Thursday, November 21, 2024
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THE FOG

“Grockles” and “Emmets”

Matthew Steeples discovers Michael Winner’s links to descriptions of unwelcome “out of towners”   My last linguistic rambling explored two words, “plebs” and “ladettes,” that, like Andrew Mitchell MP, truly need to be eliminated from our...

Goodness, gracious, gaol

Matthew Steeples updates readers on John Goodman's return to jail   The conviction of John Goodman in West Palm Beach earlier this year was a tragedy for all concerned but the twists and turns that have...

Phone pests

The Tout lays into Britain’s biggest pests: mobile phone operators   The Tout would normally only comment on matters of a sporting nature and interest but apart from Abu Hamza’s wife and family continuing to live...

Celebrating Champions in the Community

An event to support the unsung heroes in our community   On the 8th November, The Steeple Times will be the media partner for a fundraising event jointly hosted by Gina and Alan Miller and The...

Of mice and stags

In his first column as our rural affairs correspondent, Charles Mitford Cust tells of the stags rutting near his Devon home and discovers a remedy that sends mice on their merry way   Down here in...

Picture of the Week: The two faces of Ahmadinejad

Contrasting images of President Ahmadinejad   In a departure, this week we have two The Steeple Times pictures of the week. They were separately taken but both feature President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran. Whilst one shows...

Hook off

The deportation of Abu Hamza and the story of Hassan Butt   It’s taken far too long but thankfully the day of Abu Hamza al-Masri’s deportation has arrived. This evil one-eyed Egyptian-born Sunni preacher, best known...

Video of the Week: Sorry is the hardest word to say

The spoof of Nick Clegg apologising hits the iTunes charts   “I’d like to take this opportunity to put things straight,” began the Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, this week when he attempted to say sorry...

Picture of the Week: A typical whingeing Brit

The “plight” of Pamela Burbery   The Steeple Times picture of the week has to be of Pamela Burbery, a pensioner from Birmingham.   Photographed for an article in the Daily Mail, this 76-year old told of how...

Please use please

What’s in the overuse of “for me”?   This week in the Daily Telegraph there have been a number of letters regarding the use of the phrase:  “Can you just fill in this form for me?”...

The man who had it all

The conviction of Asil Nadir   Last month I visited a house I’d heard much about over the years in the company of Ed Burrows, the personable managing director of Barnsdale Lodge in Rutland. That house,...

Two ideal bedfellows

George Galloway MP backs Julian Assange   This morning’s The Independent carried the story of Julian Assange’s latest backer, George Galloway MP.   In a video podcast, Galloway suggests that the allegations against Assange should not be considered...

Winging it

Sarah Tucker gives an update on goings on at the resort where Madeleine McCann vanished   Four hundred and thirty euros, one bedroom apartment, one week at the height of season at a luxury family resort...

Picture of the week: In Solidarity, In Defiance

Julian Assange’s supporters show their true colours   I have spent much of this week following the ludicrous story of Julian Assange and the asylum given to him by Ecuador. I have been to meet the...

Assange's asylum

Matthew Steeples gives his view on Julian Assange's having been granted asylum by Ecuador   I spent much of the day yesterday watching the Occupy News Network live video stream from outside the Ecuadorian Embassy in...

Assange's escape options

How might Julian Assange escape to Ecuador?   Now that Julian Assange has been granted asylum in Ecuador, what are his escape options?   The First Post suggests that Ecuador could make him their representative to the United...

The best for the West?

FirstGroup win the West Coast Mainline rail franchise   It has just been announced that FirstGroup, the parent company who operate amongst others First Capital Connect and First Great Western, have beaten Virgin Rail and will...

Fighting Season

A review of Fighting Season by Graham Lee   At school, one of my classmates was a chap named Graham Lee. We used to travel home together on the same bus from Lancaster and as both...

An Olympic Va Va Voom

The brilliance of the Olympic closing ceremony   Last night, Great Britain excelled itself with a closing ceremony for the Olympics that was both bonkers and brilliant.   Boris Johnson danced to the Spice Girls and Lord Coe...

Video of the week: A load of old bull

A bunch of utter loons get beaten by a bull   After the euphoria of the Olympics, we at The Steeple Times very much enjoyed receiving a video clip from Rex Leyland this morning.   Leyland assured me...

The best of British

Celebrating the 2012 London Olympic Games   The Olympics have indeed brought chaos to London: Traffic has ground to a halt, terrorist plots loom large and the rich have fled the city for sunnier shores. Now,...

An open letter from Gina Miller

Gina Miller calls for senior members of the City regulators to leave   Sir,   Time Gentleman Please - time for senior members of the City regulators to leave:   How many scandals will it take before the government replaces...

Touching yourself

A viral campaign to raise attention to male cancer. By Ellen Widdup   It’s an advertising campaign fronted by a beautiful model, with more then three million hits on YouTube and a nomination for Cannes Festival...

The curse of wealth

The sad story of Eva Rausing   Those who don’t have, it dream of it; those who have it, often put it to good use. Sadly, however, money doesn’t always necessarily bring happiness.   Lottery winners often go...

Diamonds Aren't Forever

The resignation of Bob Diamond   Today, Bob Diamond finally bit the dust and resigned as chief executive of Barclays in a dramatic move designed to save the bank from further embarrassment in the wake of...

Julian Assange: a man who thinks he’s above the law

A visit to those supporting Julian Assange outside the Ecuadorean Embassy   Yesterday, as I walked to The Rib Room at the Jumeirah Carlton Tower with Alexandra Naylor, I came across a media camp opposite the...

What next for Battersea Power Station?

The sale of Battersea Power Station to SP Setia and Sime Darby   Battersea Power Station has for so long has been the saddest landmark in London. Since it was decommissioned as a power station in...

God Save The Queen

A weekend of celebration   The launch of The Steeple TIMES today, 1st June 2012, coincides with a weekend that celebrates something far more significant.   Tomorrow, 2nd June, marks the 60th year of The Queen’s reign and...

Actor Tony Discipline amusingly tears up Boris Johnson’s utterly confusing ‘Stay Alert’ coronavirus lockdown revision statement Tony Discipline – best known for having played Tyler Moon in the BBC soap opera EastEnders – took to...

Sinking television

Sinking television A review of Julian Fellowes’s “Titanic”   Against better advice, I watched all four episodes of Julian Fellowes’s Titanic television drama. Nothing much happened in the first three episodes but unlike many others, I preserved...

No thank goodnesses for Goodman

The conviction of billionaire John Goodman   I have followed the trial of John Goodman with great interest in recent days and today’s verdict was not surprising given his lack of recollection of the tragedy that...

K&C's £50 grifter

The nuisance conman who pounds the streets of Kensington & Chelsea   When an old man approaches you in the street complaining he’s lost his wallet or can’t afford a bed for the night, no decent...