24th June 2018

The house opposite has white and red England flags in the window. I’m surprised the police haven’t been round to arrest our neighbours for racial incitement, as threatened with pubs all around the country supporting our team in the World Cup today. Of course, some English fans have been rowdy in Moscow, but it was ever so. But what’s the alternative to nationalism? 110 years ago the British author Israel Zangwill wrote a play called The Melting Pot, received well in Washington, applauding the merging together of the peoples of America. But in Europe there is no melting pot. Just look at Germany or Italy, where the policies of the last 10 years have produced political meltdown. Instead of  what Merkel wants - fusion for Europe under her supreme direction - it’s heading for fission, an explosive European future, with Brexit the igniting spark.  So, will England win their game against Panama today? Possibly, but will they win the Brexit war?

17th June 2018

Ever feel like running away from the 9 - 5 rat race?  Where would you go - somewhere warm where you could relax away from people, traffic and all your worries? 13 years ago we did just that, and at first it was a wonderful adventure. But then Brexit changed all that. The annoying thing is that, if British expats living in the EU 15 years+ had been allowed to vote, Brexit wouldn’t even have happened! But now the EU is crumbling and essential truths are emerging that Germany has, all-along, been skewing things in its favour, to the detriment of smaller countries. Should we still have moved away from friends/family all those years ago? Come to my FB online party to launch the book that reveals all, and tell me what you think. When? This Wednesday-Thursday, 20 June. Time? Any time from 10 am UK time. How? Just click the link below on the 20-21st and add your views in the comment box. Cost? Free. Guest author opinions covering the US, Israel, Portugal and Africa. Prizes, music from Billie Holliday, Sinatra to Slade, and a quiz. See you Wed-Thurs!
www.facebook.com/events/1766387210093900/

10th June 2018

I see that even Simon Cowell has ditched his mobile phone. As a writer I’ve always embraced social media. It’s given me wonderful opportunities to reach out to a global audience, even when living in the depths of rural France. But...
Back in the ‘80s when the internet was developing, the concept was totally alien to me. Growing up in a capitalist society, I understood that if you wanted something, you had to pay for it. And if you wanted more, you paid more. That was the world of basic economics. A trader provided. The consumer paid. But then someone offered you the world for free.  Suddenly you could communicate, grow an audience, advertise, do research etc and it didn’t cost a penny. Or so I believed. But only now do I understand. We are actually paying the highest price of all, selling our souls to Big Brother.
.....be very afraid.

3rd June 2018

Mamoudou Gassama, 22, left his home in Mali and trekked across Burkino Faso, Niger, Libya and Italy to arrive, undocumented, in France. Whilst most illegal immigrants in France hide from the authorities at a time of rising restrictions against them, Mamoudou didn’t think twice when confronted by a domestic situation in the 18th arrondissement of Paris. Now labelled Spiderman by Parisian mayor Anne Hidalgo, the video of him scaling, singlehandedly, up 5 storeys to rescue a 4 year old dangling from a balcony, has gone viral. The child’s father had not only left his son alone whilst shopping, but also delayed his return by playing Pokemon Go on his cell phone. Whereas in Britain Mamoudou would have probably been deported, in France he was awarded citizenship and given a job as a firefighter. At a time when across Europe, innate hatred of immigrants created Brexit and also the new government in Italy, one man - plus the power of digital tech - reminded everyone of the word Fraternite. Bravo Mamoudou!