In all our sanctuaries we sit at risk

Category: Language

  • Poems for Public Display

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    I never stop yearning for good poetry to reach past its traditional catchment areas – those shelves in the bookshop marked “Poetry,” the university literature department, the dedicated arts festival, the shy, solitary and possibly eccentric brain – and find a valid place for itself in the public square, the waiting room where we all…

  • The Parrot Seeks Respite from the Flood

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    Last week “Prime Minister” Johnson tried to take political advantage of the terrorist attack in London. This despite the appeals of the father of one of the victims, expressly not to do so. But how could Mr Johnson resist ? He’d lose one vote, no doubt, but might well have gained rather more than one.…

  • At Last the Toad Reveals Himself

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    The other night, in Sheffield, there was a BBC Question-Time session, in which the audience was able to question four UK political leaders in turn, only one of whom is a worthy leader, the one not eligible to be the Prime Minister. Nicola Sturgeon’s presence there was puzzling but useful as a reminder of true…

  • The Parrot from on High Speaks of Democracy

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    As our General Election continues, and in the light of much of its content, we might ask this question : what is the difference between an election and an auction ? Answer 1 : at an auction, cheats need to be more careful than at an election, as we punters get a better chance to…

  • The Parrot Views the Earth from Afar

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    The UK General Election presently in progress begs the question whether there is any difference in quality of democratic process between a Referendum and an Election. Both seem to involve a lot of lying at high volume, a lot of propaganda ditto, and various other forms of manipulation and trickery – whatever their perpetrators can…

  • The Lying Toad Our Leader

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    As the election continues, and Mr Toad hops around this broken country, lying to people for his personal advantage, here’s further word on democracy and the use of language.… continue reading

  • The Parrot Mourns the Loss of Home

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    The Parrot is awash in a flood of untruth and unrule, as the UK’s general election gets under way. The result when it comes would appear to be a matter of pure random chance, or skill, or criminality, in the underhand use of social media to manipulate people, no more truthworthy than a drawing of…

  • The Parrot Lectures to Himself

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    This was written on Sunday 20th. Saturday’s huge demonstration in London was still being digested. But would it have any impact ? The right wing propaganda rags had gone beserk in their Sunday issues, more concerned with Parliament’s defiance of the Toad than anything the march might imply. Courage had been shown in the House,…