Championshit football and the loss of nerve

Martin O'Neill now works at Villa. And the Championship got off to a bad start, where Leicester's players appeared not to want it. Let's hope things improve from here. Late last season Rob Kelly injected a bit of pride back into the side, and this is what is needed now. Passing and defending were terrible. Nothing happened on the pitch/screen to grab the attention of the Irish travellers who frequent my local, who preferred playing pool. The reason O'Neill and briefly(?) Kelly got results is that they actually stood up for something, which gave their sides some backbone.

Everyone else in society seems to be going in the opposite direction. Or to Bulgaria, where 30-something professionals frequently tell me they would buy a ski lodge if they had a few grand to spare. Part of the exodus includes "former army pilot Keith Davis and his wife Angela [who] have made a traditional house in the village of Gostilitsa near Dryanovo their home" (source here). After defending the realm, it seems like this forces couple have had enough: '"We sought to live in a place that is more natural, more unspoiled, where people are not corrupted by Western values," Angela said as, surrounded by her three dogs, she went about restoring faded pictures on an old chest.' Corrupted by Western values, complains the ex-squaddie's wife. Wasn't it his job to defend them?

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In the world of publishing - print and online - things plod on. I'm excited about Alan Wald's forthcoming book, Trinity of Passion: The U.S. Literary Left and the Anti-Fascist Crusade. My article in Architectural Design is publicised at the journal's revamped website here. My late grandpa's book - buy it here - has had a run of sales based on a belated Leicester Mercury article. And not to be left out, I opened a Myspace account here. Don't expect me to conquer the music download charts any time soon though...