Almost had that license to thrill by Robin Hawdon Since this is my first article for Meer Magazine I thought I'd better begin with an attention-grabbing headline. Having spent sixty years in show ... knew at least vaguely, all dressed in smart suits, probably with shoulder pads and shoe lifts. “Hi, Robin. Hi, Simon. Hi, Ian,” we greeted each other in deep voices, and with Bondian expressions

weighted dissapearance by Robin Hawdon Have the British lost their sense of humour? Are they so overwhelmed by the pressures and complexities of modern life that they cannot enjoy levity in their entertainment anymore

Does God really exist? by Robin Hawdon Ever since I was regularly bored to distraction by the tedious sermons preached at my English boarding school each Sunday, I have been seriously unconvinced about the presence

polarising paradigm by Robin Hawdon I have always been intrigued by the baffling business of politics. A political element creeps into most of my serious writing. The endless ups and downs of political fortunes

sheep and the wolf by Robin Hawdon Foreigners who come to Britain and only visit the hot spots - London, Stratford-on-Avon, Edinburgh, Bath, Stonehenge, etc - rarely appreciate that its rural countryside is perhaps

Once in a while, we all need a laugh by Robin Hawdon As a writer whose main source of income has for many years been from stage comedies, I have always been intrigued

humans an advanced species or primitive pieces? by Robin Hawdon The Latin name for the human species is homo sapiens, meaning 'wise man'. But are we wise? Considering the state of the planet

tough is it to be a writer? by Robin Hawdon After more than sixty years in the literary and show business worlds, I have come to some conclusions about the various aspects

novel becoming an extinct species? by Robin Hawdon When I was young, I and most of my contemporaries, devoured books with a passion. Classical novels, historical novels, detective novels, romantic novels, American novels; anything that

would humanity be if there was no such thing as crime? by Robin Hawdon A futile exercise you might think, since crime and criminals have always been with us, and always will

Long live the King by Robin Hawdon It has become more popular of late to forecast the demise of the monarchical system in Britain, particularly after the death of the late and great Queen Elizabeth

danger of being obliterated by our own ingenuity? by Robin Hawdon Over the last couple of decades the development of AI, Information Technology, Computer Science, Virtual Assistance - whatever one is supposed to call

Have we punched far above our weight? by Robin Hawdon Throughout human history, empires have risen and empires have declined. The Persians, the Egyptians, the Greeks, the Romans, the Moguls, the Spanish, the British

world is in a dangerous place by Robin Hawdon There is no question that the world is in a dangerous place at the moment. It is at the mercy of threatening autocrats from Putin

Insights on rebalancing the planet in an era of unprecedented threats by Robin Hawdon The planet and the human race are in a poor shape at the moment, quite possibly the worst shape since

Exploring the psychology behind trend adoption, from fashion to social movements by Robin Hawdon I sometimes wonder, when I look at the world, why it is that so many people follow the same, seemingly illogical

culinary adventures bring joy amidst global struggles by Robin Hawdon The world is in a pretty miserable state at present. It seems bedevilled by wars, pestilences, famines, and economic privations. Reading the news, one would

humanity’s primal instincts still shape our politics in an age of technological advancement by Robin Hawdon How is it that, in the supposedly advanced, sophisticated twenty-first century, man allows himself to be largely

outdated rules, financial instability and constant interruptions are breaking the game by Robin Hawdon Sports – sporting activities – are one of mankind's greatest inventions. Sport channels man's physicality, intelligence, creativity, imagination and aggression into

world wars drained Britain’s strength and purpose by Robin Hawdon I have written before on this subject, but now I'd like to expand further on it. The First World War was a disaster