The Plashing Vole

I should publicly thank Ben for his 'Stop! Grammar Time' pun. We are humbled in the presence of a master.  Talking of humbled, the r...

I know that most Americans are kind, intelligent and dignified people, and I'm wary of the easy slip from critiquing that nation's s...

Cynical Ben has reached the giddy heights of blogging fame: somebody he doesn't know personally has listed him on their blogroll (there...

Hat-tip to Alex Ross  who pointed out that Amazon has the complete Stravinsky , on 22CDs, recorded by top orchestras, for £17.99. Admittedly...

Ie - gallwn ni! (Or 'Yes, We Can', in Welsh).

Welcome, fans directed here from Richard Thompson's site. Come for the music criticism - stay for the cheap sarcasm… For the rest of you...

Most of what I laughably consider my achievements are tinged with disappointment. Not last night's glory though. Last night, I executed ...

I also feel slightly guilty towards Ben for playing 'Short Fat Ben' while Djing his wedding to Jo. The chorus does ameliorate the cr...

I feel quite guilty now. Over at Cynical Ben , he's bemoaning the misery of exercise, forced on him by a steadfast and admirable refusal...

A few weeks ago, Brunhilde sent me a rather rare book out of the blue, to thank me for a bit of help I gave her. Today, I got another very ...

I was speculating about the reasons behind priestly celibacy yesterday, as you do while wandering Asda's aisles looking for something th...

I was meant to go to a Burns night supper on Sunday, but had to disappear for an unexpected family event. No haggis, no cranachan lovingly h...

Comrade Gerry has written a poem in honour of The Plashing Vole. A rhyming dictionary may have been consulted… The plashing vole has its eye...

Headline in today's Daily Nazi : 'Coffee May Raise Child Cancer Risk: New Evidence that Caffeine Could Damage Babies' DNA'. ...

If you're stuck for presents for that difficult person who has everything, how about a photographic print on canvas of a daytime TV pres...

Of all people, Alistair Campbell and John Prescott have decided they're the team to save the Labour Party! They're involved in a cam...

In the old days, politicians would appeal to your political interests. Now, it's just a matter of selling you a lifestyle. This is both ...

Temporarily away from my music (because it's on an external hard drive I keep in the office, and on vinyl at home) but in range of wi-fi...

I haven't posted anything geeky for a while (hey, by my standards anyway), so here goes. I run Mac OS X 10.4 on an old iBook G4 which is...

Happy Birthday to Alan Apperley, star of stage and lecture hall. He's the dazed looking one on the right… and he's 51. Inspiration b...