I have always thought that Billy Bragg did love very well: “Man in the Iron Mask”, “Saturday Boy”, “St Swithins Day”, “A Lover Sings” etc.

To me, coolness connotes some extent of submission to a prevailing “Zeitgeist”, an accession to dominant trends. But being a contrarian is also cool, at least to some extent.

Are there “cool” limits to contrarianism? What are they? When did Hitchens breach them?

What about the diachronic aspect to cool? What is uncool today becomes cool tomorrow?

From whence does cool come and to where does it go?

Personally, I don’t see any reason why – I would have thought that that was the kind of individuality that defines cool, but apparently it isn’t so easy… :(

Nah. We bounced a laser off the window to pick up the sound vibrations through the glass.

“Rod Stewart’s “Atlantic Crossing”

Anyone for Rod Stewart’s “Atlantic Crossing”? “It’s not the spotlight” and “Three Time Loser” are faves. Beth Orton does a good version of the former.

Anyone for Rod Stewart’s “Atlantic Crossing”? “It’s not the spotlight” and “Three Time Loser” are faves. Beth Orton does a good version of the former.

I hope that’s not overdoing it.

Nathan Hauritz, an offie from Queensland, played on the most recent tour to India, a couple of years ago.

The last off spinner to be a regular in the test team was Tim May.

The fact is, however, that Australia has not produced one great off spinner whereas it has produced a lot of great leggies. This has to do with the wickets being bouncy.

For fashion, I have an uncool fond affection for flares of all sorts, but especially the high waisted “Staggers” jeans of the late ’70′s. People often remark to me that they would never wear flares again. Track suit pants were also flared, and they gave a very satisfactory “swish” as one was playing soccer.

I would definitely again, if only I could… Since knickerbockers are back, at least for women, they are not far away. In fact I have noticed women wearing them, and they are always the harbingers of change in fashion.

Come to think of it I reckon the baggy jeans that followed flares circa 1980 are tres cool too…

Having just stated that Patrick and myself are cool, I’m afraid that puts you in the category of coolmeister.

The really cool people are those who decide what it is that’s cool, and that, it seems is you.

It’s a poisoned chalice though Dave. There’ll be a knock on the door from New-Idea any minute now my friend, and things will never be the same again. Good luck!

…oh wait a sec, they are cool. It’s tha latter day wannabes who are uncool.

I also drive a Corolla – that’s gotta be uncool.

I have a concrete obelisk in my front yard.

It doesn’t bother me that young people may think that capitalism is uncool. After all, their position in it is often uninspiring. What does bother me is that they may think politics is uncool.

Rex – cardigans are cool, as long as you don’t own one of those superlarge white ones with the big leather buttons and the mock Norwegian designs. Also, you should never ever wear a cardigan to a black tie dinner.

You can justify moccasins by muttering of gout, but never a cardigan, even though you may be tricked by a fancy weskit.

Also I don’t have a cardigan. But I want one!

If you decide to write about cool and politics, Nicholas, don’t forget that Don had a great post on this a year or so ago.