The Last Valley

I don't know if you ever saw this fim which starred Michael Caine and Omar Sharif, but where I am in Transylvania is just like it. The Saxon houses are delightful and the area simply brimming with health at this time of year. Geese are being protective of their nests as eggs are due to hatch. Piglets are running around. Lambs and kids are frolicing away. Even the dogs have puppies. The blossom is out and the buds are appearing on the trees. Jenschen violets carpet the hills.
Why am I bothering to go back to Glasgow? That is actually quite a serious question.
The one thing I find a touch tedious is that everything requires a committee meeting - including what time to meet tomorrow morning. As we have met before 8am every day so far, I assumed it would be the same tomorrow, even though it's Saturday. Not a bit of it. After about 20 minutes discussion - all of which was carefully translated for me - it was decided we didn't need to meet so early. Ten past eight would be fine.
I encountered the first hostility today in all the time I've been here. Not hostility exactly, but a sudden realisation that - if I wanted to - I could swamp an existing situation and take it away from a particular person. In one village there are 2 equal powers. There is much that the local mayor wants to sell to improve matters. The other people simply don't have enough money to buy even one hectare of ground, and farm between them about 20 hectares, owned by the town council in another village. We are being offered 115 hectares including the land presently farmed, with a view to the other land becoming economic and profitable again. Naturally there was a certain worry.
What to do? The present rental for the 20 hectares is the sum of 80 kgs of goats cheese, 2 lambs and 2 pigs a year. So maybe in UK terms about 100 pounds - in Romania about 20. The other 95 hectares are what we want some of which is suffering from erosion and requires significant works before it can be brought into use again. So, with Solomon like wisdom, I said that the existing rent would continue, but that I would gift the cheese to the community, and - as we were going to be employing people on the land - we would arrange for the sheep and pigs to be raised in the community. This went down like a storm and we all ended drinking various bottles of liquors made from all sorts of different fruits, potatoes, corn and wheat.
Fortunately both my driver and translator poured theirs into the pigswill, so there are bound to be some pretty hungover pigs tomorrow.

Back in Romania

As the Beatles song has it "back in the USSR.. You don't know how lucky you are..."
Not strictly true, but everything starts here at 8am. I was at the Bank promptly this morning, first in the queue. It then took 45 minutes to change some money and pay into our company account here. They have't quite got the idea of Capitalism yet.
But it's a beautiful day, crisp and clear with the sun shining, and I am going to meet interesting people - hopefully to sign a deal.
It is truly a most joyful and amusing place. I was sitting in the bus from Bucharest Airport going to the station and there were a couple of people in the centre of town carrying lambs, with the mother ewes following meekly behind. Wonderful. I assume they were being taken to a butcher's shop.
On the train trip to Sigihisoara, I take a meal as it is very good and cheap. It is also cooked after you order it. I had pork fillet and chips with vegetables, a bottle of beer and coffee. Pounds Sterling 4 including tip. And that is seriously expensive here. I also read a book I've been given about bees and bee-keeping. I won't be doing any of it in the near future, but as I am meeting the bee-keeping cooperative tomorrow I though I better have some knowledge.
If you want to know more have a look at www.transylvaniaholidays.com.

Days of Glory

Told you this would be a great film. REALLY well acted, well written,well produced and not too long - ie good editing. Almost all films are about 20 minutes too long nowadays, but THIS one was perfect.
Go and see it. The French treated their colonial troops about as well as we did. This is a 5 star, 10/10 film.

Pigeons

These birds are often referred to as flying rats.
According to the garden survey just released, they have increased by 666% over the last ten years.
Says it all really.

Brilliant? NOT!

Brown's budget has turned round and clearly given him a really nasty bite. I'm glad he is now the most hated politician in Britain. Weirdly, it probably has nothing to do with the lowest under £18,000 getting less money, and all to do with the fact that if you hand out wads of cash, at some point you have to stop. If you have been receiving the cash, you mightily resent not getting it any more.
It was only a matter of time before Our Tone escaped the most hated politician position. When you are a genius politician it becomes not too difficult to beat a psycho.
What is really interestimg is that Brown clearly thought it was a masterstroke. It just goes to show how judgement decays with power. On the other hand, he may never have been that good a politician. We simply keep being told he is.
Or maybe Tone egged him on, realising what would happen.
Now that really is a masterstroke.

