Author Archives: Mark Rossiter

Lakeland Swan Song

Posted on September 5, 2023 by Mark Rossiter

The fells of Lakeland have been in my life for almost half a century. In 1974, my (considerably older) boomer brother was living the hippy dream, working at the giant Waterhead youth hostel on the north-eastern shore of Lake Windermere, … Continue reading →

Posted in daddymummybabyblog, older | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

The Skilled Labourer

Posted on July 16, 2023 by Mark Rossiter

The Skilled Labourer is the third volume of the husband-and-wife team J L and Barbara Hammond’s three-part history of the English working classes and their struggles to survive in the early decades of the industrial revolution, from 1760 up to … Continue reading →

Posted in bleakdom: don't blink, England, someone's England, misery for the many, freedom for the few, read | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

smokeocalypse

Posted on March 15, 2019 by Mark Rossiter

Today, and not for the first time this week according to the AirVisual app on my phone, Chiang Mai has the most polluted air of any city in the world. By a mile. Here is the view from our window: … Continue reading →

Posted in lemmingwatch, peak and decline, Thai time | Leave a comment

seven ahead, five to play

Posted on April 11, 2016 by Mark Rossiter

Leicester City. Earlier in the season, during their improbable run to the top of the table, they were – in sheer footballing terms, never mind what else they stand for – inspirational. Like when Riyad Mahrez (playing in Ligue II … Continue reading →

Posted in England, someone's England, round ball | Tagged | 6 Comments

Blue Homepage

Posted on March 1, 2016 by Mark Rossiter

Yesterday was the final day of the F/28 month of photography in Chiang Mai, so I spent a few hours running around trying to catch what I hadn’t already before it all came down. Highlights: colour images by Shin Jeseop … Continue reading →

Posted in bleakdom: don't blink, sound and vision, Thai time | Tagged | 1 Comment

no more next day

Posted on February 27, 2016 by Mark Rossiter

Seven weeks now since they took Bowie’s passport and shoes, and with them a fair number of, umm, older people’s youthful sedatives too (boo! death comes to everyone. boo-hoo…) In return: a scary and intriguing answer to a question that probably … Continue reading →

Posted in older, sound and vision | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

a crash course for the ravers

Posted on January 13, 2016 by Mark Rossiter

“So who was this dude”, ask my kids, “and why are all the middle-ageds so upset?” Why did the principal of my daughter’s school (born somewhere dahn sarf, 1962) approach me in the playground at pick-up time, to commiserate and reminisce? … Continue reading →

Posted in daddymummybabyblog, England, someone's England, older, sound and vision | Tagged , | 2 Comments

in-flight fundamentalist

Posted on October 19, 2013 by Mark Rossiter

I board the Qatar flight from Luxor to Doha, on my way back to Dubai. I am in the aisle seat; next to me, a black man in a hat. The plane takes off, reaches cruising altitude; the flight attendants … Continue reading →

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Luxor Temple

Posted on October 18, 2013 by Mark Rossiter

Luxor Temple sits in the middle of the town of Luxor. When you are inside of it looking out, through the pillars of the colonnades and hypostyle halls you can see the crappy apartment blocks of the city. There used … Continue reading →

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the road to Luxor

Posted on October 18, 2013 by Mark Rossiter

My driver smokes in the car, plays Quranic chants, and slags off the Muslim Brotherhood. His brief history of modern Egypt, in basic English: Gamal Abdel Nasser not good, Anwar Sadat not good, Hosni Mubarak good. With Mubarak not Muslims … Continue reading →

Posted in misery for the many, freedom for the few, road | Tagged | Leave a comment