Finally. Radovan Karadzic the former Green activist has been arrested, in Belgrade. I never met him. By the time I reached Sarajevo in mid-1996 he was already lying low, although not that low. NATO troops were in effect instructed not to look for him or other war crimes suspects, but to arrest them […]
This describes the current UK problems rather well. Not that that cheers one up.
Do we bring up our children to take seriously the difference between right and wrong? We think we do. Not much sign that it is working. One way to catch their attention is to lay out clearly to them that Bad Behaviour has Bad Consequences. That if they do not […]
Your chance to vote for the Total Politics UK Political Blog Top 100. First place and Ten Points for this one of course. After that, up to you.
A reader reponds to my posting on the Bruges Group meeting: Leaving aside the Grandness or otherwise of the ideas the Bruges Group battles for, what relevance do global Grand Battles of Ideas have to everyday life, and how people try to live it? I happen to think that Ideas […]
This sums up exactly what I think. Having worked for the British state for nearly thirty years, I have no faith in its ability to be both operationally efficient and flexible. Not that ‘capitalism’ is necessarily always or invariably better – many large firms operate in highly dysfunctional ways too. […]
Chapter two of Craig Murray’s book describes his pre-posting briefing rounds. He heads for Eastern Department, effectively his ‘line management’ people. He finds it hard work: The atmosphere in the department seemed to be unpleasant – heavy, pompous and serious. A pall of misery appeared to have settled. I have […]
Where else? But what if your home comes with your job and is intended to be used for public and not party political purposes? I especially like the line that the Treasury paid a Smith Institute bill accidentally. The Treasury pays nothing accidentally. That’s the point of the Treasury.
Round at the Bruges Group last night to hear a thought-provoking Very Big Picture talk. The argument went like this: not too long ago when Communism ended in Europe there were books about the triumph of democracy, the ‘end of history’ and so on now the emphasis is on Islamic […]
Nigel Short has a lively use of words, as well as a lively chess style. See the detailed rulings on his use of the word ‘dunderheads’ to describe two senior chess officials. Defamatory or ‘mere vulgar abuse’? Who said that chess is boring?
