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Continue reading →: Farewell to Speranza: My Ferrari JourneyThe author reflects on the sale of Speranza, his cherished 2009 Ferrari California, after driving over 105,000 miles during memorable journeys, including a significant road trip across the USA. The decision was bittersweet, stemming from increasing maintenance costs and a desire for financial prudence, resulting in a profound sense of…
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Continue reading →: Community and Change in the Church of EnglandThe author reflects on their experience as a member of a vibrant Anglican church in West London, contrasting it with a declining Low Church in North Wales. Themes of political shifts within the Church of England, community dynamics, and personal connections to faith emerge, alongside concerns about the future of…
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Continue reading →: Ukraine vs RussiaAmong the many subjects that mark me out as “mad” or “bad” to my West London neighbours is the war in Ukraine. I was a partner in an international law firm with offices in both countries. I lived and worked in Russia for seven years and visited Ukraine a fair…
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Continue reading →: Sadiq Khan demands stronger action on social media ‘outrage economy’Mayor Sadiq Khan warns that disinformation about crime erodes public trust, but the measures he proposes could lead to censorship. Concerns arise over social media companies screening posts for “danger” words, limiting free expression. Critics argue this climate stifles dissent and undermines democratic discourse, threatening the foundations of civilization.
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Continue reading →: Where did our morals go?The author reflects on the stress and cost of moving their blog to Wordpress, prompting a reevaluation of their writing style and moral perspective. Initially more confident and strident, their tone has softened post-bereavement. They critique contemporary politics, noting a decline in moral reasoning and the prioritization of self-interest within…
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Continue reading →: Servants or masters?Craig Guildford has retired as Chief Constable of West Midlands Police, the UK’s second largest force. He has retired on a full pension at the age of 52. The British taxpayers get to pay for him for the rest of his life. It seems that he may have received a…
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Continue reading →: How to make it make senseSo much political debate now is tribal. Any idea that originates from a political “foe” will instantly be opposed. It’s almost as if no thinking is going on at all. To some extent, I suppose, this has always been true. My first political act as an adult was to vote…
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Continue reading →: Alaa Abd el-Fattah should not be in Britain.I knew that becoming a Christian again would have costs. I couldn’t just expect it to end as it began; with the wonderful feeling of a great weight lifted from my shoulders as I placed my faith in God’s plan. I find my posts on X.com to be rather different,…
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Continue reading →: Reconciling Views and RelationshipsI was disconcerted to be told by Hercules over dinner last week that I am a racist. He based this assessment on his reading of my article Progressing Back to the Middle Ages in which I wrote this; Perhaps the Yom Kippur attack in Manchester is not a pogrom as…
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Continue reading →: Thoughts on the festive seasonThe author reflects on their first Christmas as a Christian since 1969, sharing thoughts on the holiday’s significance amid societal changes. They reminisce about personal experiences, including family gatherings and celebrations. Acknowledging the contrast between past and present, they emphasize the enduring importance of family connections and moments of joy…
THE LAST DITCH
Your blogger
Tom is a retired international lawyer. He was a partner in a City of London law firm and spent almost twenty years abroad serving clients from all over the world.
Returning to London on retirement in 2011, he was dismayed to discover how much liberty had been lost in the UK while he was away.
He’s a classical liberal (libertarian, if you must) who, like his illustrious namesake, considers that
“…government even in its best state is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one.”
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My secret desire was to be taken for a spin in her. Alas!
A little bird tweeted in my ear that it was time to come over and see how things are.
There are many reasons they’re not passed down, Tom. The Triune code, laid out in scripture in all reputable versions…
I’ve always tried to live my life doing no wrong but life isn’t like that so you make compromised but…
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Blogspot Archive Mar 2005 – Sep 2006
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The Great American Road Trip of 2013
The Great American Road Trip Posts
First post (in case you want to read it from the beginning)
The Last Ditch by Tom Paine 
It would have been easy to fulfil an open desire so why keep it secret? Surely the whole advantage of…