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Introduction to 12 Jobs in 12 Months
I've been whinging and moaning about not being able to start my 12 Jobs in 12 Months book and some people might think I'm pathetic in sharing these doubts and fears with my Facebook friends, but I find it really helpful. Without you, the person reading this article, I...
A Guide to Ukraine’s Future
Art books can be beautiful but often I get a gradual sense of boredom as I turn from one perfect image to another. Too much art, beauty and perfection can be overwhelming. I don’t like the way art is presented. What bugs me are those convoluted, oh-so-clever texts...
Letter to my MP about GAZA
I think the best thing we can do about the nightmare being inflicted onto the people of Gaza is to write to our Member of Parliament. Let them know where you stand. I wrote to mine, Peter Kyle MP, over two weeks ago but he's not replied. Normally MPs reply quickly but...
Do you have any funny, unusual or interesting memories of Angus Wolfe Murray?
My father has just died, at home, on the west coast of Scotland. I’m in a state of shock but also not surprised as he lived his life in a state of wild defiance of the conventions and norms of ordinary life, and hated the idea of being looked after or helped by...
Ukraine must learn from Bosnia’s disastrous peace treaty
It's hard to imagine what could be worse than the barrages that are raining down on Ukrainian cities right now, but the rocket and artillery fire will eventually stop. A more long term risk for Ukraine, one that will permanently hobble its chances of recovery, is a...
Why I Moved to Bosnia
Daniel Craig was a good actor before he got turned into a bad-tempered robot for the Bond films. A great film he starred in, before the Bond franchise gobbled him up, was Layer Cake. It's one of those clever-witty-vicious crime films that the English are quite good...
If I was Napoleon
If I was planning to invade Russia with a massive land army (Napoleon went in with 635,000 men and emerged with about 20,000) I would set off in the middle of winter. "But zat is madness your Highness," they would say. "Even the simplest peasant in from Bordeaux knows...
Philip Pullman’s storytelling system
Writing about a book of essays is hard because each essay is a complex entity unto itself; each one has a brilliant idea that I'd like to write about – but then I read the next one and I forget what I was so interested in a few pages back. Suffice to say that this...
Could Scotland provide the leadership needed to save the planet?
The National newspaper in Scotland just published my comment piece on the hypocrisy of Scotland's leadership when it comes to climate change...You can read it here (without having to subscribe)... The Scottish government is ignoring a once-in-a-century opportunity:...
My view on Scottish independence
Scottish independence is on the cards again and I've just published my view on the issue in The National. You may be wondering why this divisive issue has emerged so soon after the last referendum and this can be explained in one word: BREXIT; a major change to the...
- The Psychology of Travel - March 14, 2018