We arrived in Malta yesterday under fair skies, but temperatures scarcely any improvement on what we had left behind. We should have considered ourselves lucky. Because today at around 2 pm, that is to say, after we had done the rounds of notable sights in Valletta, the heavens opened and an almighty deluge swept in from the northeast, driven by gale force winds.
I can report I am posting this blog sitting in the relative comfort of the Phoenicia hotel, one of Malta's finest, I am informed (though they do not supply slippers in the bedrooms despite their cold stone floors, and my wife's Margarita of last night was of sub-optimal quality- never fear: she'll blast them on trip advisor once we get home)
As I look around the elegant Palm Court lounge, there are a lot of glum faces (mostly Brits) who are wondering why they travelled 1500 miles and nearly 20 degrees due south to get weather no better, or even worse than back home. Them's the breaks, chums. We're all a lot better off here than 200 miles south: in Libya, where it's condition red and they are definitely expecting rain. The poor bastards. God preserve the people from that psycho and the murderous band of thugs (including his execrable son Saif)
who still support him.
Saturday, 26 February 2011
Tuesday, 22 February 2011
a man shown in his true colours
COMMENT
One of the most heartwarming aspects of the revolutions in Egypt and Tunisia was the refusal of the armed forces to fire on their own people. Fearing the same thing might happen in Libya, Gaddafi has ordered attacks from the air on demonstrators, while on the ground armed bands of mercenaries from sub-Saharan Africa have been seen roaming the streets, firing at random into the crowds. It was too much for 2 airforce colonels: they flew their warplanes to nearby Malta (where we are bound in a few days)announcing that they could not bring themselves to bomb their own people.
In the past I have always been sceptical of the rabid attacks on Gaddafi by the "Western" media. Now it seems they were right all along. Gaddafi is indeed an evil man, willing to hold on to his power by any means necessary, up to and including the extermination of his own people. This puts him on a par with Hitler, who, at the end of World War 2, disgusted with the German people's inability to win the war, was quite happy to sacrifice them en masse. In a supreme act of hubris he prepared plans to completely destroy every part of Germany's infrastructure. And like Hitler, Gaddafi is now emerging as a twisted, embittered old man whose time has passed but refuses to accept the truth.
The solution? Speaking on Al Jazeera this morning, David Owen suggested that as a first step the West could enforce a no-fly zone over Libya. This would at least prevent any further air attacks on the people from what is sounding increasingly like a rump of Gaddafi loyalists in the airforce. But it would be a huge step. And as for a land invasion,(and these are my words) this should be left for the Arab league to sort out.
STOP THE SLAUGHTER NOW!
FREEDOM FOR THE LIBYAN PEOPLE!
One of the most heartwarming aspects of the revolutions in Egypt and Tunisia was the refusal of the armed forces to fire on their own people. Fearing the same thing might happen in Libya, Gaddafi has ordered attacks from the air on demonstrators, while on the ground armed bands of mercenaries from sub-Saharan Africa have been seen roaming the streets, firing at random into the crowds. It was too much for 2 airforce colonels: they flew their warplanes to nearby Malta (where we are bound in a few days)announcing that they could not bring themselves to bomb their own people.
In the past I have always been sceptical of the rabid attacks on Gaddafi by the "Western" media. Now it seems they were right all along. Gaddafi is indeed an evil man, willing to hold on to his power by any means necessary, up to and including the extermination of his own people. This puts him on a par with Hitler, who, at the end of World War 2, disgusted with the German people's inability to win the war, was quite happy to sacrifice them en masse. In a supreme act of hubris he prepared plans to completely destroy every part of Germany's infrastructure. And like Hitler, Gaddafi is now emerging as a twisted, embittered old man whose time has passed but refuses to accept the truth.
The solution? Speaking on Al Jazeera this morning, David Owen suggested that as a first step the West could enforce a no-fly zone over Libya. This would at least prevent any further air attacks on the people from what is sounding increasingly like a rump of Gaddafi loyalists in the airforce. But it would be a huge step. And as for a land invasion,(and these are my words) this should be left for the Arab league to sort out.
STOP THE SLAUGHTER NOW!
FREEDOM FOR THE LIBYAN PEOPLE!
