Alex Massie 
Way of the World: Off yer bike edition…
Yes, it’s from the doom-peddlers at The Daily Mail, but still… A police force has banned hundreds of its officers from riding bicycles for safety reasons. Greater Manchester Police has… Continue reading
0 CommentsColumbia’s Persian problem
I would not have invited Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to speak at Columbia University today, but now that the invitation has been made it should go ahead. In general, however, I agree… Continue reading
0 CommentsA September Surprise?
A snap election in Britain? Iain Dale sees the latest good poll for Gordon Brown and reports that the Tories think it might happen: I understand that CCHQ [Conservative Central… Continue reading
0 CommentsYou’re so vain, I bet you think this world is about you…
I’ll have more to say on Rudy Giuliani’s trip to London in due course, but first this: Rudy Giuliani was on the trans-Atlantic campaign trail Wednesday, schmoozing with conservative idol… Continue reading
2 CommentsVORP over arabists? Not so much. Or, more proof that games played and RBIs are junk stats.
Words just about fail me. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on the latest Great Moment in Public Diplomacy: "Sports is a universal language… Everybody knows that if you can play… Continue reading
1 CommentJournalism 101
Paul Krugman complains that the scale of Democratic triumphs is deliberately under-played by the American media. Conspiracy! In fact, it’s quite strange how the magnitude of the Democratic victory has… Continue reading
0 CommentsThe Crawford Massive
George W Bush invited some friendlies to the White House this afternoon for a friendly little chat. K-Lo was there to gush: Asked what traits people should look for in… Continue reading
1 CommentDishonesty and ignorance at any cost
Daniel Larison as already done yeoman work dismantling elements of David Gelernter’s appalling piece in The Weekly Standard. But more needs to be done and, that being the case, let’s… Continue reading
0 CommentsEurope not doomed after all shocker!
By which I mean to say that – surprise! – there’s evidence that the apocalyptic scenario beloved on the nutty right that Europe will be living – if such an… Continue reading
0 CommentsAre you smarter than a Harvard student? Probably…
God knows how reliable this sort of sillyness really is (not very, probably) but: Students at many of the country’s most prestigious colleges and universities are graduating with less knowledge… Continue reading
10 CommentsThe Grand Trunk Road to end all trunk roads
From the Department of Why Didn’t I Think of That*: London to Sydney? Sure. London to Sydney by bus? Sign me up (cash and 12 weeks free time permitting, admittedly).… Continue reading
0 CommentsBounders in clubland
I have been remiss, gentle reader, in failing to post another corker from The Daily Telegraph’s obituary pages. Lord Michael Pratt, who has died aged 61, will be remembered as… Continue reading
0 CommentsGeorge W Bush as HRH Prince Philip?
Once upon a time this sort of stuff could be considered admirably human. Even mildly endearing. It’s a measure of how Mr Bush’s stock has fallen that these days it… Continue reading
0 CommentsDeparment of naivete
The anti-land mines brigade are claiming victory (of a sort). The NYT’s The Lede is too charitable by far: No one gets into arms control for the glamor and the… Continue reading
0 CommentsOf course, Gordon has always admired Maggie…
Neil Harvey-Smith, gingerly returning to blogging after time in the Canadian wilderness, observes the latest example of Gordon Brown’s cynicism. Today’s message: he admires Margaret Thatcher very much. Yesterday’s message:… Continue reading
0 CommentsGordo the Merciless
Gordon’s just a regular bloke, don’t you know. Not like poor old Phoney Tony. That, at least, would seem to be the message of Saatchi & Saatchi’s first advert for… Continue reading
2 CommentsPresident Micawber speaks!
George W Bush’s speech on Iraq and Petraeus and all the rest of it yesterday had a pretty simple message. Hold tight. Stay patient. Endure. Something extraordinary will turn up.… Continue reading
0 CommentsIraq’s magic schools
President George W Bush has just finished his post-Petraeus address to the nation. Yet again he reported that progress was being made in Iraq – far from the headlines of… Continue reading
0 CommentsPick that out!
No words required, mes amis. Peter Martin’s commentary for Radio Clyde is almost as good as the goal itself.
0 CommentsThe Tyranny of Hope
Two questions: oh god, will it never end? And, how can winning be more fraught with terror than losing? I write, as you will have guessed, of Scottish football. Today’s… Continue reading
4 Comments