One hundred and sixty million. Occasionally, I find that, when following the news a fraction more closely than normal, I discover what might be described as coincidences. Over the past few weeks, I have noticed the figure of 160 million cropping up on more than one occasion. It is not a figure like a dozen… Read More »
Many of us will have been thrilled to see an astronomical phenomenon in recent days. Did the moon seem to you to be bigger and brighter recently? Sadly, many of us will also have shrugged our shoulders and asked “What moon?” because in this fine summer of 2013, the skies over the UK have been… Read More »
Vilified in death to such an extent that his bones have been moved on a number of occasions to prevent attempts at desecration, Hernando (Fernando) Cortes was one of the most successful conquistadors of the 16th century. The man who conquered the Aztecs in Mexico winning vast tracts of that country for the Spanish empire, once said… Read More »
In the flurry of articles and general excitement over the introduction of the Jackson reforms, I appear to have overlooked a case which was decided by Mr Justice Coulson sitting in the Technology and Construction Court in March this year. Although the hearing took place on March 27th, the judgment in Murray and Stokes v Neil Dowlman… Read More »
I am an avid reader of the Sunday broadsheets. Try as I might, I cannot bring myself to read them electronically. The enjoyment gained from a stack of newsprint on a Sunday morning outweighs the irritationof the newsprint coming off on my fingers particularly when there is nothing better to do but eat my poached… Read More »
Some years ago now, I was involved in two major public inquiries which were much in the news. One was the Savile Inquiry into the events in Londonderry in Northern Ireland on Sunday January 30th 1972, known as Bloody Sunday, and the other was an inquiry chaired by Dame Janet Smith into the activities… Read More »
Data privacy is not necessarily a subject which quickens the pulse, unless, of course, it is your data which is under threat. However, the subject has acquired a whole new significance in recent days following the revelations by whistleblower Edward Snowden who leaked sensitive information about US surveillance programmes to the Guardian here in the… Read More »
In 1848, a certain John Russell Bartlett published a Dictionary of Americanisms. Mr Bartlett has it that the phrase slick as a whistle is “a proverbial simile, in common use throughout the United States. To do anything as slick as a whistle, is to do it very smoothly, perfectly, adroitly.” Possibly because I do not… Read More »
Do you remember Major Tom (David Bowie)? More of him later, but Captain Ron?! To be honest, I have not actually met Captain Ron. However, I know about him because I was having dinner recently in Santa Monica, California at The Galley Restaurant and Bar and found myself being served by one of Captain Ron’s staff in the form… Read More »
In the most striking example to date of how seriously the judiciary intends to get to grips with the changes to the rules inspired by Lord Justice Jackson, the Master of the Rolls, Lord Dyson, has appointed five Court of Appeal judges to hear all appeals arising out of the reforms. Rupert Jackson had in fact recommended… Read More »