Matthew J

It’s that time of year again! Christmas is almost upon us. Christmas is my favourite time of year, it’s the time to reconnect with loved ones, eat Cadbury’s out of business and spend the cold winter nights sat in front of the fire watching the TV until you fall asleep. Of course, we all know […]

11th November 2018 marks the centenary of the end of World War I, the war that changed the face of the world and scarred an entire generation. Its significance cannot be underestimated, its fallout massive. Mechanisation, airpower, chemical weapons and ideology all led to a devastating conflict that spanned the globe, from the banks of […]

Propaganda is everywhere and like death and taxes, is unavoidable. It is the leviathan that informs us of the goings on in our world and is the principal force in influencing our thoughts, beliefs and behaviour. While in recent decades the term has become associated with manipulation, historically it has been a descriptively neutral term. […]

“Rubicon moment” is a strange name for a column and without explanation, it won’t mean much to readers. I feel that the significance of the topics covered in the column will be understated if the naming of the column is not properly understood. Historically the Rubicon was a river that separated Italy from the northern […]

Humans have always amazed me with their ingenuity, and yet baffle me with their paradoxes. For thousands of years, humans have looked to the stars to find solutions to their problems, believing that all things on earth were the makings of divine creators who have shaped and moulded us; as well as the events that […]

The Cathedral Church of Christ, Blessed Mary the Virgin and St Cuthbert of Durham (Or for those in a rush, Durham Cathedral) is one of the UK’s most recognisable cathedrals. Dominating the Durham skyline, the cathedral provides the people of Durham not only a spiritual boost but an economic one too, bringing over 755,000 visitors […]

I have no shame in admitting that I voted for Brexit. Over two years since the referendum I still maintain the belief that Britain will be better off outside of the EU and that the long-term benefits will greatly outweigh the possible pitfalls that will occur in the short term. Despite my optimism about Britain’s […]

No other conflict has left such a scar on world history in the way that the Second World War has. From the titanic struggle raging on the vast steppes of Eastern Europe to the cataclysmic sea battles of the Pacific Ocean. It truly was a global war that impacted the lives of almost everybody alive […]

It’s that time of year again: the new football season is upon us. On Saturday 11th August 2018, Newcastle United will embark on its 86th season in the top flight of the English football pyramid. The first recorded football team to be based on Tyneside dates from 1877 at Elswick Rugby Club, though modern Newcastle […]

At 30 million years old, the Tyne is the second oldest river in the UK; beaten only by the Thames. For almost 2000 years, humans have been building bridges that span the width of the river. The Tyne Bridge is one of the most iconic landmarks of the Northeast. At a height of 194ft, it […]

Donald Trump is certainly a larger than life character. With his overly confident personality, dubious looking tan, and a haircut that no man is likely to aspire to copy, he gives those protesting against his government policy plenty of ammunition to fire. Protesters love a good effigy, and the effigy planned for Trump’s visit is […]

From June until September Newcastle Discovery Museum is hosting Rocket, one of the most renowned Steam Locomotives to ever journey on Britain’s railways. Though not the first steam locomotive, it resembled a culmination of years of engineering innovation and when completed was the most advanced steam locomotive of its day. Rocket was the brainchild of […]