more building frustration.

At the end of morning surgery I go to my partner to ask if her valuation has come in. I know it has been done, because I spoke to the guy myself while he was in the course of carrying it out 2 weeks ago. But no, he has insisted she must now get an estimate (well, "2 or 3" was what he said) for fixing the damp in the cellar, which is certainly an issue. But how long will that take? And how much will it cost to remedy, for Christ's sake? Thousands? Who knows? I bloody don't, except that I can see my profit on the sale melting away in front of my eyes. It's not a nice feeling.

COMMENT

1. So. George Dubya has brought out his memoirs and sung for his supper in a slew of prime-time interviews. Why did he think water-boarding was legal? he was asked. Because his lawyer told him it was, he snapped back, quick as a flash. What about any moral or ethical considerations? I might have followed up with (the interviewer didn't bother to inquire any further) but I guess he would have simply replied words to the effect of "If I can save people from being blown up using these techniques, who cares?"
Well, George, I do. Because if we resort to torture to obtain information, this makes us little better than our enemies. In WW2 the Nazis used the reprisal trick for dealing with terrorist attacks on their troops. On one occasion in Italy, 30 soldiers were killed by partisans. In response the Germans selected 300 Italian citizens ans shot them in the back of the head. After which there was a distinct reduction in terror attacks. Why don't the Americans try that? It might work. Or maybe, without telling anyone, they already have...

2. David Cameron and his 40-strong entourage are in China as I write, prepared to skate over any discussion of that nation's frankly appalling human rights record, or indeed say or do anything that might get in the way of the Big Plan: increasing our exports to that cash-engorged country. But in a beautiful example of how it is impossible to decipher a different culture's psyche, they were taken completely by surprise when the Chinese expressed unease at the display of poppies adorning the breast of each and every British delegate. Turns out they felt it could be construed as a reference to the opium wars fought between the two countries in the mid nineteenth century (and which of course we won) Apparently it was thought to be uncool to take them all off, so they stayed there, doubtless giving off a faint fragrance of mortification all day long...