A 14-year-old Mick Jagger demonstrates rock climbing on televisionHow come Mick Jagger can still strut his stuff on stage even though he's in his eighties? Part of it is his fitness regime, a "combination of gym sessions, dancing, running, swimming, cycling, kickboxing, yoga and Pilates". And part must be an active youth. Mick's father, Basil Joe Jagger, was a PE teacher and gymnast who helped popularise basketball in Britain. You can see a 14-year-old Mick and his dad in the video above, which is taken from a 1959 edition of the ATV children's programme Seeing Sport. (more) |
PrisonsA few weeks ago I caught the third episode of the third series of Jimmy McGovern's drama "Time" on BBCTV. I was so moved by it that I have now watched the earlier episodes and the first two series on BBC I-player. They can all be found here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/p09fs2qh/time Each episodes is filled with countless upsetting incidents which illustrate that the worst effect of being in prison is not the loss of liberty but the constant, constant, fear of abuse or assault from other prisoners. I highlight just one incident from each of the series which particularly struck me. In ... (more) |
The Joy of Six 1606"The world's biggest climate conference kicked off today in Antalya, Turkey, a country known for growing political repression. Under an unusual compromise, Turkey is hosting, but Australia's government will preside over negotiations among more than 190 nations seeking to address the climate crisis. And for the third year in a row, one problem underscores all the others: Why can't anyone say 'fossil fuels'?" Rachel Santarsiero reports from COP31. Mic Wright takes aim at Jonathan Ross: "None of this is to say that Ross is responsible for Brand's crimes or knew about the truth behind his performance nor that he carries ... (more) |
Why Kierkegaard should be the official philosopher of Scotland supportersMy grasp of the academic discipline of philosophy is rudimentary at best, it all being too abstract for my literal mind. But being a Scotland supporter at rugby, football and indeed other sports teaches me to be philosophical. This year more than ever. It started with comment about whether this might be the year for the Scottish men's rugby team to challenge for a Six Nations title. Yet the prospects were seriously dented at the outset on a rainy February day in Rome and killed off a few weeks later in Dublin. Then we had the men's football team's first ... (more) |
Reflections on the Hungarian ElectionWe often struggle to comprehend issues beyond saying we can only do X and can't do Y. This isn't just struggles about what policy we talk about, but a whole series of issues, being more Left or Right, defending held seats to building more. We forget that we have many, many facets, and that they can get bigger if we think bigger; becoming that big tent, being a movement, being a complicated, growing party. But in April 2026, the Hungarians successfully proved that you can in fact have your campaign cake and eat it, under much harsher, first-past-the-post-on-steroids conditions, with ... (more) |
Summer drought means no jump meetings at Ludlow this winterEmbed from Getty ImagesIn a development that will bring the reality of the climate crisis home to a certain kind of Tory, Ludlow race course has been forced to cancel its entire winter National Hunt programme because of last summer's drought. BBC News explains: The issue has been trying to replace dead grass and encourage new growth on approximately 25 per cent of the quick-draining, gravel-based track. But, although the rain did return in September, there has not been enough to help stimulate sufficient grass growth as the days have shortened. The course's almost unique capacity to drain well enough ... (more) |
Labour makes by-election gain in PM's own constituencySix principal authority council by-elections this week, with the results including Restore's best election showing so far in any election outside Great Yarmouth: Huncoat (Hyndburn) Council By-Election Result: [IMG: 🌹] LAB: 34.4% (+10.5) [IMG: âž¡] RFM: 29.8% (-19.4) [IMG: ⬛] RES: 27.8% (New) [IMG: 🌳] CON: 8.0% (-2.4)No GRN (-16.5) as previous.Labour HOLD.Changes w/ 2026. — Election Maps UK (@electionmaps.uk) 2026-11-12T23:25:01.977Z This Labour gain took place in the Prime Minister's constituency. The Lib Dem was David Burley – thank you. The Liberal Democrats did also pick up a new councillor this week. For what all this means for the running ... (more) |
An extended period of silence is called forThe last person I and many others want to hear from on Brexit and the EU is David Cameron. The man who bumbled and fumbled the UK's economic and political future for short term political goals and then walked away from the consequences of his actions does not deserve a say on what happens now. However, it seems that the man doesn't know when to shut up. The Independent reports that the former prime minister has advised Andy Burnham against starting a "decade-long debate" over whether to rejoin the European Union. Presumably, he is happy for the country to spend ... (more) |
Council by-election results scorecard 2026-2027Here's the tally of seats changing hands in principal authority council by-elections held between the May 2026 and the May 2027 local elections: Con Lab Lib Dem Green Reform SNP Plaid Ind/ Other Net Con [18] +2 (+2/0) +1 (+3/-2) -1 (+3/-4) -5 (+4/-9) -1 (0/-1) – +3 (+4/-1) -1 Lab -2 (0/-2) [16] -1 (0/-1) -1 (+3/-4) -2 (+9/-11) +1 (+1/0) -1 (0/-1) +1 (+2/-1) -5 Lib Dem -1 (+2/-3) +1 (+1/0) [20] +1 (+1/0) +2 (+2/-1) -1 (0/-1) – +3 (+3/0) +4 Grn +1 (+4/-3) +1 (+4/-3) -1 (0/-1) [7] – +1 (+1/0) – – +2 Ref +5 ... (more) |
Accounting for the abandoned Winwick Hospital branchHere's a large chunk of one of the Sighcology columns I write for the Journal of Critical Psychology, Counselling and Psychotherapy. Why did these hospitals have those gigantic water-towers and chimneys? Dr Claire Hilton, the historian in residence at the Royal College of Psychiatrists, once discussed the question on the college's website. One reason was the institutions' remoteness, whether this was dictated by a Victorian faith in the restorative powers of country air or a more 20th-century desire to hide the unfit away. It meant they often lacked mains water - many villages were not connected until after the second ... (more) |