"Why Tango in Paris, when you can Foxtrot in Kowloon?"
  • Walter's Blog.
  • Home
  • Introduction
  • About Walter
    • 1980 Joining Up - Grafton Street >
      • Arrival and First Impressions
      • First Week
      • Training
      • Passing Out
    • Yaumati Cowboy >
      • Getting on the Streets
      • Tempo of the City
      • Jumpers, pill poppers and the indoor BBQ
      • Into a Minefield.
    • Why Tango in Paris, when you can Foxtrot in Kowloon? >
      • Baptism By Fire
      • Kai Tak with Mrs Thatcher.
      • Home; The Boy Returns
  • 1984 - 1986
    • PTU Instructor & Getting Hitched
    • Having a go: SDU
    • Starting a Chernobyl family
    • EOD - Don't touch anything
    • Semen Stains and the rules
  • 1987 to 1992 - Should I Stay or Go?
    • Blue Lights, Sirens & Grenades
    • Drugs, Broken Kids & A Plane Crash
    • 600 Happy Meals Please!
    • Hong Kong's Best Insurance
    • Riding the Iron Horse
  • Crime in Hong Kong
    • Falling Crime Rates - Why?
    • Triads
  • History of Hong Kong Policing
    • History 1841 to 1941
    • History 1945 to 1967
    • Anatomy of the 50 cent Riot - 1966
    • The Fall of a Commissioner.
    • History 1967 to 1980
    • Three Wise Men from the West
    • The Blue Berets.
    • The African Korps and other tribes.
    • Getting About - Transport.
    • A Pub in every station
    • Bullshit Bingo & Meetings
    • Godber - The one who nearly got away.
    • Uncle Ho
  • Top 20 Films
    • 2001 - A Space Odyssey.
    • The Godfather.
    • Blade Runner
    • Kes
    • Star Wars
    • Aliens
    • Ferris Bueller's Day Off
    • The Life of Brian
    • Dr Strangelove.
    • Infernal Affairs
    • Bridge on the River Kwai.
    • This Is Spinal Tap.
    • Chung King Express
    • An Officer and a Gentleman
    • PTU
    • Contact
    • Saving Private Ryan
    • Family Guy Star Wars
    • Zulu
    • Hard Day's Night
  • The Long Read
    • How The Walls Come Down
    • War in Ukraine - the narrative and other stuff.
    • The Hidden Leader
    • The Big Game
  • Walter's Blog.
  • Home
  • Introduction
  • About Walter
    • 1980 Joining Up - Grafton Street >
      • Arrival and First Impressions
      • First Week
      • Training
      • Passing Out
    • Yaumati Cowboy >
      • Getting on the Streets
      • Tempo of the City
      • Jumpers, pill poppers and the indoor BBQ
      • Into a Minefield.
    • Why Tango in Paris, when you can Foxtrot in Kowloon? >
      • Baptism By Fire
      • Kai Tak with Mrs Thatcher.
      • Home; The Boy Returns
  • 1984 - 1986
    • PTU Instructor & Getting Hitched
    • Having a go: SDU
    • Starting a Chernobyl family
    • EOD - Don't touch anything
    • Semen Stains and the rules
  • 1987 to 1992 - Should I Stay or Go?
    • Blue Lights, Sirens & Grenades
    • Drugs, Broken Kids & A Plane Crash
    • 600 Happy Meals Please!
    • Hong Kong's Best Insurance
    • Riding the Iron Horse
  • Crime in Hong Kong
    • Falling Crime Rates - Why?
    • Triads
  • History of Hong Kong Policing
    • History 1841 to 1941
    • History 1945 to 1967
    • Anatomy of the 50 cent Riot - 1966
    • The Fall of a Commissioner.
    • History 1967 to 1980
    • Three Wise Men from the West
    • The Blue Berets.
    • The African Korps and other tribes.
    • Getting About - Transport.
    • A Pub in every station
    • Bullshit Bingo & Meetings
    • Godber - The one who nearly got away.
    • Uncle Ho
  • Top 20 Films
    • 2001 - A Space Odyssey.
    • The Godfather.
    • Blade Runner
    • Kes
    • Star Wars
    • Aliens
    • Ferris Bueller's Day Off
    • The Life of Brian
    • Dr Strangelove.
    • Infernal Affairs
    • Bridge on the River Kwai.
    • This Is Spinal Tap.
    • Chung King Express
    • An Officer and a Gentleman
    • PTU
    • Contact
    • Saving Private Ryan
    • Family Guy Star Wars
    • Zulu
    • Hard Day's Night
  • The Long Read
    • How The Walls Come Down
    • War in Ukraine - the narrative and other stuff.
    • The Hidden Leader
    • The Big Game
Search by typing & pressing enter

YOUR CART

Walter's Blog

"But how can you live and have no story to tell?" Fyodor Dostoevsky
Picture
Reflections on recent events, plus the occasional fact free rant unfiltered by rational argument. 

