This week’s announcement that the original Cybermen will return in the new series of Doctor Who is great for fans but does nothing for a general audience. The plethora of television channels, dwindling attention spans and streaming of favourites make it harder than ever for established shows to attract new viewers. Between 1966 and 1988 […]
“To no man will we sell, to one deny or delay right or justice.” The core principle, from Magna Carta in 1215, should be followed in all aspects of law. Today in Britain some people are denied justice, and not just because the police say they haven’t got the resources to tackle petty crime. […]
This week I read about a Newcastle United fan who brought 14 return tickets for a rail journey to Oxford and saved £30 on the cost of a standard ticket. Fare levels in the British railway industry fluctuate between the outrageously expensive, usually inflicted on regular commuters, and the ridiculously cheap. Some years ago companies operating […]
On 17 February 1894, the Sun newspaper published the last in a series of five articles which accused a lunatic of being Jack the Ripper. The British tabloids have a longstanding tradition of blending fiction and speculation, and this is a fine early example. The value to researchers lies in the response. Chief Constable Melville […]
This week I watched an ABC documentary that looked at how a group of refugees from the Congo settled in Shepparton, Victoria, and revitalised the local Lutheran community. Given the obvious success of this resettlement project, and the valid moral reasons for helping victims of war and persecution, why can’t Australia offer a home to more of […]
The news that Peter Capaldi is stepping down as Doctor Who has provoked the usual debate about his replacement being a woman or black. In recent times the series has established that either is possible but it should not be done for the sake of political correctness. Hopefully the production team will pick the best […]
This week I took my daughter to see the latest animated movie, Sing, on the day before she started school. We were the only people in the cinema, making for a very personal experience. Animation has moved on from the cartoons of my childhood and the current trend is anthropomorphism. Technological advances allow writers and […]
Keep it simple is the theme behind an increased push for a basic income. The idea is gaining momentum with trials in Finland, Holland, and Canada. By making a small payment to all citizens the government can move away from an increasingly complex welfare state, reducing fraud and incentivising acceptance of casual work. It also […]
The growing preference for quantity over quality has devalued university degrees and removed standards from television. Now it threatens the world’s greatest sporting event. This week it was announced that football’s world cup in 2026 will feature 48 teams, instead of 32. In defending the decision, FIFA’s president, Gianni Infantino, pointed to the success of […]
