Monday 21 September, 2026

On reflection… Semur-en-Auxoise, last week. Quote of the Day ”Men are born ignorant, not stupid. They are made stupid by education.” Bertrand Russell Musical alternative to the morning’s radio news Keith Jarrett | My Song Link Long Read of the Day A Meditation on Train Stations A really sobering essay by Timothy Snyder which brings home to one what the Ukrainians are having to deal with, courtesy of Putin and Trump. “If you weren’t here, then you won’t believe it.” Thus the gentle pronouncement of the distinguished literary scholar, walking slowly next to me in the dark, during our second evacuation from the train. It’s an ironic point, after a lifetime proclaiming the power of words. But he is right. Knowledge demands presence. Ukraine has an excellent rail system. In times of peace, and even in times of war, its trains run on time. This summer, though, has been hard. The departures board at the Kyiv station announced a two-hour delay for our night train. It was not that the…