12 Feb 2014
6. Shouting bang is not the same as having a gun
Every lawless frontier town in history has attracted a certain kind of person, the kind who thinks of themselves as strong, virile, cunning and ruthless. These people like the idea of a land where there are no barriers t...
10 Feb 2014
4. The difference between having and using
Is a gun still a gun if you don't shoot it? Is it still a gun if you don't load it? What if you put the safety on when the gun is loaded – is it still a gun then?
What about a chocolate bar? If you have a chocolate bar and you...
9 Feb 2014
3. On unicorns for tea...
Last night for my tea I had unicorn. Well, OK, I didn't. It was a burger. But in effect it was a unicorn. You know, four legs, mammal. Close enough. The international money markets will see it as a unicorn and that's what counts.
This...
7 Feb 2014
2. A thousand years old and brand new
Independent Scotland walks into a bar. Barman says “Are you a continuing state?” Independent Scotland asks “why?”. Barman says “Because you've got to be 18 or over to be served”.
So, independent Scotland, are we a continuing state?...
5 Feb 2014
1. Some negotiating basics...
Consider the following story. A man walks into a motorway service station. He gets a packet of crisps and takes it to the counter. The checkout operator tells him that if he wants the crisps he's going to have to hand over more money than...