tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19590583593350438422024-03-14T12:48:49.833-04:00Iain Roberts' BlogPolitics, cinema, science, and other musings, with cats.<br>On Twitter at <a href="https://twitter.com/iainrobertsblog">@iainrobertsblog</a>.Iain Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05071209220322180991noreply@blogger.comBlogger494125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1959058359335043842.post-78237031804506347092020-11-21T13:43:00.000-05:002020-11-21T13:43:35.550-05:00Feeding the Dragon: Guards! Guards! and BrexitFor a book published 31 years ago, "Guards! Guards!" by Sir Terry Pratchett has a lot to tell us about Brexit. I started reading it for light relief from the news; it didn't entirely work, but did give me a new perspective.(Minor spoilers follow, but as noted, it's been 31 years.)I hadn't reread GG for at least a decade, and what struck me this time is how angry it is. I don't mean that as a bad Iain Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05071209220322180991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1959058359335043842.post-68423136061056080712020-11-02T11:00:00.002-05:002020-11-02T14:59:34.896-05:00Election 2020: No Longer WorthyThe 2020 US Presidential election is tomorrow. I almost wish I believed in gods, so I could pray to them to have mercy on us all. I don't; and if I'm wrong and the gods are real, they would seem to have a twisted sense of humour.I hope Biden wins. I truly do. He would at least slow the American republic's descent into the abyss. He would give America a chance. That's worth hoping for. For Iain Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05071209220322180991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1959058359335043842.post-83866377858616524742020-11-02T10:55:00.001-05:002020-11-02T10:55:01.291-05:00I'm backI'm breaking a blog silence of nearly a year.In a theme from before I broke off, I have lacked the stomach to write long posts about politics. It's too fucking horrible. But the US Presidential election is upon us, and I find myself with things to say.So there I was, in my new home in Toronto. I was watching the first snow of the season fall, and trying to get some election thoughts out of my Iain Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05071209220322180991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1959058359335043842.post-70458646853341844792019-12-11T12:00:00.000-05:002019-12-11T12:00:04.003-05:00Top 5 Canadian BeersOne of the fun things about moving to Toronto is exploring a whole new craft beer scene.
I say "Canadian beers", but beer distribution is pretty regionalised, and all but one of the following five are from Ontario. That said, Ontario has a diverse and delicious array of beers on offer.
The emphasis on styles is very different from the UK. Maybe it's something to do with
the climate. Compared Iain Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05071209220322180991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1959058359335043842.post-4292905298231225352019-11-26T17:33:00.001-05:002019-11-26T17:33:38.360-05:00ElectioneeringBritish politics is a steaming heap of rubbish. Every time I look, the pile is higher and smellier. It's leaking some kind of fluid. There are things moving around in there. It's making disturbing organic noises. Why would I want to poke it with a stick?
Metaphorically speaking, this is why I haven't written much on this blog lately. I've followed British politics for a long time. If anything I Iain Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05071209220322180991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1959058359335043842.post-12858652946532225832019-06-13T00:00:00.000-04:002019-06-13T01:02:25.653-04:00In Which I Select The Least Awful Conservative Leadership CandidateThe British Conservative Party is having the leadership contest for which it has long yearned.Inspired by John Scalzi's posts on the 2016 and 2012 US Republican candidates, I am ranking the contenders from most to least terrible.
Rogues' gallery. Image source: BBC
First, some things to bear in mind.
Yes, these are all Tories. It's a given that they are not cuddly socialists. All have servedIain Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05071209220322180991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1959058359335043842.post-12249970826860355402018-11-20T16:00:00.000-05:002018-11-20T16:46:06.221-05:00Jumping The Queue And Other LiesTheresa May, who brought us the hostile environment, the "citizens of nowhere" speech, and the Windrush deportations, has struck again. This time, trying to sell her embattled Brexit deal to the public, she has said it will stop EU citizens from "jumping the queue" ahead of "engineers from Sydney or software developers from Delhi".
This is offensive nonsense. There is no queue; EU citizens have Iain Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05071209220322180991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1959058359335043842.post-34905908805098152352018-10-26T12:00:00.000-04:002018-10-27T11:57:33.381-04:00Cute Cat Friday 2018-10-26: JoniIt's getting cold outside and dark earlier. Joni has the right idea.
Iain Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05071209220322180991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1959058359335043842.post-25752065462873314092018-10-19T23:27:00.001-04:002018-10-19T23:27:19.313-04:00Cute Cat Friday 2018-10-19: JoniMighty queen of the sofa.
Iain Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05071209220322180991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1959058359335043842.post-60208916477053260502018-10-15T10:00:00.000-04:002018-10-15T10:00:06.265-04:00What Is This I Cannot EvenReading the news seemed a harmless habit, even virtuous; but that was before the world went wrong.
I miss the old days, when we could be concerned about a stained blue dress or a guy eating a bacon sandwich. Paying attention to current affairs is becoming too much to stomach.
