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"Last November, the social justice activist Titania McGrath tweeted that “the assassination attempt against Donald Trump proves irrefutably that he is guilty of inciting violence”. Most people would have instantly understood this remark to be satirical, yet the judge in a

“There hath past away a glory from the earth…” I feel like that these days. Is increasing melancholy inevitable with advancing years, I wonder? Am I going to become an even more miserable old sod as the years pass?

No! That way madness lies! Let’s try a British Combo:

Is this a van Gogh painting? Let’s just say I’d be very surprised. I’d be happy to be proved wrong, though.

Really fancy a few beers tonight. That, and a big bag of chips. The doctors won’t like it though… Molière never did write a play called “L’Ascète Malgré Lui”, but that would be me, that would.

And here is a *real* van Gogh, and it’s magnificent. (Kröller-Müller Museum, Otterlo) Why go for AI fakes when you already have this?

Gene Kelly’s kiss in The Pirate is pure old Hollywood heat.

Letter in Times today. More on the Rector of Stiffkey en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_Da… John Rentoul

Carry On films & Hammer horror films were two great British institutions, which are sadly looked down upon by those who appear not to know better. And the two came together quite gloriously in “Carry On Screaming”.

Today, I gather, is the 150th anniversary of Thomas Mann. If you haven’t yet read his magnificent tetralogy “Joseph and his Brothers” (in the superb translation by John E Woods) you really have a treat in store. Just dive in!

I never know what position to take on any issue till I find out what my favourite celebrities think about it,

Thought I’d watch Scotland vs Iceland on BBC Scotland this evening. Oh dear! Just as well this was only a friendly. More importantly, just as well I’ve becone inured over the years to embarrassing Scotland scorelines.

So many … I could be here all day listing them, and still merely scratch the surface. Beethoven’s string quartets, Monet’s water-lilies, novels of Tolstoy, odes of Keats, Laurel & Hardy films… “Tired with all these, for restful death I cry…” Not me, Will, not me!

Morning on the Seine - 1897 #artbots #monet

Eli Wallach - yes, him from The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly - recites Shakespeare's Sonnet No 105. youtu.be/CydaPzjqmqc?si…

Back in the day, when I was getting to know this music, I used to enjoy reviews by music critic Richard Osborne, whose passion for the music was quite infectious. Good to see he’s still writing. Here is his survey of recordings of possibly my favourite symphony, Beethoven’s 6th.