April 2015

In Northamptonshire polythene grows on trees and no one picks it, at least if my journey down the A14 yesterday is anything to go by. At the end of my journey I felt thoroughly wretched. There were burst tyres and other broken bits of vehicles strewn by the road. Of the many tons of litter along it I shall not … [Read on]

I have read several newspaper articles recently that refer to the puzzle of British productivity. The puzzle is that it has not risen of latter years, though the economy has ‘recovered’ in the sense that its output has increased. This can only mean that people are working longer hours or that more of them are working, or both. Personally I … [Read on]

According to an article in the Guardian, two ‘ordinary Yorkshire lads’ went on holiday to Turkey, from whence they travelled on to Syria, presumably to join ISIS. Their names were Hassan Munshi and Talha Asmal. What is ordinary in Yorkshire has evidently changed out of all recognition in my lifetime. In my day, ordinary Yorkshire lads didn’t go to Turkey, … [Read on]