Sunday, 20 February 2011
the curse of the mummy
I was settling in to another session of blog editing on Thursday afternoon when I got a call from my mum.
"I've been to the doctor again and he's told me I can drive"
She didn't quite say "So there!", but she might as well have done.
"He said he'd given you a letter saying just that. So why are you saying I can't?", she demanded.
I knew this couldn't be right: she had a letter from the DVLA (Driver Vehicle Licencing Authority) advising her that her licence had been revoked because of her memory problems, and that she couldn't have it restored without them having a letter from her doctor saying that she fulfilled the criteria for safe driving. Which he had indeed duly given us last week, and which I had then immediately dispatched to the DVLA- by first class special delivery. I said I would phone the doctor myself for confirmation and get back to her, which I did, and my original suspicions proved correct: she had simply heard what she wanted to hear from the doctor's lips, and worked on that.
She was not best pleased when I told her she had misunderstood what he had said to her. But then she turned her frustration and rage on me, exclaiming:
"Well of course this whole thing is your fault anyway: if you hadn't told the DVLA I'd still be driving now"
Then it was my turn to be outraged. I explained, in increasingly forceful language that I was doing everything possible to restore her licence as quickly as possible, and that I took exception to being told that it was my fault she's had her licence taken away- it was her legal duty to inform them of her diagnosis; she'd be breaking the law otherwise and might find herself uninsured to boot. Eventually I took a leaf out of her own book and put the phone down on her. She's done this to me lots of times over the years, but this is the first time I can recall returning the favour.
I was badly shaken by our exchange; honouring thy father and mother etc, but I shouldn't have worried. She was back on the phone within half an hour to apologise for her behaviour, and tearfully announcing that she did indeed trust that I was only acting in her best interests.
I have to say I do feel for the poor dab. She lives a mile away from even the nearest convenience store, and to be kept off the road is a major blow for her, as it would be for any of us. Fortunately, she has a good network of friends happy to step into the breach and help her out. So once she recovers from the initial shock she should just about manage for the at least 3 months it will take for the DVLA to get round to dealing with her case, and hopefully deciding in her favour.
"I've been to the doctor again and he's told me I can drive"
She didn't quite say "So there!", but she might as well have done.
"He said he'd given you a letter saying just that. So why are you saying I can't?", she demanded.
I knew this couldn't be right: she had a letter from the DVLA (Driver Vehicle Licencing Authority) advising her that her licence had been revoked because of her memory problems, and that she couldn't have it restored without them having a letter from her doctor saying that she fulfilled the criteria for safe driving. Which he had indeed duly given us last week, and which I had then immediately dispatched to the DVLA- by first class special delivery. I said I would phone the doctor myself for confirmation and get back to her, which I did, and my original suspicions proved correct: she had simply heard what she wanted to hear from the doctor's lips, and worked on that.
She was not best pleased when I told her she had misunderstood what he had said to her. But then she turned her frustration and rage on me, exclaiming:
"Well of course this whole thing is your fault anyway: if you hadn't told the DVLA I'd still be driving now"
Then it was my turn to be outraged. I explained, in increasingly forceful language that I was doing everything possible to restore her licence as quickly as possible, and that I took exception to being told that it was my fault she's had her licence taken away- it was her legal duty to inform them of her diagnosis; she'd be breaking the law otherwise and might find herself uninsured to boot. Eventually I took a leaf out of her own book and put the phone down on her. She's done this to me lots of times over the years, but this is the first time I can recall returning the favour.
I was badly shaken by our exchange; honouring thy father and mother etc, but I shouldn't have worried. She was back on the phone within half an hour to apologise for her behaviour, and tearfully announcing that she did indeed trust that I was only acting in her best interests.
I have to say I do feel for the poor dab. She lives a mile away from even the nearest convenience store, and to be kept off the road is a major blow for her, as it would be for any of us. Fortunately, she has a good network of friends happy to step into the breach and help her out. So once she recovers from the initial shock she should just about manage for the at least 3 months it will take for the DVLA to get round to dealing with her case, and hopefully deciding in her favour.
Tuesday, 15 February 2011
big dream
We all dream every night. More often than not we don't remember them, or if we do, they make little sense to our waking minds. And perhaps this is just as well. But occasionally we have what a native American friend of mine used to call a "Big Dream"- a dream whose details, however bizarre, we recall in every vivid detail and even sometimes remember for the rest of our lives. I had such a dream last night.
