The usual stuff. For anybody interested in Israel/Hamas, there is 'Writing on Israel?' plus some sideways comments below.
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A note after Sue Ellen (original name) spoke on multiculturalism. Anthony Heath, Professor of Sociology at Oxford University, pointed out in The Times that, measured through language acquisition, educational attainment, and voting registration amongst immigrants, Britain has been very successful at multiculturalism compared with other European countries. He goes on to point out that in areas that are economically disadvantaged (Bradford was under discussion) 'integration is hindered by the lack of opportunity for mixing in the workplace'.
Now what has happened to that levelling up agenda? Answers no doubt from the Conservative Party Conference.
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It has been pointed out that the last Prime Minister to be introduced at the Party Conference by their wife was Gordon Brown...who was defeated at a General Election the following year...
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If you want something on the telly that is light, innocuous and can be on in the background while you make supper in the evening, get up Clive Myrie's Italian road trip on I Player.
But it made me curious about Mr Myrie's wife. Her name is Catherine, and a Daily Express interview from July this year notes: 'The BBC star rarely speaks about his upholsterer spouse of 25 years'.
Not exactly. In every episode of the series he mentions 'his wife Catherine', with their passion for Italy. He seems a lovely chap, but the references are heavy-handed, with an almost dog whistle sense of dear Clive not being a naughty boy and gagging to have more than a travel journalist wander while on his journey.
Then again by way of profile management (and total coincidence of course) he looks to be taking over as lead presenter on the BBC's 10 'clock News.
PS And now I am brought back to earth in seeing him present the BBC News from Jerusalem.
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Joe Biden spoke powerfully on Israel and Palestine. He still sounds like he has just been woken up from his afternoon nap.
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My attention has been drawn to another formulation of the '3 Ps' (I've see the 3Ps in management speak - you may also be familiar with them). Anyway, this version comes from the Venezuelan philosopher, Moises Naim. He talks of the 3Ps deployed by politicians: populism, polarisation, and post-truth,
Polarisation needs no definition. Populism defined by Naim is the creation of a fault line between a virtuous, long-suffering people and a corrupt elite. As to post-truth, my favourite still is Donald Trump's press spokesperson's presentation of 'alternative facts' for how many people were lining the route of his cavalcade heading to the White House after his election.
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How the other half lives. Actor Nigel Havers, doing the Spectator Diary slot, purrs over the the new suit he has bought from Savile Row tailors Anderson & Sheppard. He notes: 'For months I have been going to fittings and watching with delight and anticipation as these remarkably skilful professionals conjure up something of such perfection' - (I thought he was pretty much standard size).
I bought a Savile Row suit (sale and off-the-peg) for my younger daughter's wedding. It took them three goes to get the trouser length right. Still, the wood-panelling inside the shop was nice.
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Online neighbourhood forums continue to delight. How about:
'I'm currently looking into shoplifting in Islington as part of research for a university project'
I guess that's called empirical research.
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Article from the New European. Published 5 October- note date. Concerns the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Written with 50th anniversary coming up. Two extracts:
'The failure to foresee the attack was the greatest failure in Israeli history. One analysis blamed "arrogance, lack of understanding of the abundant intelligence information, and disregard for the enemy.'' '
And the last sentence:
'For good or ill, Israel would not make the same mistake again'...........
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Postcard from Vienna
The inevitable travel story. Couple opposite on plane. Probs 15-20 year difference, he the older. The relationship? Definitely not father/daughter. She had a blanket over her knees. She moved one seat in to be next to him (ok yes, it was Club). She put her head in his lap, face up. She then moved to face down. There was some movement under the blanket, though insufficient IMHO to get to infinity and beyond. They then resumed upright posture.
'Dammit all, this is the behaviour you expect on a budget airline!!!!!!'.
Honestly I did not make this one up. And throughout I read my copy of the Spectator. Of course.
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It's heart and head. Heart says I am Southern Mediterranean. Wiv me Italian etc. Head says I am Teutonic. I like order and structure.
At Vienna Airport there was a man managing the taxi queue, darting out to appropriate a cab and then direct the customer. Loved it. Oh dear.
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The other thing is that if you look Teutonic, people approach you and speak initially in German. I did German at A level many moons ago. On this trip I vowed that I would not bother to drag a few words back to the top of my mind, but they did surface. At least it is a country where you can speak English in tourist mode and expect to be understood.
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Friends I have spoken to on return say that Vienna is one of the most attractive cities in Europe. I agree. A few would put it even above Paris and Berlin. One of its attractions is that the City centre, holding the majority of tourist attractions, is compact for walking around. This virtue is underpinned by a superb public transport system around the edges - trams and metro, plus small electric buses in parts of the centre.
