The Bo’ness Hippodrome was originally opened in 1912 and would have spent much of its first 20 years showing silent movies. To commemorate this they have an annual festival of silent cinema. This consists of a selection of early film classics but with the added bonus of live musical accompaniment. I’ve fancied giving this a go for a while and, as Jake rather likes slapstick comedy such as Mr Bean, I thought he might enjoy a double bill of comedy shorts billed as a “Jeely Jar” showing, where one can get 2 tickets for the price of one by bringing an empty jam jar along. Back in the days of early cinema, jam jars were regarded as hard currency.
I do occasionally watch silent films, particularly some of the early German cinema but I have only ever once been to one with live musical accompaniment which was a showing of FW Murnau’s eerie 1921 horror film Nosferatu which, on that occasion, had the soundtrack performed by German avant-garde rock musicians Faust. The experience of that one was quite immersive and also a little disturbing as we were warned before the performance not to stray too close to the stage as the anvil-grinder solo was likely to produce a large number of sparks. The film is an utter creep-fest as well.
For the Hippodrome’s silent films the musical accompaniment was a more traditional piano which was ably performed by Neil Brand who has composed for cinema and presented BBC Four’s “Sound of Cinema” series. He was very entertaining in himself and I think Jake was quite impressed that he could play along to the film without interruption for so long. The odd thing is, that it really does make a difference having live music played alongside a silent film rather than the soundtrack having been added on later. There have been a few attempts to do this on a grand scale with entire symphony orchestras acting as accompaniment – the logistics of this make it an expensive practice but it is an element of performance art that we have rather lost in the modern age.
The films themselves were entertaining enough. The first film, What's the World Coming To?, was billed as a Stan Laurel feature (he featured for about 2 seconds but did co-write it) although I was actually more impressed that it featured Jimmy Finlayson who came from Larbert (about 10 miles from Bo’Ness) and would go on to be a regular in the Laurel and Hardy movies. The second film was The High Sign an early Buster Keaton film and probably more typical of the slapstick genre. The interesting thing with seeing these films is that they have more in common with mime artists than conventional stage actors. It’s not a genre that is often visited these days which makes events like the HippFest all that more important and the Hippodrome must be the ideal place to see them as they were originally intended.
Sunday 26 March 2017
Sunday 19 March 2017
... and then they came for us
Martin Niemöller’s poem about political apathy during the rise of the Nazis has always struck a chord with me:
The “Brexit” Bill was passed at Westminster this week without any amendments. Quite what Theresa May’s government is planning is beyond anyone’s imagining – and seemingly they have no clue themselves. However, the amendments that were proposed were not unreasonable: a meaningful vote for parliament on any deal and guaranteeing the rights of EU nationals in the UK following the vote to leave. Both were kicked out indicating that our parliamentary democracy has been overridden in the first instance and that basic human rights have been abused in the second. The second amendment affects me directly.
I am constantly told that there is no way that EU citizens would be forced to leave the UK or that UK nationals in other EU countries would be forced to return. I actually believe the latter case but the former worries me. Expelling several million people based purely on their place of birth or perceived ethnicity would be on a par with the massive human rights abuses that lead to millions of civilians being displaced at the end of the Second World War. Surely this is unthinkable but we have been lied to like this so many times before and there are already numerous accounts of EU nationals who have applied for permanent residency (which they are currently entitled to anyway) being told that their application has been denied and that they should prepare to leave the country. This is wrong, not only on purely humanitarian grounds but also because it is against the law of this country. Then again, we have already seen the right-wing press trying to abuse the judiciary so we shouldn’t be too surprised by this.
I suppose my multi-ethnic, multi-national family must be utterly abhorrent to the kind of knuckle-dragging, under-educated, foul-mouthed bigots that seem to populate the lower reaches of the internet (for examples, check the typical comments section of the “newspaper of the year” Daily Mail). However, having lived together in Scotland for over 20 years we have received nothing other than a warm welcome from our neighbours and local community. If it is one thing that I think makes Scotland stand out compared to other parts of the country it is this idea that they define themselves in terms of those who want to make it their home – if you are happy enough to join the party then you are one of the party.
