Health & Education
Why The Mauritanian Should Terrify Anyone Who Thinks Human Rights Are Optional
After watching The Mauritanian, I was left with one pressing thought: anyone who believes human rights are negotiable might want to give this film a go—and maybe have a serious word with themselves. Right now, both candidates for the Conservative Party leadership are openly talking about the UK pulling out of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). If that idea doesn’t send shivers down your spine, this film certainly will. What ...
The Many Faces of Depression
One thing we learn as the years pass is that depression comes in many forms. When I suffered from anxiety attacks and a sense of darkness many decades ago, the issue was solved not by antidepressants but by a forceful and caring doctor who suggested I might want to look at my lifestyle. Moderate soft drug abuse—speed, marijuana, ecstasy—heavy alcohol intake, and smoking were all in the mix. If you’re poisoning your body, it makes sense ...
Is Dry January Worth It?
Ah, Dry January is in its second week, and I've become a detective, snooping around folks who either embrace this dry spell or consider it as relevant as a one-legged man in an arse-kicking contest. Chatting with the abstainers and the 'I'll-have-just-one-more' crew has been quite the rollercoaster. You see, the definition of an alcohol aficionado varies wildly. For instance, an accountant I work with once confessed his nightly glass of ...
Stepping Out of Christmas!
When December arrives, the winter gloom descends upon us. Then the Christmas lights swoop in like knights in twinkling armor, apparently granting us the permission to eat and get pissed. Pubs and restaurants turn into bustling havens, and suddenly, everyone’s as jolly as Santa Claus himself. The build up to Christmas is still a wonderful time of the year. However, after the much-anticipated work break ends, the winter gloom hangs around ...
What Makes a Good Bloke?
When I heard about the death of Benjamin Zephaniah yesterday I felt quite sad. Where is the justice in a decent bloke like him dying whilst the other Benjamin (Netanyahu) lives on? The first thing that came to my mind was that Zephaniah always seemed like a really good bloke. What is a good bloke? It’s a term we hear quite a lot (“He’s a good bloke, is John”) but how is it defined? I think all us blokes would like to be remembered as ...