It seems facile to say that geography is a major determinant of history. Of course it is. Indian trade patterns were pinned to the monsoon
Category: politics
Shimaguni Part 1: Island Mindset
Japanese has a word: shimaguni. It means ‘island nation‘. Unremarkable, you might think. Yet bottled in four syllables is a distillation of a supposed national
Mea Culpa.
At present, I work nights, in an attempt to recoup my financial losses quickly. Stacking shelves doesn’t absorb much mental power, so at night I
The Maddest People on Earth
A family friend visited the other day. A history buff and bilingual tour-guide in London, he’s also a veteran of various 1970s revolutionary left-wing groups,
Quantum Politics (or, Batman! Robin! Let’s Do Local Election Apathy!)
Campaigners drive around in cars with megaphones on the roofs, waving at people and blaring messages. Around the city, there are neat, respectful lines of