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The centre is delineated by the Inner Ring. So my Concierge was delighted to tell me that it was a perfect 5k circuit for my Colin Runs Vienna outing...which I did principally to get a Vienna map on my Strava.
Off I trotted early on a Sunday morning, skipping across red lights at crossing, or rather getting away with this as you can apparently be fined for jaywalking - thus the compliant locals waiting patiently at lights when there is not a vehicle of any description in sight.
All was good for two thirds of the route. I had in my head that there would be a canal on my left that I should track, so I went on, and on, and on...until I checked my maps and found that I was three times further away from the hotel than I had intended.
There followed a dispirited walk/run back, but I summoned a sufficiently cheery wave to that morning's Concierge as I passed through the reception hall - stiff upper lip chaps.
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Amazing palaces - Schonbrun and the Belvedere stand out. But you can get palaced out as much as you can get churched out or frescoed out. The ingredient that forestalls this for palaces in Vienna is the art (notably for the Belvedere), plus art in the museums.
Art, art, art, so if that is not your bag you will not be impressed. But essentially IMHO there is representation for every artist of note that worked in Europe between 1850 and 1950, plus enough from before. Naturally Austrian artists Klimt and Schiele have a big presence, but after lunch on a day (when I generally begin tiring of the footslogging) one comes across a whole floor of Louise Bourgeois (Lower Belvedere Palace) - the spider lady, although her range was broad.
I must stop wittering, as I know little and am not visual, tending to search out the text by a piece and then work backwards to what it is supposed to mean. Nevertheless, I immensely enjoy the reverie of walking through galleries.
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Suits. No, not the erstwhile TV vehicle for La Markle, but businessmen in suit and tie. Everywhere. Where are the chinos for that occasional day in the office? It is a very formal society, from this observation.
But there is more. I could easily have kitted myself out in a nice pair of lederhosen, although despite the penchant for shorts on men in this part of London I doubt if I would feeling comfortable wearing them walking down Kentish Town Road to get my sourdough from Kossoffs Bakery.
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Which brings me to the last item on Vienna, and the reference above to Kossoffs was not accidental. As a blue-eyed Aryan I have no right to get triggered, but when I see signage containing 'Fuhr' or ''Sturm' I cannot help thinking about Austria's past. A chambermaid comes to the hotel bedroom door to check when the evening service can be done. She has blonde hair, blue eyes. and speaks in a clipped voice. Same impact.
I find that at one location I have ascended the steps that Hitler stood on in 1938 to announce the Anschluss. Chilling.
I know of Jews who will not set foot in Germany or Austria. Illogical isn't it.....or maybe it isn't, and isn't even more at the present time. If you have read my 'Writing on Israel?' piece you will see my angle: a little knowledge is a dangerous thing if you fancy beng qualified to comment on the Middle East.
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Bear with me on this next one.
At the Tory Party Conference, Rishi Sunak made pledges as to 16 specific transport projects that would go ahead with the money saved through scrapping the northern leg of HS2. These included a mass transit system for Bristol and and the re-opening of the Leamside Line in the North-East. Astute journalists pointed out that these two specific pledges (there are other examples) were subsequently downgraded, the Bristol one becoming a pledge to give the West of England £100m to spend on various projects and the Leamside one becoming a statement by the Transport Secretary Mark Harper that Ministers would develop the business case for restoring the line.
Sunak subsequently described the projects as merely '...a range of illustrative projects that could be funded'.' In an interview on 'Sunday with Laura Kuensberg', 8th October, Harper said, 'We gave some examples to people about the sorts of things that money could be spent on to bring it to life for people'.
I like the language that Victoria Derbyshire deploys when given this type of answer (by any politician), to the effect of: 'Come on, you can't seriously expect the public to accept what you've just said'.
At risk of labouring my point, the Sunak-style gambit expects us to believe, at that moment, exactly and literally what the politician has said.The pledge is then watered down, and the discrepancy is later airily waved away.
In other words it is entirely performative and disingenuous, designed to con the audience. We are of course too stupid to work that one out.
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Hilary has sent me an invitation. Hilary is sophisticated and attractive. And is a Doctor, so definitely credibility. I am taking notice.
Hilary invites me to get my hearing checked, for FREE.
This is Dr Hilary Jones, pronoun 'he' although you probably have now recognised the name.
Dr Hilary is a GP and as per advert 'Medical Advisor to Hidden Hearing", who of course will do the test. Dr Hilary is a splendid GP, I am sure. GPs are generalists. Serious hearing checks (I know about this) are done by specialists.
Ok, it is a modest endorsement, and I am having fun. Anyway, I would trust Dr Hilary over most politicians.
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The author is a writer, speaker, historian, occasional tour guide, and former Managing Partner of a City law firm.