"Bannockburn: Norman v Norman" opens with the famous scene of de Bohun on his destrier charging de Brus on his palfrey, and asks this question: why do they both have French names and use Norman cavalry terms? Section one examines five factors in nationhood: a common enemy; language; religion; economy; and geography. These factors are then examined in the unmet national aspirations of diverse peoples including Georgians, Tamils, Kurds, and ISIL. The Scots language is the main distinguishing...

This e-book explores the linguistic connections between Cumbria, Iceland and Scandinavia. The English Lake District was peopled by Celts who spoke a language like Welsh, and traces of their speech can still be heard, such as yan-tan-tether counting. Angles and Saxons then moved into Cumbria and Scotland with their own Germanic speech, and the region was incorporated into Northumbria. Later Norsemen came from two directions - westwards from Yorvik, but also from the sea. These colonists spo...

Piketty's data describe the way that the pressure of investors for return on capital in low growth situations causes decline in real wages. The state can intervene to recoup some capital for the general good. In Britain the private housing market is taking up land from cash-strapped councils either to gain value while left empty or as buy-to-let. An alternative public housing model is outlined. Public debt accumulated mainly through spending on education and through loans to banks. Austeri...

Originally published in 1995, The Body Under Stress, reissued here with a new preface, seeks to define positive health, the skills needed to acquire it, and how to pass them on to others as part of education and counselling on health issues.Most people now view health as “fitness” – a repertoire of skills or health behaviours, necessary to overcome: excessive workload; bereavement; reliance on alcohol, tobacco or other drugs; over-use of back or neck. While many of these behaviours...

This e-book is about smaller families - one child, or perhaps a child-free life. While women in most of the world tend to stop at two children, in much of Africa they have more. This 2020 revision attempts to find shared values with them, referred to hereafter as "development partners"My goal here is in broad sympathy with the aims of the UK charity Population Matters, though disagrees sharply on priorities. Good empathy with people in agricultural societies is needed, informed by ...

Capital is money that is invested in the expectation of a profit. Investors inevitably move their moneytowards the highest rate of interest and lowest risk of loss. The analogy of fungal growth is offered here.A fungus such as wood rot will extend many hyphae. Where water and nutrients are abundant a newfruiting body appears above ground as a mushroom – or a stock market. Dry spaces are a minor obstacleto fungal growth, and national boundaries are minor obstacle...

English is one of 450 current languages that derive from a common ancestor. It is possible to reconstruct this Proto Indo European from its descendants, particularly Ancient Greek, Sanskrit, Latin and Hittite. From this highly inflected language 4,000 years ago we arrive at Modern English, which has abandoned all but a dozen inflections in favour of a word order grammar. After the Romans left, migrants from Anglia brought their Germanic language and started to push Welsh speakers westwards...

This invaluable glossary of terms can be used alongside Doug's brilliant new book, How to Start a Creative Business, a must-have for any creative-type wanting to start their own venture. This glossary of terms provides you with the basic tools for starting a sustainable, viable, creative business. It shows you that the 'business terms' that you need to know for your creative business do not have to be scary or confusing, they are all easy to understand and will be invaluable for s...

"Do not act as if thou wert going to live ten thousand years. Death hangs over thee. While thou livest, while it is in thy power, be good."Originally a set of personal writings intended to explore Aurelius' own thoughts and ideas relating to Stoic philosophy, this second-century text has become a fundamental work introducing modern readers to Stoicism. As a core to his philosophy for living a good life, he encourages rationality, clear-mindedness, strong ethical principles, self-an...

The book introduces readers to logical concepts such as propositions, syllogisms, and reasoning. Carroll uses a unique diagrammatic method involving a game board and counters to visually represent logical problems and solutions. Through a series of exercises and puzzles, he demonstrates how to analyze statements and test their validity. The book’s interactive nature allows readers to engage directly with the material, making abstract concepts more accessible and enjoyable.Carroll’s whimsic...

Aristotle's "Politics: A Treatise on Government" is a seminal work in political philosophy that examines the nature of the state, the ideal form of government, and the relationship between the ruler and the ruled. In this comprehensive work, Aristotle draws on his knowledge of human nature and his observations of various political systems to develop a theory of government that emphasizes the importance of the common good and the need for a just and stable society. Aristotle's insights into...

Leviathan is a book written by Thomas Hobbes (1588–1679) and published in 1651. Its name derives from the biblical Leviathan. The work concerns the structure of society and legitimate government, and is regarded as one of the earliest and most influential examples of social contract theory. Leviathan ranks as a classic western work on statecraft comparable to Machiavelli's The Prince. Written during the English Civil War (1642–1651), Leviathan argues for a social contract and rule by an ab...