Minor observations and questions

As a 30ish male, if you walk around the place with a black eye, you will get a combination of contemptuous looks, studied avoidance, and slightly unnerving deference. I'm assuming the latter comes from people who assume that the owner of a black eye has managed to acquire it through being an ultraviolent Begbie figure, … Continue reading Minor observations and questions

Baffling or flattering?

As if to add ammo to the fervent Marxists who've been criticising me for my slavish adherence to neoliberal economics lately [*], I'm going to admit that I'm a fan of The Economist on Facebook. Not because it's my favourite paper - I subscribe to the New Yorker, Private Eye and Crikey, and would subscribe … Continue reading Baffling or flattering?

A defence of royalty

My lack of interest in the forthcoming Royal nuptials is about as total as it gets. However, people will keep writing about it, and I don't always look away from their articles in time... So Johann Hari has written a fairly boilerplate piece about the monarchy, and why the UK shouldn't have one. He sensibly … Continue reading A defence of royalty