When the Scottish Independence Referendum was held in 2014 I was rather ambivalent about it. My primary concern was whether we would be able to stay unhindered and, as a result, our EU status was probably my primary concern. Before the vote, we were given an absolute guarantee that we would be welcome to stay even if the vote resulted in Scotland being expelled from the EU. However, the threat of leaving the EU probably weighed heavily on many people during that vote. When the Brexit vote came along I expected a similar guarantee to be given but nothing was forthcoming – possibly because Cameron was so cock-sure he was going to win. He should have given this reassurance as soon as the result was known but ran from the car-crash of his own making instead. May also refuses to do this: seemingly wanting to use displaced nationals as some kind of human shield – oddly enough, a tactic that Saddam Hussein used before the Gulf War.
Quite what May is planning is questionable. Whether she is planning the threat of expulsion like Joseph Stalin or Idi Amin to get what she wants is debatable but her behaviour is unlikely to win her any friends abroad. Carrying out such a move would undoubtedly land her in trouble with the UN although, as my wife pointed out, being told to go to Germany is on a par with trying to punish a child with a trip to Disneyland. Of course the difference is that one would hope that after the trip to Disneyland, one would be able to return home.
When the excrement hits the air conditioning unit like this it is interesting to see who will speak out for you. I’ve been appalled by the actions of the Conservative party and the Labour party (with a few notable exceptions) has been toothless. Tim Farron, of the Lib Dems, has done his best in Westminster but his party in Scotland has been anonymous. Locally, it has been the SNP and Green Party that have been willing to put up a fight and, notably, our constituency MSP has made a real effort to reassure us.
Just a few days after the Brexit result was known both my wife and mother-in-law received a parliamentary headed letter from our MSP acknowledging that we would be feeling anxious about the situation but offering the reassurance that he would be doing everything within his power to support us and inviting us to contact him if we had any concerns. I’m assuming that a similar letter was sent to all EU nationals and it was a genuine relief to my mother-in-law who is approaching 80 and would prefer not to have any more upheaval in her life having lived through persecution from both Nazi and Stalinist regimes, fled across the Iron Curtain to West Berlin and moved around Europe before finally settling in Scotland with us. The thing is, this was a simple, unprompted act from our elected representative that the government at Westminster should have done as a matter of urgency.
Earlier this week the First Minister proposed a new referendum on Scottish Independence. I have the feeling that this was not her preferred choice but that it is something that circumstances have pushed her into. Certainly, it was in her last manifesto stating the exact criteria that such a vote could be called. My personal preference would be that all UK citizens could be given a vote on the Brexit deal (which, I can tell you for free, will be appalling) but that appears to have been ruled out by dictator May. Scottish Independence would give us a get-out-of-jail free card on this and so I, for one, will be actively supporting it. I’m not a member of the SNP and don’t really intend to be but it is worth noting who is prepared to speak out when “they” came for us.
First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a Socialist.I’ve always tried to stick up for the basic rights of others even when I don’t agree with them as long as they are prepared to grant the same courtesy to others. In the past I’ve been involved in campaigning for things like gay marriage or for freedom of belief. I think someone has to do this because I really don’t like the way that Britain has been heading lately, with the rights of the young, the ill and disabled, those born overseas or from ethnic minorities being trampled on. At one time such views were regarded as publicly shameful with anyone treading even close to discriminatory ideas covering their tracks with phrases like “I’m not a racist but…” Now people will just say the most ill-informed and derogatory things about “the others” and wear it as a badge of pride. Who would have thought that “I’m not a racist but…” would have been the mark of a halcyon and enlightened age?
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me— and there was no one left to speak for me.
The “Brexit” Bill was passed at Westminster this week without any amendments. Quite what Theresa May’s government is planning is beyond anyone’s imagining – and seemingly they have no clue themselves. However, the amendments that were proposed were not unreasonable: a meaningful vote for parliament on any deal and guaranteeing the rights of EU nationals in the UK following the vote to leave. Both were kicked out indicating that our parliamentary democracy has been overridden in the first instance and that basic human rights have been abused in the second. The second amendment affects me directly.
I am constantly told that there is no way that EU citizens would be forced to leave the UK or that UK nationals in other EU countries would be forced to return. I actually believe the latter case but the former worries me. Expelling several million people based purely on their place of birth or perceived ethnicity would be on a par with the massive human rights abuses that lead to millions of civilians being displaced at the end of the Second World War. Surely this is unthinkable but we have been lied to like this so many times before and there are already numerous accounts of EU nationals who have applied for permanent residency (which they are currently entitled to anyway) being told that their application has been denied and that they should prepare to leave the country. This is wrong, not only on purely humanitarian grounds but also because it is against the law of this country. Then again, we have already seen the right-wing press trying to abuse the judiciary so we shouldn’t be too surprised by this.