It began as what I call a "celebrity dream", where I was with 2 TV stars, viz Adam and Jamie from the Discovery channel's "Mythbusters". It was in one of those post apocalyptic scenarios so beloved of Hollywood, where the world's entire food supply is contaminated, and the human population has no option but to slowly starve to death, or commit suicide. I ask these 2 luminaries, who made their reputations from their intelligence and resourcefulness, what we could do. They are unanimous: Jamie says: Only 2 options: die slowly of starvation, or end it quickly, by one of the classical methods"
"What will you do?" I asked. They opted for the former, slow method. We had settled down near a steep precipice, and I began to think about option number 2. Did I really want to go the through the horrible, drawn out process of death by starvation?. And then I did it. All at once I was falling through the air, the wind rushing through my hair and found myself thinking, "Well! I never thought you had it in you- never thought you'd be so brave"
Then I woke up.
It began as what I call a "celebrity dream", where I was with 2 TV stars, viz Adam and Jamie from the Discovery channel's "Mythbusters". It was in one of those post apocalyptic scenarios so beloved of Hollywood, where the world's entire food supply is contaminated, and the human population has no option but to slowly starve to death, or commit suicide. I ask these 2 luminaries, who made their reputations from their intelligence and resourcefulness, what we could do. They are unanimous: Jamie says: Only 2 options: die slowly of starvation, or end it quickly, by one of the classical methods"
"What will you do?" I asked. They opted for the former, slow method. We had settled down near a steep precipice, and I began to think about option number 2. Did I really want to go the through the horrible, drawn out process of death by starvation?. And then I did it. All at once I was falling through the air, the wind rushing through my hair and found myself thinking, "Well! I never thought you had it in you- never thought you'd be so brave"
Then I woke up.
Saturday, 12 February 2011
ah, the smell of high octane gasoline in the morning
Last night, we travelled to Cardiff for a performance art exposition under the umbrella title of "The Future of Love". In 3 parts, the first 2 were so awful that I found myself thinking, if this is the future of love, give me the cyanide capsule now. The first section was a french artist demonstrating "state of the art" robotic sex toys, which was a bit like flipping channels and coming across "Tomorrow's world, live from Nantes" and the 2nd, a Korean dancer's offering which involved her hugging a tripod with a male bust screwed into the top, the whole tableau remaining motionless for minutes at a time. It may have been "deep", "meaningful" or whatever, but I kept wanting to jump up and cry- "excuse me! But isn't this utter bullshit?"
It was saved by the final section, a quirky but highly original dance by Anushia Yarnell, ably assisted by her brother Swaran, she almost literally tearing her soul open for our inspection. This at least was moving and powerful theatre.
This morning, we made the lengthy drive to the Forest of Dean to undertake a 9 mile walk in the woods. On arriving, however, we found hundreds of cars parked, and even more spectators lining the forest tracks for the annual Forest of Dean motor rally. We struggled on manfully, but at one point we found ourselves having to walk down a straightish track where the cars (according to the marshals), "got into 6th gear", meaning getting to over 100 miles per hour. The noise, the speed, the flying pebbles thrown up by the cars in their furious progress, made my wife say she was "about to cry with terror" and I myself was genuinely concerned for our safety. After an hour of this , realising that the tortuous route through the forest gave us no respite throughout the length of our proposed path, led us to give up in despair and return home to the safety of our sofa. Bollocks!
COMMENT
What wonderful events last night in Egypt! This is the best bit of world news for many years; every time the people rise up to overthrow an autocratic dictatorship (Philippines, South Africa, the communist bloc) I always experience a tremendous surge of pure, life-affirming joy. We can only hope that the Egyptian people will now obtain the democratic setup they so richly deserve. And I wonder, which autocratic state in the Arab world will be the next to fall. Morocco, Algeria, Libya, Jordan, Syria; there's a long, if not very distinguished, list of suitable candidates...
It was saved by the final section, a quirky but highly original dance by Anushia Yarnell, ably assisted by her brother Swaran, she almost literally tearing her soul open for our inspection. This at least was moving and powerful theatre.
