I have written here previously on Message, Structure, Story and Signposts in public speaking. See eg here. This piece (c/o the ever-excellent Browser) is a super look at how to structure a movie plot by telling a simple story. It works for speeches too: Here is my detailed description of […]
An interesting and instructive visit to Riga for this year’s Riga Conference. Thoughts. First, Riga itself. Latvia took an enormous (and partly self-imposed) hit as the Euro zone crisis began, opting for radical austerity measures. Views now differ. Yes, the economy is growing once again at a pretty good rate. […]
I’ve mentioned here previously the fact that Polish diplomats are under strict instructions to remonstrate strongly against any use of the expression ‘Polish concentration camps’ or the like to refer to the Nazi death camps built on Polish territory during WW2. Well, they have a fine opportunity to take this […]
Ann Althouse reminds us of a fascinating account of what was going on in President Gerald Ford’s mind when back in 1976 he made his ruinous observation (at least probably ruinous for his election chances) that there was "no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe": JIM LEHRER: Let’s go back at the […]
Here is a gushing and perceptive article from Spiegel Online on the wonders of Poland since the end of communism and the serene beauty of today’s Germany/Poland relationship. Nice ending: If old clichés have any traction at all anymore, it is in the vast Polish countryside, which lags behind urban […]
Have you heard of anyone called Greg Pytel? The name rang no bell with me either until this morning, when this annoying peevish message arrived: Dear Mr Crawford, Over a year ago I wrote an article "Regulating financial risks" (it was also reprinted by a couple of financial websites like […]
Here is another DIPLOMAT piece, this time on ‘transitions’ from communism in Europe: Back in the mid-1980s I was the Foreign Office speechwriter working for Sir Geoffrey Howe. Exciting times. Mikhail Gorbachev was leading the Soviet Union in what looked like a strongly positive new direction. In Poland the Solidarity […]
What, you ask, are Honorary Consuls? The FCO gives the answer (ignore if you can the clueless gramar): Honorary Consuls are volunteers who help our Posts overseas provide a more accessible and responsive service to British nationals and other nationals for whom we have consular responsibility for (sic), particularly in difficult […]
Update I now also have a piece over at Commentator which elaborates on the material below. * * * * * The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg has pronounced on a case brought against Russia by a number of Polish relatives of victims of the Katyn Massacres. Even […]
Here’s a short piece by Raedwald on little wooden doll stereotypes of Polish Jews: But this trip, for the first time, I briefly explored the old ghetto, and visited one of the old synagogues, where I listened briefly to a young American woman talking history to a small group. She offered […]
