International – Page 11 – For the fainthearted . . .

Realpolitik

“Smartphones are dumbing down people,” a colleague observed

It would be hard to argue with him. The psychological addiction to the devices means conversation is dying, that discussion and debate are disappearing, that speculative thinking is no longer happening.

It wasn’t meant to have turned out this way.

Technology was supposed to change the world in which we live.

A decade ago, I bought a book that said there would be a democratic revolution in our world that would be brought about by digital technology. It argued that aspirations for …

A dead barker

Yesterday was the 64th anniversary of the first space expedition involving a living being.

The living being in question was a terrier called Laika meaning “barker” and the poor old thing didn’t get much time to bark. The Sputnik 2 spacecraft had no re-entry vehicle and it was projected that after ten days, Laika would be put to sleep with poisoned food. In 2002 the Russians admitted that poor Laika had died after a few hours of the mission, from stress and overheating.

Looking back, it’s hard to imagine the …

It’ll be the first time ever that a bullfight took place outside of Spain.

It is fifty years ago tonight that RTÉ Television’s Hall’s Pictorial Weekly included an item on plans to stage a bullfight at the Newmarket Festival in north west County Cork. The bullfight was to form part of the festival the following summer. The RTÉ pieces says that idea of staging a bullfight was inspired by the success of rat racing at the previous festivals, although the connection between the two activities does not seem clear.

The feature says:

A friend of Michael Flanagan is at present in Spain with an

…

In last but two place

Burundi began its Covid vaccination programme this week, months after other African countries. Only Eritrea and North Korea remain as countries having no inoculation programme.

Ten years ago this week, I flew to Burundi, being amazed at how simple was the process of getting there.

“Good morning, Kenya Airways, how can I help you?”

It had been impressive that the office was open at 8.15 on a Monday morning. It was even more impressive that the voice at the other end of the line sounded so cheerful.

“I have a …

Picturing James Dean

James Dean died on this day in 1955, driving a car at the speed at which he had lived. Twenty-four years old, he had become an icon of restlessness, unease, discontent. His dislike of convention seems to have inspired a similar unconventionality in others.

The photographer Denis Stock was sent on an assignment by Magnum. His pictures of Dean, a figure already regarded as a demi-god, were to acquire iconic status. One shot, In front of the driveway to Winslow Farm seems to defy all the rules.

James Dean stands …

Phantom services

There seemed to be always a tinge of excitement about things that were ghostly, spectral, phantom-like. An air of mystery surrounded phenomena that suggested rational explanation might not be readily available.

A BBC Radio piece on “ghost trains” in 2015 was the sort of item that caught the imagination. These were not fairground rides but infrequent services with empty carriages to deserted railway stations.

It seemed there were ghost train hunters who scoured the timetables for such services. Station staff and ticket collectors might be unable to advise the hunters …