This morning, we made the lengthy drive to the Forest of Dean to undertake a 9 mile walk in the woods. On arriving, however, we found hundreds of cars parked, and even more spectators lining the forest tracks for the annual Forest of Dean motor rally. We struggled on manfully, but at one point we found ourselves having to walk down a straightish track where the cars (according to the marshals), "got into 6th gear", meaning getting to over 100 miles per hour. The noise, the speed, the flying pebbles thrown up by the cars in their furious progress, made my wife say she was "about to cry with terror" and I myself was genuinely concerned for our safety. After an hour of this , realising that the tortuous route through the forest gave us no respite throughout the length of our proposed path, led us to give up in despair and return home to the safety of our sofa. Bollocks!
COMMENT
What wonderful events last night in Egypt! This is the best bit of world news for many years; every time the people rise up to overthrow an autocratic dictatorship (Philippines, South Africa, the communist bloc) I always experience a tremendous surge of pure, life-affirming joy. We can only hope that the Egyptian people will now obtain the democratic setup they so richly deserve. And I wonder, which autocratic state in the Arab world will be the next to fall. Morocco, Algeria, Libya, Jordan, Syria; there's a long, if not very distinguished, list of suitable candidates...
Tuesday, 8 February 2011
demented driver
Out to the coast to take my mum to see her doctor again, firstly to get him to complete the (newly printed) document correctly, and also to persuade him to write a letter of support for her appeal to have hr driving licence restored, having had it peremptorily revoked by the DVLA last week the moment they learnt of her Alzheimer's diagnosis. To give added weight to our argument, I sat next to her as she negotiated the 5 mile run from her home to the surgery through heavy traffic, very cautiously, but without any errors. Thankfully he complied immediately, and we walked away with his letter of support in our hands.
Now she must wait for a positive response from the DVLA before she can drive again. I explained to her again and again that she must not drive even a yard, as she would be breaking the law as well as being uninsured. Will she remember to keep to this injunction? I am not certain she will, but I feel it would just be too humiliating for her to confiscate her keys, like some wayward teenager.
COMMENT: WHAT A DIFFERENCE A BIT OF IMMOLATION CAN MAKE
It all kicked off in Tunisia with someone setting fire to themselves in protest against a heartless, autocratic regime. Then someone did the same in Egypt, and the rest, as they say, is history. Anyone with even a spark of humanity must have been moved by the "people's protest" in Cairo's Tahrir Square in the past fortnight, the high point of which for me being the Army's refusal to crush the revolt, a la Tiananmen Square in 1989.
But Mubarak is still there, waiting the protesters out, and I fear in the short term he will win the waiting game. He knows the people there, living in increasingly squalid conditions, will eventually give up in despair, while he waits in comfort and luxury. Already the Americans, so strident to begin with about following the will of the people, have backtracked, quietly reverting to their time honoured position of favouring a stable government over a democratic one every time. But given a longer time-frame, time is on the people's side. Big M knows his days are numbered, and I can only echo those famous words used in a different context:
"In the name of God, GO!"
Now she must wait for a positive response from the DVLA before she can drive again. I explained to her again and again that she must not drive even a yard, as she would be breaking the law as well as being uninsured. Will she remember to keep to this injunction? I am not certain she will, but I feel it would just be too humiliating for her to confiscate her keys, like some wayward teenager.
COMMENT: WHAT A DIFFERENCE A BIT OF IMMOLATION CAN MAKE
It all kicked off in Tunisia with someone setting fire to themselves in protest against a heartless, autocratic regime. Then someone did the same in Egypt, and the rest, as they say, is history. Anyone with even a spark of humanity must have been moved by the "people's protest" in Cairo's Tahrir Square in the past fortnight, the high point of which for me being the Army's refusal to crush the revolt, a la Tiananmen Square in 1989.
But Mubarak is still there, waiting the protesters out, and I fear in the short term he will win the waiting game. He knows the people there, living in increasingly squalid conditions, will eventually give up in despair, while he waits in comfort and luxury. Already the Americans, so strident to begin with about following the will of the people, have backtracked, quietly reverting to their time honoured position of favouring a stable government over a democratic one every time. But given a longer time-frame, time is on the people's side. Big M knows his days are numbered, and I can only echo those famous words used in a different context:
"In the name of God, GO!"