The Last Wolf in Scotland..

.. is not dead
Only sleeping
He is no shaggy dog story
He is never in danger of being killed
But rather of dying of neglect
If the last wolf promised to renounce violence
He would be allowed to lie by any peat fire in Scotland
But his paws keep the memories of Battles.

This is part of a poem by Kenneth Steven, of whom I had never heard.
There are a couple more lines which didn't particularly impinge on me, and this is all that I can remember.
It is a synonym for Scotland itself. We have become like the wolf,destined to lie dormant, until now relying on handouts and scraps, where before we made things happen right across the world. Even in Startrek they couldn't do without a Scottish engineer ( even if he was only pretending).
But I just get the feeling - the merest smidgeon of a tickle - that things are changing.
Whereas before the brightest and the best moved out from their homeland to make their way in England or America, or Asia, now they are beginning to stay. People from elsewhere are beginning to come to Scotland to work and thrive. Our population ( admittedly partly due to an influx of immigrants) is beginning to rise again. There's a buzz to the cities that has not existed for more than two generations.Even the Arts is flourishing as never before.
Weirdly, this may actually have something to do with the Scottish Parliament, which most people would say has done nothing for Scotland.
I would argue that it has. Scotland always did best when it was proud and fierce and loyal to itself.Despite the carping from many quarters, the Parliament has given us a focus which we conspicuously lacked.
I just hope we don't let the SNP screw it up for us.

What's the next line?

The Worder arrived in the village at the winter solstice. No one saw him arrive. From one moment to the next he simply appeared.

Take a look at H&SE on The Croydonian

It's really funny.

Chaos in the Chateau

Did you see it? DID YOU SEE IT?
I can't believe it is not an elaborate spoof. It is the funniest programme I have seen for years and Ann the lady owner is a comic genius without knowing it. I haven't laughed as much at anything since the original Fawlty Towers.
If it really is real, I have every intention of going to stay there.

Worse off AGAIN

I hadn't thought about it but the 2p off income tax means that less money will go into your pension. Presently, if you pay £100 into your pension, the Treasury tops it up to approx. £128. NOW, if you pay £100 in, it will - hey presto - only be approx. £125.50. So in case that is too difficult to understand, it means that the Treasury is paying out about £3billion LESS each year ie it is a £3billion tax INCREASE.
I'm leaving.

Everybody's Doing it....

... picking their nose, chewing it.
Words old Kinglear used to sing when he'd had a few. I think the first part came from a real song and the latter part from his somewhat fevered mind.
YouTube and Guido have an excellent clip of Bliar speaking yesterday, with GB behind him, picking his nose several times, eating it and then wiping his finger on his tie.
Now Mrs.Lear would be the last person to suggest that I never pick my nose. She does insist, however, that I do it in private.
I do try.

I'm DEFINITELY worse off

I've just spent an hour with a calculator, a sliderule, a set of log tables a wad of paper and a pen.
This year, I am £30.82 per month wrose off.
Next year it looks like £50.16, and the year after £70.67.
Now this does not take into account the potential rise in council tax ( it's heavy in Scotland). If you take inflation into account I will be yet another £100 per month worse off in 2009.
It's time I left.

Better off? I don't think so.

Do you think you will be better off as a result of Gordon Brown's last Budget as Chancellor?
The results:
Yes - 9%
No - 91%
Results from This is money.
I don't think the con has worked.

From Iain Dale's Diary

Brown is such a lair. Iain Dale posted this. Even Brown had to admit on BBC Breakfast show that it was a neutral budget. It might be this year, but it takes more in next year and even more the year after. Shyster.

