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        A selection of articles that illustrate the pre-occupation of governments with monitoring and controlling their citizens. This post re-instated 03/2017 after being, somewhat mysteriously, deleted from the blog – yet again. Apparently there are some who do not believe in the freedom of the press. 2018 […]

Brussels, 12/06/2018. The Civil Liberties committee of the European Parliament (LIBE) has called on the EU Commission to suspend the EU/US Privacy Shield agreement on data exchange of personal data, since this (relatively new) agreement still fails to provide sufficient data protection for EU citizens. Privacy Shield should be suspended […]

          Goodbye to the quiet, pleasant suburb that once was Headington (Oxford). I had to laugh at the Oxford Mail’s puff piece of the time (4th January 2016) for the new Barton Park (Oxford) development and its “waterfront” villas. The only waterfront will be the expanded […]

Brussels, 03/05/2018. I went to a press conference yesterday. In the Brussels Press Club, it promised to be interesting. Apparently the nuclear-limitation agreement between Iran and the rest of the world is due to expire in nine days time. Tick-Tock, the conference was called. Should the agreement be extended? ‘Salvaged’ […]

Brussels, 18/04/2018. The European Commission is expected to propose a new EU-wide whistleblower-protection law within the week. The proposed regulation is an attempt to protect citizens from the often devastating personal consequences they face for simply reporting fraud or corruption, while at the same time erecting safeguards against “malicious or […]

Brussels, 31/01/2018. ACEM’s ‘Sustainable motorcycling in Europe’ conference last week in Brussels was a fascinating blend between the usual Brussels EU conference (suits, eurocrats, industry execs, etc.) and what has traditionally been seen as a niche pursuit (riding motorcycles). ACEM’s aim (representing as it does the motorcycle manufacturers) is of […]

      Why Brexit is the right future for the EU, as well as for Britain (in my humble opinion). Brussels, 17/12/2017. It would be unnatural not to have doubts about the wisdom of Brexit. The news reports play a daily tune on the latest setback or political difficulty, […]

    Why is it that my country is so poor? I ask myself this question after listening to the latest set of economic and social problems emerging on today’s BBC Radio 4. Of course doom and gloom in the news is everyday ordinary (it is the journalist’s bread and […]

      – being a compilation of instant, sometimes off-the-cuff reactions to day-to-day reportings ……     Sajid Javid – Britain’s next Prime Minister? 04/06/2018. Very interesting to hear UK Home Secretary Sajid Javid today on BBC Radio 4. With the BBC these days being such an obvious government […]

27/09/2017. The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride, or DGR for short, in Brussels this year saw nearly 300 bewhiskered and besuited supposed gentlemen (plus the odd lady) assemble at the Atomium on Sunday prior to a ride into and around the city. The weather for the day was unseasonably sunny and warm, […]

Five days in the wild with Woodland Ways 11 September 2017. Just back from a five-day course in the wilds of Leicestershire run by Woodland Ways. They call it an Intermediate course. With my bones still aching, I’d call it pretty advanced. And although I enjoyed the course, I’m still […]