"If you want to read a blog to get a sense of what is going on in Hong Kong these days or a blog that would tell you wh at life was like living in colonial Hong Kong, this blog, WALTER'S BLOG, fits the bill."  Hong Kong Blog Review

29/12/2022 2 Comments

Podcasts and Videos

Picture
"These Hong Kong true crime stories, occurred during my era. Yet, some of the detail is new to me."
Having addressed my reading choices, it's probably fair that I give an insight into my regular favourites for podcasts and video channels. I take most of my podcasts from Spotify, although several of my choices are available on other outlets. Here are some recommendations. 

The Infinite Monkey Cage. (BBC Podcast) Professor Brain Cox and comedian Robin Ince take a lighthearted look at science. You will be entertained but also learn stuff. Now in the 12th series, it has asked: what is death, what happened before the big bang, is philosophy dead, and are pandas overrated? However, they are struggling with the big question; are strawberries alive? 

Fast Jet Performance. (YouTube). This ex-RAF pilot covers issues of the day, leadership, people development and Britain's defences. Tim Davies delivers the blows as fast as he used to fly, frequently dropping 'truth bombs' that hit home to rattle the establishment. 

Triggernometry. (Spotify Podcast and Youtube) Billed as a free-speech podcast, two comedians, a London lad and a Russian exile front this show. This odd couple have great chemistry as they and their guests explore the culture wars and other tricky issues. Raw and robust debate ensues. If you take offence at the truth, then avoid this podcast and crawl into your nearest safe space.

The Rest is Politics. (Spotify Podcast). Another odd couple. Rory Stewart is a Hong Kong-born ex-Conservative MP and former soldier. Joining him is Alastair Campbell, former Labour Party spin doctor and a controversial figure for his role in the Iraq war. The pair discuss politics and events while picking over their respective careers.

Stewart comes across as a thoroughly decent bloke who is probably ill-suited to the nasty world of politics. While Campbell affirms he is as thin-skinned as ever and willfully blind. He is often critical of others for precisely what he did when in power. Nonetheless, the dynamic between these two makes for fun listening, providing fascinating insights into the dysfunction of British politics.

Battleground - Ukraine. (Spotify Podcast) This podcast started by reviewing the Falklands War and has moved on to Ukraine. With their guests, military historians Patrick Bishop and Saul David examine the latest developments from an Anglo-Saxon disposition. At times they are less than balanced in their coverage, as both openly advocate for the Ukrainians, which colours their discussions and judgments. Still, worth a listen.

Catching Worms. (Spotify Podcast) These Hong Kong true crime stories occurred during my era. Yet, some of the detail is new to me. The podcast is gritty, with narration by the involved police officers, journalists and others who witnessed the cases first-hand. 

The Alexei Sayle Podcast. (Spotify Podcast and Youtube) Everybody's favourite Marxist teddy bear is ageing and not mellowing much. Episodes are an eclectic mix, some excellent and others dull. His unusual interest in guns and Chinese martial arts, coupled with his delusions about how Jeremy Corbyn could lead the U.K. to the promised land, are amusing. Like many old Marxists, Alexei remains comfortable in his London bubble without facing the reality of a world his ideals would create. But he's still funny. 

The Coming Storm. (BBC Podcast) QAnon and the plot to break reality are the focus of this podcast. Here you get a detailed account of how a conspiracy derailed U.S. politics and contributed to the storming of the Capital. It is a must-listen if you wish to comprehend how the internet works as a nexus that feeds a lunatic fringe and stokes unrest.

The Fall of Civilisations. (Spotify Podcast) Paul Copper provides a detailed account of why civilisations collapse. There are months of listening to work through here.

2 Comments
Gloria Bing
2/1/2023 03:54:42 pm

Never understood why Francis is still in that partnership. Konstantin is clearly the one with the brains and the presence, and who asks the meaningful questions.

Reply
Elephant man
3/1/2023 12:47:57 pm

Suffffffkkkrrr - Leftie playlist - musk be a BBC journo evicted from FCC for frighting with blues” and “twos”.

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Walter De Havilland was one of the last of the colonial coppers. He served 35 years in the Royal Hong Kong Police and Hong Kong Police Force. He's long retired. 

    Archives

    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017

    RSS Feed

Home

Introduction

Contact Walter

Copyright © 2015