Monthly Archives: July 2014

An article yesterday in The Guardian really disturbs me; Darby Council in the UK wants to introduce what has been described as a “Tesco Tax” where a levy of 8.5% would be placed on supermarkets with a rateable value in … Continue reading →

Wednesday, 23 July 2014, was a day of national mourning in the Netherlands. It was the day that the first coffins arrived in Eindhoven. There were 40. Each was taken with great care and respect by the military personnel and … Continue reading →

My lifetime has seen turbulent years, assassinations and natural disasters, ecological catastrophes, starvation, crimes against humanity and many more “incidents”. But today we stand on the precipice of something we have never experienced before – the possible disintegration of a … Continue reading →

Every year there is the Tour de France. I never watch it since I have no real affinity with bicycles and I am quickly bored. So why this year do I find it exciting? The big names have crashed out … Continue reading →

Back to 1966-9 and my days as an undergraduate at Leeds University; the University Union Building was the place to grab a cup of coffee between lectures or generally to hang out. Next to it was the Refectory (or Canteen) … Continue reading →

Go to any train station and watch them, those people running to catch a train. Trains leave on time and that’s it; buses are different. But people run to catch them as well. Why? In the 10-15 minutes before the … Continue reading →

Maybe because of the World Cup at the weekend, I quite forgot to celebrate my 7th lustrum here in the Netherlands. A lustrum (plural lustra) was a term for a five-year period in Ancient Rome (says Wikipedia). Before arriving here … Continue reading →

Some months ago, I took part in a study organised by a student (Sofie) at the University of Twente here in the Netherlands. It was about being an entrepreneur, and all I had to do was answer questions by sending … Continue reading →