I suppose my multi-ethnic, multi-national family must be utterly abhorrent to the kind of knuckle-dragging, under-educated, foul-mouthed bigots that seem to populate the lower reaches of the internet (for examples, check the typical comments section of the “newspaper of the year” Daily Mail). However, having lived together in Scotland for over 20 years we have received nothing other than a warm welcome from our neighbours and local community. If it is one thing that I think makes Scotland stand out compared to other parts of the country it is this idea that they define themselves in terms of those who want to make it their home – if you are happy enough to join the party then you are one of the party.
When the Scottish Independence Referendum was held in 2014 I was rather ambivalent about it. My primary concern was whether we would be able to stay unhindered and, as a result, our EU status was probably my primary concern. Before the vote, we were given an absolute guarantee that we would be welcome to stay even if the vote resulted in Scotland being expelled from the EU. However, the threat of leaving the EU probably weighed heavily on many people during that vote. When the Brexit vote came along I expected a similar guarantee to be given but nothing was forthcoming – possibly because Cameron was so cock-sure he was going to win. He should have given this reassurance as soon as the result was known but ran from the car-crash of his own making instead. May also refuses to do this: seemingly wanting to use displaced nationals as some kind of human shield – oddly enough, a tactic that Saddam Hussein used before the Gulf War.
Quite what May is planning is questionable. Whether she is planning the threat of expulsion like Joseph Stalin or Idi Amin to get what she wants is debatable but her behaviour is unlikely to win her any friends abroad. Carrying out such a move would undoubtedly land her in trouble with the UN although, as my wife pointed out, being told to go to Germany is on a par with trying to punish a child with a trip to Disneyland. Of course the difference is that one would hope that after the trip to Disneyland, one would be able to return home.
When the excrement hits the air conditioning unit like this it is interesting to see who will speak out for you. I’ve been appalled by the actions of the Conservative party and the Labour party (with a few notable exceptions) has been toothless. Tim Farron, of the Lib Dems, has done his best in Westminster but his party in Scotland has been anonymous. Locally, it has been the SNP and Green Party that have been willing to put up a fight and, notably, our constituency MSP has made a real effort to reassure us.
Just a few days after the Brexit result was known both my wife and mother-in-law received a parliamentary headed letter from our MSP acknowledging that we would be feeling anxious about the situation but offering the reassurance that he would be doing everything within his power to support us and inviting us to contact him if we had any concerns. I’m assuming that a similar letter was sent to all EU nationals and it was a genuine relief to my mother-in-law who is approaching 80 and would prefer not to have any more upheaval in her life having lived through persecution from both Nazi and Stalinist regimes, fled across the Iron Curtain to West Berlin and moved around Europe before finally settling in Scotland with us. The thing is, this was a simple, unprompted act from our elected representative that the government at Westminster should have done as a matter of urgency.
Earlier this week the First Minister proposed a new referendum on Scottish Independence. I have the feeling that this was not her preferred choice but that it is something that circumstances have pushed her into. Certainly, it was in her last manifesto stating the exact criteria that such a vote could be called. My personal preference would be that all UK citizens could be given a vote on the Brexit deal (which, I can tell you for free, will be appalling) but that appears to have been ruled out by dictator May. Scottish Independence would give us a get-out-of-jail free card on this and so I, for one, will be actively supporting it. I’m not a member of the SNP and don’t really intend to be but it is worth noting who is prepared to speak out when “they” came for us.
Sunday 12 March 2017
VW Golf : Going Independent
It’s nearly 2 years since I had my VW Golf serviced at the main dealer in Stirling. Last week the car’s on-board computer decided that it had enough and the service light came on. I was happy enough with the service last time and went to phone up the dealer only to discover that they had been taken over by a well-known and somewhat monopolistic Scottish motor retailer and, for once, I really could not be bothered to dig through the garage to find my barge-pole.
