Author Archives: Mark Rossiter

whose interests?

Posted on January 26, 2005 by Mark Rossiter

Drawing on a 2004 Pentagon report, Michael Byers writes this about Climate Change in the London Review of Books, 6th January 2005: “This past summer, while wealthy Floridians survived a succession of hurricanes relatively unscathed, millions of impoverished Bangladeshis and … Continue reading →

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

colonials, natives & gas chambers

Posted on January 25, 2005 by Mark Rossiter

What raised my eyebrow about the Prince Harry story was not that he went to a party wearing a Nazi uniform adorned with a swastika armband; nothing surprising about that in a social system that puts an irresponsible thick rich … Continue reading →

Posted in England, someone's England | Leave a comment

teddy bears and toothpaste

Posted on January 22, 2005 by Mark Rossiter

According to Borzou Daragahi in The Indpendent on 10th January, “American officials insist they are winning Iraqi ‘hearts and minds’ by building infrastructure and venturing off their bases to hand out footballs, teddy bears and toothpaste.” So we attack your … Continue reading →

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twice the difference

Posted on January 21, 2005 by Mark Rossiter

Dubai Shopping Festival is under way. This, as far as I’m aware, seems to be the only instance of a society having its main yearly festival explicitly devoted to commerce, rather than at least paying lip service to something else, … Continue reading →

Posted in city of hype | Leave a comment

random amnesia

Posted on January 20, 2005 by Mark Rossiter

Why do some things survive and not others? Some say there’s an order to memory: you keep what’s allowed, or joyous even, and let go what screwed you up. Well, sure, I remember my wedding day – but I also … Continue reading →

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how to treat the vulnerable (Dubai driving style)

Posted on December 27, 2004 by Mark Rossiter

Allison was recently on her way to drop Ian off at the babysitter, running late, fiercely hungry and eating a piece of cold pizza as she drove. She pulled into the main road that runs through our suburb of Dubai, … Continue reading →

Posted in driving in Dubai | Leave a comment