Athenia 1939 is moving!!

That’s right folks, after two and a half years of happy blogging with blogger everything is moving! Everything on this site has been shipped to http://athenia1939.wordpress.com/. This brings all four of my current blogs under one roof and allows for better access and navigation to all my wonderfully exciting thoughts and opinions.

I hope you’ll join me over at the new site and continue to flatter my sense of self worth.

Many Thanks,

Paul.

It's Dave

The neds on the bus.

Three anecdotes on the poor state of British society and how family really is the answer.

Cont…

Why we fight’, directed by Eugene Jarecki. 2005.

This documentary investigates the ‘military industrial complex’ in American politics. Inspired by Eisenhower’s famous farewell speech it tries to uncover how vested interests have conspired since the end of the Second World War to keep America militarily engaged throughout the world.

Cont...

A tale of two anecdotes

A comparatively short rant concerning fast food and the enthusiasm of local government in stamping out freedom and innovation. Cont...

‘Freaks and Geeks’. NBC, 1999

This has to be the most underrated comedy series of all time. It is quite simply phenomenal. Entrenched in American high school culture this program is smart, funny and seductively deep. By far the most enjoyable US comedy I have seen in a long, long while – and that’s saying something considering the sheer number of triple A titles that have been released since the happy days of 99.

Cont...

'The God Delusion' by Richard Dawkins. 2007

I liked this book. I liked it quite a lot in fact. I know a lot people don't and in many circles just the mention of Richard Dawkins is enough to warrant sneers and pompous put downs. Obviously religious people despise him. But more worrying is that many of my close British friends, who I consider to be very educated, cultured and passionately liberal, despise the man also. They sneer at him in the special way they reserve for things that they dislike simply because they are popular. As if success was in itself a complete betrayal of all academic and moral principles. These people act like they are above success and will only watch something if it is completely and utterly obscure.

Cont...

'Moonwar' by Ben Bova. 1997

The second and final part of Ben Bova's Moon story.

Like most 'classical' sci-fi I have read the actual writing isn't going to win any awards. Yet often sci-fi is used simply to convey ideas and the actual fiction is just a clumsy delivery device. The book also excels in extremely awkward descriptions of intimate relationships – unfortunately it seems all science fiction writers, from deep within their Red Dwarf themed bedrooms, make a point of excitedly describing what they imagine ‘girls’ might be like. But anyway.

Cont...