Blogging here has been light for a while, and nonexistent for a month. That's partly because I'm still settling intoIain Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05071209220322180991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1959058359335043842.post-87753717611589491832018-09-14T22:19:00.001-04:002018-10-14T22:59:50.608-04:00Cute Cat Friday 2018-09-14: Joni
Your foot is now my headrest. I do not authorize you to move.
Iain Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05071209220322180991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1959058359335043842.post-49806714471229876752018-09-07T21:50:00.001-04:002018-09-08T21:06:37.914-04:00Cute Cat Friday 2018-09-07: Joni
Guarding my desk from intruders.
Iain Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05071209220322180991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1959058359335043842.post-33631031552561739802018-08-31T21:29:00.001-04:002018-09-08T21:06:50.008-04:00Cute Cat Friday 2018-08-31: Joni
Getting reacquainted with our rocking chair.
Iain Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05071209220322180991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1959058359335043842.post-71660122267367906692018-08-24T22:27:00.002-04:002018-08-24T22:27:44.621-04:00Cute Cat Friday 2018-08-24: JoniFast asleep, and in some danger of sliding off the sofa.
Iain Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05071209220322180991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1959058359335043842.post-84079602041223430962018-08-17T16:41:00.002-04:002018-08-17T16:41:43.187-04:00Cute Cat Friday 2018-08-17: Joni
Sunbeam.
Iain Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05071209220322180991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1959058359335043842.post-46814351738469481272018-08-15T09:00:00.000-04:002018-08-15T10:06:21.316-04:00On Ready Player One: You, Sir, Are No Willy Wonka
I've got around to reading the 2011 novel Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. It made me angry. More than once I was tempted to throw the book against the wall, and I can't recall ever feeling that way before.
This might be unexpected, as it looks like something right up my alley. RP1 is an unabashed celebration of 1980s geekery. It is veritably stuffed with references to cult movies, Iain Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05071209220322180991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1959058359335043842.post-71474057307463859852018-08-10T12:00:00.000-04:002018-08-10T12:00:06.307-04:00Cute Cat Friday 2018-08-10: JoniEnjoying the view from our dining table -- which has finally been shipped across from the UK to our new home in Toronto.
In the background is a photo of the late and much missed Dexter.
Iain Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05071209220322180991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1959058359335043842.post-64397474549666159402018-08-03T23:23:00.001-04:002018-08-09T21:47:24.928-04:00Cute Cat Friday 2018-08-03: Joni
Good evening, human.
Iain Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05071209220322180991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1959058359335043842.post-31489797892160809772018-08-03T10:42:00.000-04:002018-08-03T10:42:23.532-04:00What They Want Is Everything: Part 3What endgame will there be for Trump?
This is not a fairy tale. The knight does not slay the dragon. Everyone does not live happily ever after.
We've been here before. Some of us thought Obama would put to rest all the proud ignorance and hate and corruption of the Bush years, complete his hero's journey, and fulfil his promise of healing the divides in America. Not all of them, because Iain Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05071209220322180991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1959058359335043842.post-35748372897541249532018-07-27T20:54:00.001-04:002018-07-27T20:54:20.847-04:00Cute Cat Friday 2018-07-27: JoniThe shipping company brought our stuff! Joni is happy to have new places to climb.
Iain Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05071209220322180991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1959058359335043842.post-58759223567754746522018-07-27T20:52:00.002-04:002018-07-27T20:52:57.273-04:00Programming noteLong blog entry postponed due to a (non-serious) family illness. Cute Cat Friday up as normal shortly.Iain Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05071209220322180991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1959058359335043842.post-57957933447259847662018-07-20T20:12:00.001-04:002018-07-20T20:12:32.435-04:00Cute Cat Friday 2013-07-20: JoniJoni watches in alarm as we prepare our son's bath.
"You're going to put the kitten in THERE?!?"
Iain Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05071209220322180991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1959058359335043842.post-1191906679428767102018-07-13T12:00:00.000-04:002018-07-13T12:00:10.681-04:00Cute Cat Friday 2018-07-13: Joni
Yawn. Relax. (It's a hard life for a cat.)
Iain Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05071209220322180991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1959058359335043842.post-70982116407241957962018-07-13T11:15:00.001-04:002018-08-07T09:44:56.920-04:00What They Want Is Everything: Part 2It's taken me a while to write this, because it's hard even to think about. It strikes close to home. I am referring to President Trump's policy of separating immigrant children from their families.
There have been a few milestones in the sorry tale of ineptitude and hate that is the Trump administration. There are moments when anyone with an ounce of humanity, paying even minimal attention, Iain Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05071209220322180991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1959058359335043842.post-42847601359951697742018-07-06T08:58:00.001-04:002018-07-06T08:59:21.379-04:00Cute Cat Friday 2018-07-06: Joni
Guarding my book for me.
Iain Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05071209220322180991noreply@blogger.com0