It is now an archive for my newspaper and magazine pieces. My blog can now be read at: www.spectator.co.uk/stephenpollard
Politics, economics and culture from the master. Unmissable.
Melanie Phillips home page
Melanie Phillips' peerless blog. Read, and learn.
Daniel Finkelstein's Times Comment Central
A daily must-read.
Tim Worstall
Lots of interesting nibbles - and a ruthless swatter of economic gibberish.
Harry's Place
Must-read left of centre blog from writers who understand the threat to the West.
Clive Davis
Always interesting selection of culture and politics, from an Anglo-American bent.
Samizdata
Libertarian blog, packed every day.
Norm's blog
The thoroughly sensible thoughts of renowned left-wing academic Norman Geras, Professor of Government at Manchester. And cricket, too.
Public Interest
Peter Briffa's inimitable take on The Yazzmonster and other assorted demons.
Reform
The public sector reform group; their website is an invaluable source of data and ideas.
Centre for the New Europe
The leading European public policy think tank.
Developed by:
| January | 02 |
| 2007 |
Dominic Lawson is a wonderful columnist. Today's piece is typically unpredictable, on the ludicrous nature of astrology. Anyone who believes in it is, by definition, an idiot.
This in particular I love, from Psychic Smith, the spoof astrologer which the Sunday Telegraph used to have:
One of my favourite Psychic entries was for "Scorpio" one week in 1988: "My apologies to all Scorpios for last week's misprint, the result of a transcription error. The entry should have read 'fantastic luck ahead' and not as it appeared. Thank you for all those who wrote in. Both the offended and the disappointed."
MessageSpace
The people who believe in astrology are no more idiotic than the people who believe in a god.
Psychic Psmith [sic] was the first thing I turned to in the Sunday Telegraph magazine. It was joyous.
Some more treasures:
Sagittarius: 23 November-21 December:
Is that the sound of wedding bells we hear? Possibly. But if not, then it's an ice-cream van in a nearby street. And either way, enjoy!
Cancer: 22 June-22 July:
Cancers tend to be impulsive types, many of whom are keen on tennis and walking. Some of them have brown hair and overdrafts and one or two of them are professional dancers. But that's Cancers for you
Aquarius: 22 January-19 February:
How exciting your chart looks at the moment, with the Sun absolutely beating down on your love-angle and with Neptune, Mars and Uranus forming a tripartite quark in your 15th node. Lord knows what it all means though.
Virgo: 24 August-23 September:
With Neptune in Scorpio. your lucky mobile phone ringing tone this week is the theme from The Flintstones. And not 'New York, New York'. Change it or face the consequences.
Gemini: 22 May-21 June:
As Pluto, wearing only a towelling bathrobe and a wry smile, walks in on Mercury, who is just out of the shower, you can expect a week of minor but somehow long-lasting embarrassments. Oops! Lucky salted snack: Discos.