The Tartan Con
29 episodes - English - Latest episode: 3 months ago -This series is a follow on from the website www.TheTartanCon.blogspot.com. It will include Rants on Society, Rants on The Criminal Justice System, just plain good old fashioned Rants. There will be guests voicing their opinions from all walks of life. But remember, its only their opinion; they could be wrong !!
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Episodes
Episode 29: Speech on the State of Our Prisons
February 01, 2024 17:00 - 15 minutes - 10.4 MBThis is the speech that I delivered on 29/01/2024 to the Birmingham- Legal - Medical Society. I was delighted to be asked to deliver a speech on the state of prisons in the United Kingdom at their monthly meeting. The audience consisted of members of the local legal community and psychologists. FYI They did't fall asleep !
Episode 28: When is it time to talk about it - Version 2
July 23, 2023 18:00 - 7 minutes - 5.99 MBThis is a re-record and small edit of an earlier rant. I did it again as i think that I can do it better justice, now.
Episode 27: The Ballad of Reading Gaol
June 04, 2023 18:00 - 3 minutes - 3.27 MBA little excerpt uploaded by request. I have moved a couple of stanzas around for context. Hope you enjoy !
Episode 26: The Fourth Estate - Truth or not ?
March 06, 2022 18:00 - 15 minutes - 12.8 MBThis episode discusses the reasoning of the difference of what the media report and the actual facts. It also touches on why we resign ourselves to failure.
Episode 25: When is it Time to Talk about it ?
January 24, 2021 21:00 - 6 minutes - 5.97 MBMy Rant on the state of prisons
Episode 24: The Unchained Melody
October 25, 2020 20:00 - 8 minutes - 8.22 MBI read my recrnt blog on my experiences of launching a new program in a prison
Episode 23: If
October 25, 2020 17:00 - 2 minutes - 2.87 MBA very short 2 1/2 minute reading of Rudyard Kipling's poem "if". A little calming music in th background. Please enjoy.
Episode 22: Turn the Clock back?
October 04, 2020 18:15 - 14 minutes - 12.7 MBThe one where I discuss if I wa given the opportunity of turning my life clock back, would I ? The answer might surprise you.
Episode 21: Late night Poetry
August 11, 2020 00:15 - 3 minutes - 2.88 MBRecorded in the wee small hours, "My Friend" Kahlil Gibran
Episode 20: The Government Admits Failure
July 06, 2020 13:00 - 11 minutes - 11.2 MBI disect the horrnedously badly written press release issued by The Ministry of Justice in England referring to the building of 4 new prisons in England over the next 6 years. I state that this is a huge admission of failure on behalf of society.
Episode 18: Poetry. Wordsworth, Frost and Gibran
June 28, 2020 18:00 - 5 minutes - 7.26 MBA reading of The Daffodils by Wordsworth Defeat by Kahlil Gibran The Road not Taken by Robert Frost. Enjoy!
Episode 17: The Broken Contract
June 13, 2020 19:00 - 12 minutes - 12.4 MBToday, in the back pages of the internet, it was revealed that HMPPS had decided to roll out PAVA spray throughout the male closed prisons. At this time when staff relations with prisoners is at an all time high, this decision beggars belief.
Episode 16: De Profundis - Excerpts and a critique
May 31, 2020 15:30 - 40 minutes - 35.2 MBA few of my favourite excerpts from De Profundis. The Letter written by Wilde to Lord Alfred Douglas. De Profundis is an amazing letter, showing the machinations of his mind.
Episode 15: De Profundis Part I
May 24, 2020 19:00 - 1 hour - 73.4 MBDe Profundis is a letter written by Oscar Wilde over 3 months in 1897 to Lord Alfred Douglas. In Part 1 there is a crtitique of De Profundis and I read the first 20 pages. Parts II, III & IV to follow.
Episode 14: Prison Reform according to Oscar Wilde
May 17, 2020 17:00 - 14 minutes - 19.1 MBThis letter, written in 1898 from Paris was Oscar Wilde's last known letter to the Editor of the Daily Chronicle. In it he discuss the need for urgent reform in England's gaols. In it you will hear about Wandsworth prison having in cell lavatories. Such was the outcry from the neighbourhood that a prison should be built with in cell facilitries that they were soon removed. Wilde was released from prison in May of 1897 and died in Paris some 3 years later. The average life expectancy of someon...
Episode 13: The Ballad of Reading Gaol - An Excerpt
May 10, 2020 16:00 - 4 minutes - 5.76 MBThe Ballad of Reading gaol was written by Oscar Wilde in 1897, a year after he left prison and was living in self-imposed exile in France.
Episode 12: Two Short Stories
May 09, 2020 17:00 - 18 minutes - 14.5 MBTaken from the wonderful David Sedaris' book Squirrel Seeks Chimpunk
Episode 11: A Letter from Oscar Wilde to The Editor of the Daily Chronicle 1897
May 03, 2020 18:00 - 25 minutes - 29.5 MBa short while after being reelased from prison Oscar Wilde writes to the Editor of the Daily Chronicle. In it he asks for the intervention of the newspaper in looking at the treatment of children in Prison and the treatment of those who are mentally ill. He decries the firing of an officer for giving a child a biscuit !
Episode 10: Desiderata
May 03, 2020 17:30 - 3 minutes - 3.8 MBA Reading of the wonderful Desiderta originally written my Max Ehrman in 1927
Episode 9: Can we Get This Right?
April 18, 2020 18:00 - 16 minutes - 23.7 MBI just wanted to rant a little at the inability to get the most basic things right and a slight at the bureaucracy that faces our prison staff on a daily basis.
Episode 8: Decency Please
December 31, 2019 12:00 - 12 minutes - 8.39 MBThe one where i ask for decencyfrom everyone. I condemn the person who needed to be condemned and I thank the people who need to be thanked
Episode 7: None of The Above
November 25, 2019 22:00 - 12 minutes - 9.39 MBI discuss the Party Manifestos of the Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat parties as they relate to the prisons in England & Wales.
Episode 6: Freedom - What A Concept
October 24, 2019 17:00 - 13 minutes - 9.23 MBThe one where I talk about the blurred lines of reality vs perception .
Episode 5: The Glass Ceiling
October 10, 2019 13:00 - 16 minutes - 19 MBA while ago, I was asked on twitter whether or not i thought that there was a glass ceiling for those of us who are ex-prisoners who work within the criminal justice sector. From my heart to yours.
Episode 4: Talk To Us Not At Us
October 01, 2019 14:00 - 12 minutes - 8.34 MBThe one where I rant about the lack of ture engagement with ex-prisoners. (Yes, that's right, I don't use the "Lived Experience" thing!)
Episode 3: A Speech Given at HMP Swinfen Hall - The Importance of Induction into Custody
September 26, 2019 18:00 - 15 minutes - 22.6 MBAt an event held at HMP Swinfen Hall earlier this month, I was asked to give a speech on the importance of induction into custody. I was asked to be brief. I failed.
Episode 2: A Rare Chance to Answer Back
August 29, 2019 10:00 - 18 minutes - 14.5 MBAfter being interviewed , i thought i would take this chance just to give you a bit more background.
Episode 1: Hidden Heroes
August 09, 2019 12:00 - 8 minutes - 5.4 MBThis is a recording of the speech that I had the honour of giving at the Annual Summer Symposium, hosted by the wonderful Butler Trust at Keble College, Oxford.