As it was, I used the local independent garage that is just 30 seconds walk down the road from me. This has two great advantages: firstly I can dump the car off and walk home without having to worry about courtesy cars and/or public transport; and secondly they are cheaper – quite how much is debateable as VW offer a fixed price service regime which in theory would have given me a guaranteed service but in practice would have resulted in the well-known and somewhat monopolistic Scottish motor retailer finding all sorts of extra things that they would insist needed instant attention.
So as it was, the service cost £65 less than the VW “fixed-price” offer as well as saving me the hassle and expense of a trip (well, two trips) into Stirling. Having looked at the bill the bulk of the cost comes down to VW’s patented fairy-oil which retails at a similar cost to a decent single-malt whisky and the spark plugs which are spectacularly expensive due to being made out of unobtainium. When I first owned a car (going back to a 1980’s VW) one of the big advantages was that the service items often only cost pennies. I suppose that’s progress for you.
So after nearly four years of ownership I seem to have become somewhat less precious about the service stamps – I’ve still got the service stamp from the independent garage but I’ve saved myself a day of hassle, £65 quid and, what’s more, they have actually done a really good job of it: as soon as I started it up the engine was back to the eerie silence from when I first bought it, they had fixed a problem with a binding brake calliper which had been irritating the hell out of me for a couple of weeks and it was also spotless as the apprentice had washed off all the Winter road dirt so that I could see out of the windows again. Also, I have also supported a local business rather than a faceless multi-national or a well-known and somewhat monopolistic Scottish motor retailer.
As it was, I used the local independent garage that is just 30 seconds walk down the road from me. This has two great advantages: firstly I can dump the car off and walk home without having to worry about courtesy cars and/or public transport; and secondly they are cheaper – quite how much is debateable as VW offer a fixed price service regime which in theory would have given me a guaranteed service but in practice would have resulted in the well-known and somewhat monopolistic Scottish motor retailer finding all sorts of extra things that they would insist needed instant attention.
So as it was, the service cost £65 less than the VW “fixed-price” offer as well as saving me the hassle and expense of a trip (well, two trips) into Stirling. Having looked at the bill the bulk of the cost comes down to VW’s patented fairy-oil which retails at a similar cost to a decent single-malt whisky and the spark plugs which are spectacularly expensive due to being made out of unobtainium. When I first owned a car (going back to a 1980’s VW) one of the big advantages was that the service items often only cost pennies. I suppose that’s progress for you.
So after nearly four years of ownership I seem to have become somewhat less precious about the service stamps – I’ve still got the service stamp from the independent garage but I’ve saved myself a day of hassle, £65 quid and, what’s more, they have actually done a really good job of it: as soon as I started it up the engine was back to the eerie silence from when I first bought it, they had fixed a problem with a binding brake calliper which had been irritating the hell out of me for a couple of weeks and it was also spotless as the apprentice had washed off all the Winter road dirt so that I could see out of the windows again. Also, I have also supported a local business rather than a faceless multi-national or a well-known and somewhat monopolistic Scottish motor retailer.
Saturday 4 March 2017
Winter Castles
I have ventured out to another couple of Historic Scotland’s castles over the last few weeks. Many of their popular sites don’t open again until the end of March so it was a case of restricting ourselves to their “Winter Castles” – at least the ones that were reasonably accessible during inclement weather.
We actually saw two remarkably differing structures. Bothwell Castle is an imposing and remarkably substantial fortress built in a deep red sandstone on the banks of the river Clyde. Like most castles it has been battered by the ravages of time and siege but this must have been one tough cookie to attack. The walls in places are several meters thick and in the height alone must have made defending soldiers impervious to attack.
Dirleton castle, although damaged by a siege from Cromwell, offers a more stately view of what castle life must have been like. Apart from anything else, the surrounding gardens are superb although, being the middle on Winter, there wasn’t that much on show – a visit again in the Summer months is a must. Still, it has one of the grandest of grand entrances.
We actually saw two remarkably differing structures. Bothwell Castle is an imposing and remarkably substantial fortress built in a deep red sandstone on the banks of the river Clyde. Like most castles it has been battered by the ravages of time and siege but this must have been one tough cookie to attack. The walls in places are several meters thick and in the height alone must have made defending soldiers impervious to attack.
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| Bothwell Castle |
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| Bothwell Castle - inside looking towards the chapel |
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| Dirleton Castle - main entrance |
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| Dirleton Castle - steps down to the gardens |
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