523 days ago
In these days when every comment about Ukraine can see one black-listed by someone, I find myself having to preface this article by saying that I am no apologist for either President Putin or for Joe Stalin. However, having tried for the past year to re-write the present with the ghost of Kiev, the Auschwitz style gold teeth and other spoofs, Ukraine is now trying the most monstrous rewrite of history, a claim that the Holodomor was an act of Russian genocide. The clear implication is that Russians like genocide against Ukrainians. The tweet below sets the case.
545 days ago
As always in commenting on events in Ukraine I have to flag up at the start that Russia was wrong to invade since in the current febrile atmosphere not doing so sees one branded a Putin apologist. And that means that you are questioned if you dare to challenge what is almost certainly fake news and, on this conflict, in Briitain, the Daily Mail is the biggest villain on that score.
570 days ago
I can never understand when folks cheer on the untimely death of their fellow man. But day after day we are treated by the Western media to videos of Russian tanks being blown up and articles delighting in how many Russian dead now lie on the fields of Ukraine. I am in no doubt that some of those soldiers dying horrible deaths were bad men who did very bad things. But many, probably the vast majority, were just young men fighting what they were told (wrongly) was a just war and fighting by Geneva rules. Why should we celebrate their deaths?
2956 days ago
I have just been given a free drink by my hotel and asked if I do not mind not being in the breakfast room tomorrow when an ageing German speaking couple appear. It seems as if they complained three times today that I had taken a phone call while they had breakfast. Not that this is illegal but they have paid for peace and quiet.
I paid to use a hotel where I am allowed to take a phone call. But they are old folks so naturally their needs are more important than mine.
Maybe I am allowed to have breakfast but must leave my phone outside? Whatever.
The old fascists
