I remember – as a small boy – reading a newspaper account of a Member of Parliament in which he was described as a statesman. ‘What,’ I asked my father, ‘is the difference between a statesman and a politician?’ My … Continue reading
In the early days of the 21st century we literally have a problem. It’s the use – or, more to the point, the misuse – of the word literally. According to a spokesperson for a well-known clothing retailer, a new … Continue reading
Tucked away in a corner of the rather crowded nook that passes for my memory is a fragment of a conversation that I overheard several years ago. Two young soccer fans were discussing players. One of the lads remarked that … Continue reading
Recently, I was given a rather substantial document to read. It was just short of 80 pages long – most of it text. ‘This is going to take me a moment or two to read,’ I said. ‘Well, you can … Continue reading