Author Archives: jb

Why the Headmaster’s assembly lectern grew a tablecloth

Posted on 6 August, 2012 by jb

I attended Westlake Boys High School in New Zealand in the early to mid 1960s, which makes a 50th Jubilee at around this time highly appropriate. Given that I was in the first intake (Third Form then – 3 Latin, … Continue reading →

Posted in Geriatric ramblings, True stories | 1 Comment

How recessions work

Posted on 6 August, 2012 by jb

Posted in Economics | 1 Comment

You would have to understand the United States in the 20th century

Posted on 2 August, 2012 by jb

From the Daily Telegraph’s obituary of Gore Vidal: To understand Nixon’s career you would have to understand the United States in the 20th century, and that is something that our educational, political and media establishments are not about to help … Continue reading →

Posted in This is America, Too good to miss | 1 Comment

Tunes for a Tuesday – 31 July 2012

Posted on 31 July, 2012 by jb

Drive Me Insane – Billy Boy on Poison [Listen] No One – Quiet Men [Listen] Signs Of The Civilized – Bravestation – BIRP! March 2012 [Listen] Shattered – The Rolling Stones – Some Girls [Listen] Think You Want It – … Continue reading →

Posted in Mixtape, Music, Tunes for a Tuesday | Tagged ...On the Rise..., 1955, Bill Hayes, Billboard Top 30, Billy Boy on Poison, BIRP! March 2012, Bravestation, Colette, Dark Night of the Soul, Drive Me Insane, Image Of Me, Like This All Star, No One, Quiet Men, Revenge (Flaming Lips), Sally Maclennane, Shattered, Signs Of The Civilized, Some Girls, The Ballad Of Davy Crockett, The Best of the Pogues, The Flaming Lips, The Flying Burrito Brothers, The Guilded Palace of Sin & Burrito Deluxe, The Pogues, The Rolling Stones, Think You Want It | Leave a comment

Trust me, I’m an engineer

Posted on 30 July, 2012 by jb

Posted in Too good to miss | Leave a comment

Deja vu all over again

Posted on 30 July, 2012 by jb

Posted in Bad joke alert | 1 Comment

Walk the plank

Posted on 29 July, 2012 by jb

Posted in Shit this is a good photo | 2 Comments

Wife 1.0

Posted on 28 July, 2012 by jb

Dear Tech Support: I am writing this letter as a last resort. Last year I upgraded from Girlfriend 7.0 to Wife 1.0 and noticed that the new program began unexpected child processing that took up a lot of space and … Continue reading →

Posted in Bad joke alert, Cousin Dave strikes again | Leave a comment

Puzzlement! The checkout counter beckons.

Posted on 26 July, 2012 by jb

So, too, when my 17-year-old daughter turned up recently to argue she should no longer have to stay at her private school for the remainder of the year, having now sufficient grades to start university next year. “What have you … Continue reading →

Posted in Too good to miss | 3 Comments

I’ve had people like that working for me…

Posted on 24 July, 2012 by jb