Alan Bennett at the London Review Bookshop

Here he is.

All round good guy Dalty™ referred to me today as 'Mr Zig-when-others-zag!'
I like that, as I think it sums me up quite well.

Listening to: Cuban Funk Experience, on the Nascente label

The LinkedIn effect isn't like the 'Lynx effect'

I am not going to harp on about the Dunbar number, but I have a problem with people trying to connect to me on social networks when they have little concept of trust, equity and shared values.

This morning I received an invitation to join a group on LinkedIn, called 'Very Exceptional People'. The person inviting me established the group. I have never met or entered into any kind of transaction with her. The only thing we have in common is that we are both members of Henley Business School's group on LinkedIn.

When I clicked onwards to find out something - anything - about the group, all I found was this:

'for people who feel that they are exceptional'

The name of the group says a lot about the person inviting me. I therefore replied as follows:


It's probably not for me, as only my Mother thinks I am exceptional.

Was I too harsh?

Good, I didn't think so.

I feel really spoilt!

The new Gil Scott-Heron album is on the way, as is the final collaboration between the late, great Ali Farka Toure and Toumani Diabate.

I was reminded last night of how good public service broadcasting could be. Using iPlayer, I caught Sir Terry Pratchett's Dimbleby Lecture, concerning assisted death (not suicide). Sir Michael Parkinson's dignity report is here.