Saturday, 5 February 2011
blue-grey saturday
Westerly winds have been sweeping across the city for several days now. Today there have been some terrific gusts, flattening the grass in our garden, indicating a wind speed in excess of 100kph.
Perhaps it is the wind that has sucked one of our cats up and away into the ether. Certainly he hasn't put in an appearance for over 48 hours now, and I fear the worst. Of course he may have found a new family; cats do that sometimes, I am told. And he has disappeared for days at a time twice before. I just don't know. But it has cast a bit of a shadow over us today.
This morning I went through the LPA forms once again, line by line, to ensure there were no mistakes, as an imperfectly completed form results in the immediate loss of the £120 fee. There were. In the part to be filled in by the GP, where it said:
"EITHER/OR: Fill in ONE of the following 2 boxes" he had filled in both. It is fortunate, therefore, that we are going to see him again next week on another matter, so I can get him to fill it in properly this time on a new form I have printed off. In fact we are seeing him to ask for his support in my mum's appeal against the DVLA withdrawing her driving licence the moment they caught wind of her memory loss. The poor thing rang to tell me the news a couple of days ago, and quite understandably was in a terrible state.
Thing is, I know she is still a perfectly competent driver as long as she sticks to her comfort zone, which is no more than 10 miles from her house, and only in daylight. She may win her appeal though: people can get a special assessment done which will confirm her driving ability and all will be fine again. Until the day comes when she sets out and forgets where she's going and gets completely lost. And panics...
Perhaps it is the wind that has sucked one of our cats up and away into the ether. Certainly he hasn't put in an appearance for over 48 hours now, and I fear the worst. Of course he may have found a new family; cats do that sometimes, I am told. And he has disappeared for days at a time twice before. I just don't know. But it has cast a bit of a shadow over us today.
This morning I went through the LPA forms once again, line by line, to ensure there were no mistakes, as an imperfectly completed form results in the immediate loss of the £120 fee. There were. In the part to be filled in by the GP, where it said:
"EITHER/OR: Fill in ONE of the following 2 boxes" he had filled in both. It is fortunate, therefore, that we are going to see him again next week on another matter, so I can get him to fill it in properly this time on a new form I have printed off. In fact we are seeing him to ask for his support in my mum's appeal against the DVLA withdrawing her driving licence the moment they caught wind of her memory loss. The poor thing rang to tell me the news a couple of days ago, and quite understandably was in a terrible state.
Thing is, I know she is still a perfectly competent driver as long as she sticks to her comfort zone, which is no more than 10 miles from her house, and only in daylight. She may win her appeal though: people can get a special assessment done which will confirm her driving ability and all will be fine again. Until the day comes when she sets out and forgets where she's going and gets completely lost. And panics...
Tuesday, 1 February 2011
january 2011 book and film review
BOOKS
MIDDLEMARCH, by George Eliot. Yes, I only read 1 book this month, but what a book! I admit I tried to read it a few years ago and gave up after only a few pages, but I am made of sterner stuff these days. This time I was equal to the formidable task of plumbing the depths of this extraordinary, 900 page classic tale of provincial life in early 19th century England. Its scope, its intelligence and insight into the heights and depths of the human psyche, made it for me one of the greatest of all novels in English. Be patient, take it slow and you'll be in for an unforgettable reading experience.
FILMS
ALICE IN WONDERLAND, 2009 (D-Tim Burton). OK adaptation of Lewis Carroll's children's classic. The book itself is very dark, with frequent mentions of death and other threats a child might face, and this darkness is reflected to some extent in the film. And of course Johnny Depp is always good value for money.
HUSTLE, 1975 (D-Robert Aldrich). Really rather awful cop/buddie story, made in an era when you couldn't see a movie that didn't star Burt Reynolds. Don't bother.
DEADLY PURSUIT, 1987 (D-Roger Spottiswoode) FBI man Poitier recruits reluctant Berenger to help him find a murderer hiding deep in the Oregon forests. Pretty routine stuff.
MAN OF THE WEST, 1958 (D-Anthony Mann) Classic good-guy Gary Cooper is tempted out of retirement for one more heist by old friend Lee J Cobb. Mann tells it like it was, with realistic drama and frightening violence. Worth a look.
