Category Archives: Matter

aboveboard, direct, guileless, honourable, plain-dealing, sincere, square-shooting, straight, unequivocal, up front

Operation INFEKTION (and the advent of fake news)

Disseminated by social media and platforms such as Google (as well as more traditional media outlets), disinformation (or black propaganda or ‘fake news’) has become a significant feature in the complex landscape of modern international politics in recent years. With … Continue reading

Posted in Dark Mutterings, Opinion, Science Tagged , , , , ,

Captain Tom

Captain Tom He raised thirty million for the NHS, Walking round his garden in his Sunday best. With a spring in his step and a song in the charts, He lit up the lockdown And won our hearts. He found … Continue reading

Posted in Humour, Nonsense, Story Tagged , , , ,

Red Ribbon Winner

“A wonderfully eclectic set of poetry written by a very talented poet. A RED RIBBON WINNER and highly recommended.” The Wishing Shelf Book Awards If you were a clownfish, swimming languidly and contentedly amongst the anemones on a coral reef, … Continue reading

Posted in Humour, Personal Tagged , , , ,

Coronaverse

A deadly virus sweeps the world, forcing many into lockdown. The lives of ordinary people are changed forever. At times irreverent, at times absurd, at times sombre, but at all times Coronaverse is an honest (okay, harebrained) attempt to find … Continue reading

Posted in Humour, Nonsense Tagged , , , , , , ,

Granny Cradock Cooks For Christmas

This short video was produced during a StrikeUp Theatre comedy workshop for the over 70s using Zoom. The premise is as follows: The BBC plans to devote a special night of programming to Christmas nostalgia, including a remake of ‘Fanny … Continue reading

Posted in Humour, Personal Tagged , , , ,

Dear Rishi

With the UK on course to borrow around £400bn in 2020 and with the cost of financing our burgeoning national debt threatening to make tax rises more likely, the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, proposed a controversial cut in overseas aid. Actually, … Continue reading

Posted in Opinion Tagged , , , ,

In the Bleak Mid-lockdown

As Christmas 2020 approached, France shut its UK border amid fears of a new coronavirus variant, causing mayhem for supply chains across Europe. Nearly 4000 vehicles were held at a temporary lorry park at Manston Airport, while around 800 were … Continue reading

Posted in Dark Mutterings, Humour Tagged , , , , , ,

Leadership and the Tipping Point

Presented with the example of high-profile leaders (such as Donald Trump for example), how do we define good leadership qualities? What we see with Trump is conviction, perseverance and decisiveness. And, on the face of it, these are all admirable … Continue reading

Posted in Opinion Tagged ,

Coronaverse

When I get bored in lockdown, And feel my patience ebb, I gossip with a spider I discovered on the web. I try to do some yoga (But cannot cross my legs), Make castles out of loo rolls, Draw faces … Continue reading

Posted in Humour, Nonsense Tagged , , , , , ,

No U-turns!

How much credibility can a government retain when it makes so many U-turns, careering from one crisis to another, lurching from one populist headline to the next, equipped with nothing but the flimsiest of straplines and slogans for brakes?

Posted in Dark Mutterings, Humour, Opinion Tagged ,