Iain Blair
@iain51.bsky.social
Retired public health professor. Interests: US and UK current affairs. Military esp. aviation history since c. 1900. Middle East history and affairs. Military and political biography since c. 1800. Growing stuff on my allotment.
...and time for England to get a decent pre-match anthem.
Heroes don't wait for kickoff. bsky.app/profile/chri...
"English tourists always have a lively welcome [at Murrayfield] particularly when the Calcutta Cup is on the line."
So... always. #SCOvENG
So... always. #SCOvENG
February 14, 2026 at 4:55 PM
...and time for England to get a decent pre-match anthem.
Just read this first hand account of summer in 1940 France. Found it unexpectedly in our local library. Recommended.
January 13, 2026 at 9:25 AM
Just read this first hand account of summer in 1940 France. Found it unexpectedly in our local library. Recommended.
Born OTD 1918, Ian Blair. Pictured here on Boxing Day 1936 aged 18 alongside the Bristol Type 142 "Britain First", a commercial airliner that was developed as the Blenheim medium bomber.
July 19, 2025 at 6:40 AM
Born OTD 1918, Ian Blair. Pictured here on Boxing Day 1936 aged 18 alongside the Bristol Type 142 "Britain First", a commercial airliner that was developed as the Blenheim medium bomber.
OTD 1943. My father Pilot Officer John Blair was with No. 602 Sqd at RAF Detling. This is the entry in the Squadron's Operations Record Book for that day.
December 25, 2024 at 2:34 PM
OTD 1943. My father Pilot Officer John Blair was with No. 602 Sqd at RAF Detling. This is the entry in the Squadron's Operations Record Book for that day.
Just finished this. Lovely read. Recommended.
December 25, 2024 at 2:16 PM
Just finished this. Lovely read. Recommended.
Very nice short article.
On farmers' tax perks, a warped debate and the political limitations of trying to fund universal services without an argument for everyone contributing more. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Labour wants tax rises to fall on the ‘broadest shoulders’. The farmers furore shows why that’s so hard to achieve | Rafael Behr
In place of precision-targeted revenue raids, Reeves needs to win a bigger argument about the reason we have taxes, says Guardian columnist Rafael Behr
www.theguardian.com
November 20, 2024 at 8:31 AM
Very nice short article.
Was in Birmingham last week. Unleaded petrol was 130p per litre. Here in Winchester the cheapest is 135p. What is the economics/explanation for this?
November 17, 2024 at 11:01 PM
Was in Birmingham last week. Unleaded petrol was 130p per litre. Here in Winchester the cheapest is 135p. What is the economics/explanation for this?