William Essex
  • About Us
  • About Me
  • Dear Diary
  • Books (and other stories)
  • This takes you to Medium Dot Com

Prophet motives

14/12/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture
It's not always appropriate to stop people in the street and ask to photograph their clothes, but sometimes, it really feels necessary. This one cheered me up greatly.
0 Comments

Then, we'll be different.

13/12/2016

0 Comments

 
Striking, how many familiar events are not running to the old rules these days. Just read another newspaper article on Brexit, on the theme "Then you'll be sorry!" - and listened to a brief interview on the radio about Trump's likely appointment of a non-diplomat to be Secretary of State. When we realise that we're all poorer, we may indeed be sorry, but will we realise that we brought it on ourselves by collectively voting to Leave the European Union? Will we think of a European road not travelled, on which we'd all be (ha ha) prosperous? Or find some other cause for our poverty in all the events, et cetera, that have happened since June 2016?
     And did we expect the businessman President-Elect to find his Secretary of State among the long-term diplomats that he doesn't know, or among the business people that he does?
     The common thread in the commentary is that established practice is not being followed; that this failure to follow the old rules is of itself worthy of comment. The implicit assumption seems to be that the old rules are still there. But I wonder. Have we just stepped out of established practice for a brief season, in which it makes sense to continue nudging the UK back towards Remain and The Donald towards diplomats skilled in the old ways - or has the train left the tracks completely?
     Which is an embarrassingly clumsy seque into today's rail strike south of London. If this follows the old rules, there'll be management on one side and union(s) on the other, and the politicians and the papers, et al, will split by left/right political allegiance. Unless the world has changed completely, in which case the sheer inconvenience of the strike - not the politics, nor the industrial relations; just the lack of trains - will be the decisive factor.
     And the coming postal strike. Once upon a time, there would have been almost a sense of inevitability about postal staff walking out just ahead of the last posting days before Christmas, and we would all have taken sides according to the politics, et cetera, or at least accepted what was happening. But I wonder.
0 Comments

Meanwhile, back here in the real world...

8/12/2016

0 Comments

 
It's a bright grey morning in Falmouth. There was rain first thing, for the early walk, and then not much visibility for the drive to the meeting in Penryn. But it's bright now, as though there's a sky behind the thinning fog, as though that sky has a sun in it. The red oil-platform thing is still tied up next to the grey Navy ship, and there's precious little movement in the harbour. A few small boats still on their moorings. This weather deadens sound.
     Standing next to the red light at the end of - was it Fish Strand Quay? - last night, looking for a green light at the end of a jetty on the other side. Couldn't see one. Celebrated various successes at Amanzi African Restaurant, bought a book by Karen Armstrong and a pint of something local at Beerwolf Books, not in that order, and talked about - I don't know, but not news and politics and referenda and elections and all the inescapable tedia.
     Thought this morning: maybe a blog post without any of that. Listening now to the faint rumble of the old refrigerator and looking out in the direction of stars.
0 Comments

Define 'unexpected'?

2/12/2016

0 Comments

 
What 'will' a No vote mean, in the Italian referendum on Sunday? Subject-line question in the latest comment-for-the-media to drop into my inbox today. From an investment company.
     I wonder if we're just slightly failing to grasp the whole point about unexpected events. You don't expect them. The market, or public opinion, and/or whatever, have 'priced in' a No vote, the unexpected vote, to the point that we're all going to be surprised if Italy votes Yes We Love The Status Quo.
     This on the day that a Liberal Democrat - reduced to just eight MPs at the last UK election - overturned a 20,000 government majority - didn't catch the exact figure - to win a by-election in West London. The winning candidate - I think I heard this correctly - only joined the party after the referendum in Summer 2016.
     What does it all mean?
0 Comments

    Dear Diary: The Archive

    April 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    April 2024
    July 2023
    March 2023
    May 2022
    November 2021
    October 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011



No animals were harmed in the making of this website. Other websites are available online (and off). All the content here is copyright William Essex, this year, last year, the year before that and, you guessed it, the year before that, although I don't have the time right now to hunt out that little symbol. This website uses organic ingredients and respects your privacy. Come back some time.

Promoted by T&F CLP on behalf of William Essex at PO Box 16, Jubilee Wharf, Commercial Road, Penryn TR10 8GF.​