dougiem

Harvard — like most other educational institutions in this country — was desperately trying to increase quotas of certain students, notably black Americans.

In his famously dark masterpiece, T. S. Eliot evokes a moment of ecstasy.

Well, the Russian invasion of Russia turned out to be vastly more successful than the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The first is that it should by now be abundantly clear that every letter after B in the LGBTQIA+ alphabet has made the argument for gay rights infinitely harder. In the hands of a new generation of activists the ‘live and let live’ argument has turned into ‘believe what I believe’ and ‘say what I […]

I ADMIRE bravery. I admire adventurers. And I was brought up in a Britain which admired these things too. But much of our country has changed. Where we used to admire adventure we have become cautious and safety obsessed.

A decision by a Federal judge in Arkansas isn’t always a matter of great importance. But this week one was. The judge in question struck down Arkansas’ ban on “gender-affirming care” for minors.

Fraser Longden clearly wanted to flaunt his “Pride” credentials. And so he found himself dismissing many of Wickes’ customers as “bigots” who are “not welcome in our stores”. Wow.

Few poets write about happiness. Constantine Cavafy did it with panache.

The week of the three downfalls has been an interesting one. Boris Johnson resigning from parliament, Donald Trump going to court to face serious charges, Nicola Sturgeon arrested as part of a probe into SNP finances. I wouldn’t like to prejudge any of these cases, for I am – secretly – a fair-minded person.

For all his boasts, Gavin Newsom is presiding over a state where the lights can’t stay on, where homelessness and crime are rampant and where he has run up a massive state-debt in order to educate children worse than anywhere.

IF someone isn’t a man then what are they? “A woman”? Ha – wrong answer, bigot!

THERE are times when I can almost believe in cosmic justice. Nicola Sturgeon being in the back of a police car at the weekend was one such time.