Herbert Hoover, when President of the USA, famously said, “The trouble with Capitalism is the capitalists—they’re too damn greedy.” This is not just a frustrated man letting off steam. It […]
March 2026
Earlier posts first.
Capitalism—doomed or simply ill?
In place of wisdom
Blake proclaimed, “The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom.” As a young man, I used to dream that in my old age I would reach that palace. […]
If not capitalism, what?
As alternatives to capitalism go, there are interesting, if not compelling, arguments for anarchy. Otherwise, the most popular alternatives are socialism and communism. Communism isn’t actually on offer anywhere, except […]
20° C
I remember a sunrise. In Benghazi airport, to which, instead of Cairo, we had flown to from Khartoum—because of the Suez crisis. Outside, waiting for the flight to Rome, I […]
Who am I? (Who are you?)
I’m a person, aren’t I? But how long have I been this person? John Donne, when looking for excuses (‘today’) for breaking a love promise (made ‘yesterday’) included in his […]
The truth is not online (unredacted)
How English came to be the world language English is the de facto world language. As a young German said to me in Kyoto in the 1980s, “they mostly understand English.” […]