Showing 1 - 10 of 11
Trickery in the land of tavern trivia
Published on 23/11/2025
» The world of pub quizzes was shaken in Britain recently when a team at The Barking Dog pub in Manchester was kicked out for cheating. Although disputes may occasionally occur in such quizzes it doesn't usually come down to such strong disciplinary action. However the team involved was believed to be clearly in breach of trivia etiquette.
US hard power must get harder
Oped, Todd G. Buchholz & Michael Mindlin, Published on 05/06/2025
» In Raiders of the Lost Ark, Harrison Ford gets his biggest laugh when a desert assassin twirls a scimitar with menacing bravado. Following this brief performance, Ford's character cracks a wry smile, takes out his pistol, and shoots the man dead. In a potential contest with China, the United States looks more like the medieval assassin, deploying young sailors and soldiers equipped with perilously outdated, vulnerable technology.
Slow horses playing a strange game
Roger Crutchley, Published on 02/03/2025
» Last week's account in PostScript of the painfully slow horse I bet on at the Epsom Derby back in the Dark Ages prompted a reader to enquire if I had seen the British television series Slow Horses. I'm pleased to say I have and for those who are unfamiliar with the production I should point out that it has nothing do with the equine world but is an absorbing British spy thriller laced with dark humour.
Should we study geoengineering a lot more?
Oped, Peter Singer, Published on 20/04/2023
» As our planet's climate heats up, so, too, does the debate about the boldest response to it: geoengineering, or the deliberate modification of the atmosphere to combat global warming.
Hymn to power
Oped, Postbag, Published on 20/04/2022
» Re: "'Soft power' is not built upon sweet music", (Opinion, April 19), and "Milli's sticky rice and mango stunt grabs world's attention", (BP, April 18).
Cold War getting too hot for comfort
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 20/02/2022
» Having been brought up in the 1950s and 60s during what was known as the Cold War, I find it a bit sad that after all the ensuing decades nothing seems to have changed. Russia and the West are at it again, still calling one another names. But as long as it remains name-calling we'll take that.
Can't beat question time in the 'bear pit'
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 06/02/2022
» While normally steering well clear of British politics I admit to having enjoyed recent live TV sessions of the UK Parliament. The weekly Prime Minister's Question Time (PMQ) held on Wednesdays is far more entertaining than any soap opera. Witnessing the verbal jousting as the PM attempts to side-step a withering grilling is sheer theatre. It is almost like being the accused in the dock at a court hearing.
The BBC is dead, long live the BBC
Clive Crook, Bloomberg Opinion columnist, Published on 28/01/2022
» LONDON: For years the BBC and its financing model have belonged to that small category of things that make no sense in theory but work well in practice. Now that model is imperiled, and the BBC will be forced to abandon its traditional role and find its place in the modern media landscape.
Masked question
Oped, Postbag, Published on 06/10/2021
» Re: "Covid lessons from abroad", (Editorial, Oct 4).
From a cultured cabbie to the Albert Hall
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 23/09/2018
» The recent column on the musical tastes of Bangkok's taxi drivers prompted quite a few comments from readers relating assorted cab rides featuring the joyful strains of Cliff Richard, Boney M and even Pavarotti. However, Elvis remains the favourite amongst the veteran cabbies.