Brown has made much of the increase of £150 in child tax credit and £1200in the maximum income before the working tax credit starts toget withdrawn. But have a look on Annex A Page 8 of 32 bottom of page paragraph A14 (page 212 of whole document) "A.14 From 6th April 2008, the rate at which tax credits are withdrawn will increase from 37 per cent to 39 per cent."In otherwords, if you are on tax credits the cut in income tax from 22 to 20% iscancelled by the increase in tax credit withdrawal from 37 to 39%, plus you getthe increase from 10-20% with the starting rate abolition.The increase in child tax credit by £150 if you have children helps and the rasingof start of withdrawal from £5220 to £6420 also offsets the rises to the extentthat the very low paid are a little better off, but this is no giveawayfor the low paid. They are still taxed at 70% for every extra pound they earn(20% income tax, 11% national insurance, 39% tax credit withdrawal).

Wife in the North

Phew! She's back home. Thank goodness she didn't top herself.

THAT Budget.

Its brilliant! He steals a headline ( Basic rate cut by 2p) BUT screws everybody.. The Youngest Miss Lear phoned in great excitement to tell me that he must be a brilliant politician, but, basically, we were all screwed. The Eldest Miss Lear emailed to say whatever happened she would be paying more tax. Middle Miss Lear said Eldest Miss Lear earned too much money anyway and deserved it.
But seriously, especially if you are on a low salary, you will pay more. You WILL become more dependant on the State. You WILL not be able to save or do overtime or move up the social scale because you WILL pay 70% on your incremental earnings.
It's the worst possible sort of gerrymandering and will create even more of an immobile and hopeless underclass.
Like I said, it's brilliant.

Wife in the North - and Tapestry Talks

I am very worried about Wife in the North. No sign of her return, and she permanently appears to be down in the dumps. Even the £70k she is getting for her blog-book doesn't appear to have cheered her up. No wonder her husband spends time away.
And what about Tapestry Talks? No word since 9th January. Most worrying.

The 300

Yes well, I was BAFTAing last night to see the 300. It's complete drivel. Badly acted, dreadful script, awful accents. Body count into the tens of thousands, including rhinocerous and elephants.
"Sigh" and it should have been good. The story is, after all, one of the great heroic pages of history, and the producers and director have form as making decent films.
What really annoyed me was that Leonides, King of Sparta ( Greece don't you know) kept slipping into a Glasgow burr, which somewhat ruined the dramatic moments. The fight scenes were good, though I could have done with less blood all over the place, and they became a bit repetitive.
Next week should be good, though - " Days of Glory". Its about North African soldiers making their way through Italy and France during WWII. A sort of Afro-French " Band of Brothers". My French correspondents all say it is "superbe!!". But then, the French say that about ALL French films.

A Modern Morality Tale

I know I'm a boring old whatsit, but I was taken aback by the following - although I don't suppose I should be really.
A friend of mine, Mr. Executive, married a younger woman some 18 years ago. He had been busy earning money and building a business during difficult times, so perhaps did not pay as much attention to Mrs.Executive as he should. Needless to say, she found comfort in the arms of another man - after 3 children - who just happened to be Mr.Executive's best friend. The two of them waltzed off, taking a large slice of Mr.E's loot. They marry.
Mr. E was somewhat shattered, but about 3 years later found a kindly gentle soul to live with and marry.
Roll on about 8 years. Mrs.E and Mr.Best Friend have 2 children. But Mrs. E is now 40. So Mr.BF changes her for a younger model ( 28) even although Mr. BF is 49. And guess what? Mr.BF doesn't have any money. So HE waltzes off with most of Mrs. exExecutives dosh which was my friend's to start with.
And my friend, who was pretty innocent in all this, is now being sued by Mrs.exExecutive for more money, and is liable to get it too. Effectively my friend is supporting 3 families, all because he is the only one with any money. As he so cogently put it :" I'd be better off going bankrupt. At least the ******** wouldn't get any more money"

The Pigeon ( continued)

It was in a box. Two policemen drove it to Lugton about 25 minutes away, and left it in an animal sanctuary there. It was let out of the box and flew away.