Hats off to those who defy the odds

5:11pm Thursday 20th November 2008

What a shame that John Sergeant, the butt of so many snotty comments from the Strictly Come Dancing judges, decided to pull out of the very popular Saturday/Sunday show.

Legacy that has proved priceless

8:45am Thursday 13th November 2008

John Watson Rushworth. He was a big influence in my life when I was in my teens. He grew up with his parents and older brother in a back house in Bolton Road, its windows looking out over Canal Road towards Valley Parade.

What has colour to do with it?

8:38am Thursday 6th November 2008

He’s made it! Despite the fears of many of his supporters that dodgy dealings might be employed to once again snatch away the Democrats’ victory, Barack Obama has become president-elect of the United States – and by a decisive majority.

Greatest dilemma of them all

8:52am Thursday 23rd October 2008

The thing almost every parent dreads most of all is that one of their children might die before they do. We, the parents, are the ones who should go first. We raise our children to independent adulthood and then, purpose fulfilled, fade away while they go on to raise the next generation.

Stocking up to prepare for the fallout

8:48am Thursday 16th October 2008

The barmy thrush that claimed our rowan tree as its exclusive territory last autumn is back again this year, guarding its larder of berries and ferociously chasing away any other birds that dare to stray near. It clearly intends to keep every single berry for itself.

Chickens coming home to roost...

8:31am Monday 22nd September 2008

What a mess it all is! The capitalist world is either about to collapse or it’s going through a massive “adjustment”. Take your pick. Either way, it’s going to be a rough ride for all of us and even if we come out of the end of the tunnel intact, things are never going to be the same again.

Is seniors’ freebie fare on the rest?

9:04am Monday 15th September 2008

Some things are just too good to be true. Or at least too good to last. I suspect that nationwide free bus travel for all over-60s, introduced last year, will turn out to be one of them as the country becomes increasingly hard-up.

Gold all the way for plucky Gill

7:38am Monday 1st September 2008

Britain’s Olympics team did well. No-one could dispute that. Some of them performed brilliantly, thanks in no small way to having many millions of pounds of Lottery-players’ money invested in their particular sporting disciplines.

Wrapped up in the thrill of the chase

8:56am Tuesday 26th August 2008

Not being much of a sports fan, detesting all the hype that surrounds the Olympics and resenting the money spent on them, I was all set to pass this past fortnight in a curmudgeonly huff, studiously ignoring the blanket TV coverage.

More »