imposs1904
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Back in July I posted on the blog a page dedicated to the Proper Gander TV Column, which is celebrating its 15th anniversary in the Socialist Standard this year.
Following up on that, I thought I would compile a list of the twenty most popular Proper Gander TV Columns . . . according to blog stats, that is. Any opportunity to prod readers of the blog into exploring the Socialist Standard archive.
If you click on the month and year, it will lead you to the article.
https://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2026/10/new-blog-page-proper-gander-extras.html
Just a wee further update on this page.
Though Ralph in later years was best known for his regular columns in the Standard – ‘Caught in the Act’ and ‘The Greasy Pole’ – I think I should give a special mention to the short stories that he would occasionally write for the Standard over the years. They were a nice blend of humour and political insight. I’ve posted the links for them below ‘cos I think people will appreciate them.
Cheers.
Short Stories
Dec 1964: In Youth is Pleasure
Mar 1973: . . . A Much More Private Letter
Dec 1981: Ghost of Christmas past
Dec 1983: Having a rotten Christmas
I’ve just updated the Ralph Critchfield (‘Ivan’) page on the blog.
It’s a chronological list of articles, book reviews and regular columns that Ralph wrote for the Socialist Standard between 1949 and 2018:
https://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2026/10/updated-ralph-critichfield-ivan-1949.html
Hi all,
Sorry to read on Spintcom of the recent passing of longstanding Socialist Party member, Alwyn Edgar.
As many list members will know, Alwyn was a longstanding writer for the Socialist Standard, going back many decades, and to mark his passing, I put together on the Socialist Standard Past and Present blog a page which lists his articles, columns, book reviews and cartoons in chronological order:
https://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/p/alwyn-edgar-1949-2018.html
1949 is the year of his first appearance in the Standard and January 2018 marks the date of his last appearance in the Standard. (Though Alwyn’s books on the Highland Clearances were mentioned in the Standard post-2018.)
If you click on the month and year on the left hand side of the linked page it will lead you to the individual pieces.
It’s not the complete list of Alwyn’s writings for the Standard but it is the overwhelming majority of his writings that appeared in the Standard, and eventually all his articles and columns will be online.
Just posted a new page on the Socialist Standard Past and Present blog.
2026 is the 15th anniversary of the Socialist Standard’s excellent Proper Gander TV review column, and that’s a good enough excuse to put together a dedicated page to it where all the columns are listed in chronological order. (Where I could, I’ve provided a brief description of each column.)
Mike Foster was kind enough to provide an introduction to the page.
https://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2026/07/new-blog-page-proper-gander.html
If you send me your email address here, I will forward it on to you.
‘Thomas More’ wrote:
“BJ, I am finding Jack Common’s books hard to obtain.
I do like Alan Sillitoe. “Uncle Ernest” is my favourite of his short stories.”
I have a copy of Common’s ‘Kiddar’s Luck’ as an epub if you want me to email it to you.
ETA:
I just noticed that Libcom has a small selection of his articles and a biographical sketch of him and his connection to Orwell:I’ve not updated this thread for the longest time, so a little update about the blog:
https://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2026/06/blog-update.html
As mentioned in the post linked to I have been trying to post more material on social media – using our extensive back catalogue – so if anyone can suggest articles or reviews which are particularly worthy for inclusion, I would appreciate it.
Looking at the three results, you have to wonder if ‘Shake It Up’ actually cost the Greens a couple of seats.
Any idea why ‘Shake It Up’ polled so well? . . . in relative terms, I mean.
Just stumbled across this new song and new artist (new to me at least).
Good tune and excellent lyrics . . . which I’m sure will remind you of a very famous poem from the 1930s:
Edited to add. Here’s the lyrics:
Someone’s always first to go
That’s what they do
They start out with the media and the news
They target all the people with different views
And if you’re not the next in line
You will be soonCause everybody pays the price
And you will too
Whether you’re the radical
Or the fool
You might laugh when they come for me
But when they do
No one will be left to care
When it’s youAnd you might not be next
But your day is gonna come
You don’t have to guess
It’s as good as doneWhether it’s the immigrants or the Jews
There’s always an enemy for them to choose
It starts off with the socialists
And the schools
Until one day the enemy starts to look like youAnd then you cry for help
But no one’s there
Cause there’s nobody with a spine left
For you to scare
And when they come for you
You better pray
That when you go to lick the boot, they don’t put it in your faceYou might not be next
But your day is gonna come
You don’t have to guess
It’s as good as done
Now everybody else is gone
There’s no one else for you to blame
When there’s nobody left
You’re next
You’re next
You’re nextNo spine
No soul
No shame
No reason
Didn’t need em
Didn’t know it
Didn’t see it
Don’t believe it
Didn’t matter when it happened cause it wasn’t to me
I’ll live dumb and die as a casualtyYou might not be next
But your day is coming soon
You don’t have to guess
It’s as good as doneNow everybody else is gone
There’s no one else for you to blame
There’s nobody left
You’re NextYou’re Next
You’re Next
You’re Next
