Blogs

The Slowworm’s Song begins with ‘Start,’ and ends with ‘Start’, and in between there is a ‘Stop’. I guess that’s true of most of life, although there might be a lot of hanging about in between. Ex-soldier Stephen Rose lives in Somerset, which is home of sorts. It was where he was brought up by his father. Quakers don’t join the army, but Stephen went against the grain of his father’s pacifist beliefs and that decision defined his adult life. He...

The weeks seem to be flying by. I hope you all survived the heat. No moaning about today’s rain, please. Story of the Week Story of the Week this week goes to not-so-cosy Cotswolds-set “The Bounds” by Charlie77. The start of something longer, this first part is gripping, chilling and blessed with a narrative voice that is very strong indeed. Do check out Rosalie Kempthorne’s latest, too. Discovery is as off-kilter and unsettling as all her work...

Yesterday, the anniversary of our first kiss, Lynn and I received a text from Mary's roomate Jon who was aware of the significance of the date. He asked if we would be available for a video chat at 7 o'clock. It was private and he didn't want Mary to know about the call. The call came at 7 sharp. Jon was out walking and talking in his Boston neighborhood. After the usual opening pleasantries, Jon got to the point. He asked us permission for him...

I'm gonna know a lot more about my journey after Thursday. I'm prepaing for the worst and hoping for the best. Prepaing for the worst is quite an exercise while playing the waiting game. It certainly adds urgency to my writing and living as the idea of a "deadline" takes on more meaning. Life is precious of course and I'm gonna fight for mine. I have much more confidence in doctors these days. I'm over the phobia that they are trying to hurt me...

If as some people believe, Russia was behind the Brexit vote, might it be possible they have been influencing social media to turn the population against Johnson? It is not as though everyone was not aware he found truth dull at best, to be glossed over with mockery or buried in fluff of Latin quotes. I don't see why, just now, everyone has suddenly noticed the emperor has no clothes? If Putin were responsible for Johnson becoming PM, as he was...

Google announced they would delete data. Algorithms rule the world. And their algorithm made Sergey Brin and Larry Page the richest men in the world. That’s the equivalent of an oil company announcing it would no longer produce petrol. Google would not cooperate with law officials who sought to prosecute women seeking abortion in lieu of Roe versus Wade after searching online, using Google. Google is a noun and verb. Google trends offer the...