Internet Psychologist
Last night, I switched on the radio to hear Margaret Thatcher declare victory at the end of the Falklands War. I wondered, for a moment, if I had been transported back in time. Instead, it was the opening to a news item about a leaked Pentagon document. The memo suggested …
Last night, as I was settling down for an evening of binge-watching, a friend sent me a WhatsApp photo of something that had just dropped through her letterbox. It was a piece of direct mail, and I replied with some quip about it being old-fashioned. Even so, the leaflet had …
The other day, I received an email, and I shouted “Hurray” out loud, to the amusement of those around me. The message said a change at work was coming. I was elated because I suggested this change over a decade ago. I wondered why it had taken so long to …
I hope you are having a lovely Easter break and looking forward to munching your way through several eggs. Now, don’t go telling me that you don’t have Easter eggs. The latest statistics show that, here in the UK, we are the third-largest consumers of chocolate in the world. Each …
This week I attended two Graduation Ceremonies at the university where I work. It is one of the few days in the year that feels unapologetically joyful, with smiling students and proud parents celebrating their achievements. It’s a shame that not all days are like it. Some days are difficult, …
You do not have to look far to discover global leaders who are anything but succinct and to the point. Long rambling speeches are everywhere as world leaders appear to want to outdo one another for the longest talk. If they are not doing that, they give lengthy, tedious answers …
I am increasingly confused about what is going on in Iran. One minute, the US President tells us that everything is obliterated in Iran, and then moments later, he says it is almost 90%. Later on, he tells us that all of the drones have gone, only to then say …
My goodness, a lot has happened since last week’s update. Just as people were starting to read my article at 10.00 am last Saturday, Donald Trump was announcing “major combat operations” in Iran. Here we are seven days later, and thousands of munitions have been used, while more than a …
If I were to ask you to name the planets of the solar system in order, could you do it? If you are of a “certain age”, the answer would probably be positive. I remember having to learn them at school by reciting them for what seemed like hours on …
Well, what a week it has been. We can’t move for people breaking the rules. Yesterday, the Supreme Court in the USA ruled that President Trump’s tariffs were illegal. The day before, the former Prince Andrew was arrested on suspicion of breaking the rules while serving as a Trade Envoy. …
Obviously, with today being Valentine’s Day, I was going to mention love. However, over in the USA, it appears that people are falling out of love with celebrating today. The National Retail Federation’s “Valentine’s Day Data Center” shows that fewer people plan to buy gifts today than in previous years. …
As you read this, somebody somewhere is busy trawling through a long list of files, going “only another 2.9m to go”. I pity the poor people who have to wade through the enormous amount of information released by the US Department of Justice regarding the Epstein scandal. Even though reporters …
Now, don’t be scared, but I want to talk about ghosts, even though I don’t believe in their existence. After all, how is it possible that a dead medieval knight, for example, can be seen riding his horse in full armour, when he probably died in bed from an infection? …
With newspapers around the world dominated by the idiotic, ignorant and insulting ramblings of an older man past his prime, you might have thought I would start this week talking about him. Instead, I want to focus our minds on something that has remained stable in British society for centuries, …
There can be no doubt that human beings can be extraordinarily resilient. This week, I listened to a radio interview with a resident of Kyiv, Ukraine. He explained that Putin’s bombers had destroyed the local heating system. Despite temperatures that were minus 15, people carried on as normally as possible. …