Category Archives: Random

Intellectual pygmies

Posted on January 13, 2026 by james

I gather from the news that the Writers’ Week at a major Australian festival has collapsed in the last few days because a Palestinian author was “disinvited” at least in part because of the recent horrifying events at Bondi Beach, … Continue reading →

Posted in Random | Leave a comment

It’s an artichoke Jim, but not as we know it

Posted on January 12, 2026 by james

I went to collect some stuff for my daughter from a property in a nearby village. Outside the front of the house was this. Such a stunning piece of work that I had to take a photo of it. Art … Continue reading →

Posted in Random | Tagged | Leave a comment

The ironies just keep piling up

Posted on January 12, 2026 by james

Yet another immigrant who people might be forgiven for believing hates immigrants, Nadhim Zahawi has just defected from the Conservatives to Reform 2025 Limited, claiming that the country needs a “glorious revolution”. Isn’t that where they kill the entire ruling … Continue reading →

Posted in Random | Tagged | Leave a comment

Empty, vacuous lives

Posted on January 12, 2026 by james

are presumably what the people who buy this sort of thing lead: Why luxury carmakers are now building glitzy skyscrapers What a bizarre, selfish, negative way to want to define oneself as a human being: because almost no-one else can … Continue reading →

Posted in Random | Tagged | Leave a comment

Skoda Octavia lock failure #4

Posted on January 10, 2026 by james

It is done! Well, not quite, if I’m honest, and it turned into even more of a pain before the lock was usable again… I fitted my new lock and reassembled the door, which is considerably easier to do with … Continue reading →

Posted in Random | Tagged | Leave a comment

It’s messy desktops all the way down…

Posted on January 9, 2026 by james
Posted in Random | Leave a comment

Skoda Octavia lock failure #3

Posted on January 9, 2026 by james

Finally! It’s open! I cheated a bit though. I discovered that I could by a new lock mechanism for about £20 from ebay. So I did. Then I took a hammer and cold chisel to the old one. That soon … Continue reading →

Posted in Random | Tagged | Leave a comment

Skoda Octavia lock failure #2

Posted on January 9, 2026 by james

Yay! I managed to get the steel door liner out! I actually found instructions for doing this online, but they obviously assume that you can open the door in the first place. It’s much the same for a VW Passat, … Continue reading →

Posted in Random | Tagged | Leave a comment

If you think what happened yesterday was in any way excusable

Posted on January 8, 2026 by james

Then you have nothing left in common with a human being. That is all.

Posted in Random | Leave a comment

Skoda Octavia lock failure #1

Posted on January 7, 2026 by james

Joy of joys, the front passenger door would not unlock on our 2012 Skoda Octavia. I’m mostly the only person who uses it so that didn’t seem such a major deal, but it turns out to be an MOT fail … Continue reading →

Posted in Random | Tagged | Leave a comment