ELECTION, 1999 (W-D-Alexander Payne)Splendid piece of movie making with Reese Witherspoon as a plain, but driven schoolgirl and Matthew Broderick, the teacher who tries and fails to thwart her ambitions. Strongly recommended.
MY SUPER EX-GIRLFRIEND, 2008 (D-Ivan Reitman). Uma Thurman as the girl with super powers but who can't handle being dumped. Quite amusing, but it aint Ghostbusters.
CLEOPATRA, 1934 (D-Cecil B Demille) The "original", with Claudette Colbert as the scrumptious destroyer of male ambition. Her beauty (and humour) keep the film afloat. Just.
THE BOOK OF ELI, 2010 (D-the Hughes brothers) Yet another one of those post apocalyptic dystotopia movies, with Denzel Washington as the good guy, guarding a precious book (shades of Farenheit 451 here) by memorising it. To be honest, it barely lingers in the memory
THE KING'S SPEECH, 2010 (D-Tom Hooper) Quite the best British film, oddly, since "The Queen", and perhaps even better than that notable offering. Peter Firth is excellent as George, and Geoffrey Rush likewise as the unqualified, but effective, speech therapist. Make time for this one: you won't regret it.
LE DINER DE CONS, 1998 (D-Francis Veber) Trendy Parisians organise a dinner where they have to invite an idiot for their general amusement. But one guest underestimates the havoc a well meaning twit can wreak when let loose. Hilarious stuff.
MIDDLEMARCH, by George Eliot. Yes, I only read 1 book this month, but what a book! I admit I tried to read it a few years ago and gave up after only a few pages, but I am made of sterner stuff these days. This time I was equal to the formidable task of plumbing the depths of this extraordinary, 900 page classic tale of provincial life in early 19th century England. Its scope, its intelligence and insight into the heights and depths of the human psyche, made it for me one of the greatest of all novels in English. Be patient, take it slow and you'll be in for an unforgettable reading experience.
FILMS
ALICE IN WONDERLAND, 2009 (D-Tim Burton). OK adaptation of Lewis Carroll's children's classic. The book itself is very dark, with frequent mentions of death and other threats a child might face, and this darkness is reflected to some extent in the film. And of course Johnny Depp is always good value for money.
HUSTLE, 1975 (D-Robert Aldrich). Really rather awful cop/buddie story, made in an era when you couldn't see a movie that didn't star Burt Reynolds. Don't bother.
DEADLY PURSUIT, 1987 (D-Roger Spottiswoode) FBI man Poitier recruits reluctant Berenger to help him find a murderer hiding deep in the Oregon forests. Pretty routine stuff.
MAN OF THE WEST, 1958 (D-Anthony Mann) Classic good-guy Gary Cooper is tempted out of retirement for one more heist by old friend Lee J Cobb. Mann tells it like it was, with realistic drama and frightening violence. Worth a look.
ELECTION, 1999 (W-D-Alexander Payne)Splendid piece of movie making with Reese Witherspoon as a plain, but driven schoolgirl and Matthew Broderick, the teacher who tries and fails to thwart her ambitions. Strongly recommended.
MY SUPER EX-GIRLFRIEND, 2008 (D-Ivan Reitman). Uma Thurman as the girl with super powers but who can't handle being dumped. Quite amusing, but it aint Ghostbusters.
CLEOPATRA, 1934 (D-Cecil B Demille) The "original", with Claudette Colbert as the scrumptious destroyer of male ambition. Her beauty (and humour) keep the film afloat. Just.
THE BOOK OF ELI, 2010 (D-the Hughes brothers) Yet another one of those post apocalyptic dystotopia movies, with Denzel Washington as the good guy, guarding a precious book (shades of Farenheit 451 here) by memorising it. To be honest, it barely lingers in the memory
THE KING'S SPEECH, 2010 (D-Tom Hooper) Quite the best British film, oddly, since "The Queen", and perhaps even better than that notable offering. Peter Firth is excellent as George, and Geoffrey Rush likewise as the unqualified, but effective, speech therapist. Make time for this one: you won't regret it.
LE DINER DE CONS, 1998 (D-Francis Veber) Trendy Parisians organise a dinner where they have to invite an idiot for their general amusement. But one guest underestimates the havoc a well meaning twit can wreak when let loose. Hilarious stuff.
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