odespinner

Have you stopped being intolerant? Is tolerance always a good thing? Ethical choices rely on a certain depth of understanding for one’s fellow beings. With that in mind, how do we feel about practices that confront our own moral values? Is our moral stance too rigidly Western/Eastern, Christian/Muslim/Atheist? The word…

Does travel broaden the mind, or merely create a new set of problems for a different set of people? I expect the answer to that question is a bit of both, but cultural differences are important and the recognition of their significance can be made much plainer if one has…

[slideguest id=1801439850976395326&w=400&h=300]

Chilli Fest was slicker this year. There was one large stage  where I watched Urban Voodoo Machine blast out rhythms on two large drums accompanied by brass and electric guitar. The house should have been rocking along with their energy and enthusiasm, but I think the crowd had sunstroke, too…

Delia Smith is a genius. Otherwise a klutz like me couldn’t be baking the most extraordinary scones. She is a perfectionist, so every hint is given to maximise the reader’s chances of success in following her recipes. One quibble though – how to wrestle with dough is not fully explained.…

Wimbledon is upon us again, and with it, the rain. Will Murray do it this year? Can he keep his emotional outbursts in check? I hope there is someone out there with the full complement of shots, not just the rather boring serve and volley. Top commentator has to be…

Ever wondered what to do when you’ve tried everything from retreats in Tibet to extreme adventure holidays in Antarctica? Why not become a tourist rioter? The adrenaline buzz is amazing – dodging live rounds one minute and plastic bullets the next. Conveniently located in city centres, tourist rioting is promising…

The moist weather hereabouts gives everyone the excuse they need for an extra 20 minutes in bed. What to do, what to do…Eating in bed is fraught with difficulty. Do you balance the tray on your knees or swivel 90 degrees to the bedside table each time you reach for…

It should come as no surprise that a tradition rooted in the skill with which someone wields a knife in order to craft something from wood is in decline. The man on the Clapham omnibus or riding the Paris Metro would be clapped in irons for daring to display his dexterity…