But my name was Elisa Day  Why they call me it I do not know  For my name was Elisa Day   The song is “Wild Rose”, performed by Nick Cave and Kylie Minogue. And it used to be on the radio all … Continue reading Violence against women – with lyrics by Nick Cave, Johnny Cash and Robert Browning