Radiohead – Harry Patch (In Memory Of)
Back in August Radiohead released a song dedicated to the memory of the last British veteran of World War 1, the late Harry Patch. All proceeds of the song are being donated to the The Royal British Legion, and the song can be downloaded from the Radiohead website here.

We will remember them
For their sake, wear a poppy and please give generously It is Remembrance Day, and once more after a week of explaining to coworkers why I am wearing a poppy I will be taking time to pause for two minutes in the November sunshine to think of those serving overseas, and those who never came home. I will think of my great-grandfather’ service in the Royal Lancers and the Warwic

The Powder Treason
Remember remember the fifth of November Gunpowder, treason and plot. I see no reason why gunpowder, treason Should ever be forgot… A beautiful, bright and sunny day dawns in Virginia for what I’ll refer to as Bonfire Night, November 5th, 2009.  If you’ve never heard the above poem before (or only seen it in the context of the movie V for Vendetta) then you’ve probably no idea why much of Britain celebrates tonight with fireworks and bonfires, and the burning in effigy of a certain Guy Fawkes…

Looking at Halloween again
Three years ago now I wrote an article about the history of Halloween, you can read it here. The Telegraph today had an editorial entitled “Why has Hallowe’en eclipsed Bonfire Night“, with the author blaming the “American holiday” for the change.  He was surprised his views weren’t supported by the British folklorist, Doc Rowe, who said: First there was Samhain, the Celtic marking of the onset of winter, which was

Excellent Birds
Every once in a while I find myself helplessly adding a short pause and the phrase “Excellent birds!” after the word birds, when it happens to occur in conversation.  Now just to prove I’m not justslowly going insane, this trait comes from a song performed by Peter Gabriel and Laurie Anderson.  Not only did they both perform it but they both included it in separate albums, weird but true. so just to prove I’m not making this up, here you go… What is strange is that I don̵