The President and I

I have been to San Clemente. It is a few miles north of San Diego in Southern California. An old school friend of mine has a beautiful house overlooking the Pacific Ocean. I mention the fact because just the other night I watched the film ‘Frost and Nixon’, well, all bar the first 10 minutes. When President Nixon fled the Whitehouse in August 1974 he retired to his home, La Casa Pacifica, in San Clemente and it was there that the famous interviews with David Frost took place. Continue reading “The President and I”

Passing the black hat

G8 leaders at Camp David (19 May)

The self-appointed global jury of seven just men (and Angela) is still out on the fate of the Hellenic nation. Which is a bit of a surprise, since it must be obvious that membership of the Eurozone is a price too high for their shallow pockets. But nobody among the eight wise persons wants to drive home the final nail – they are all content to remark that “we affirm our interest in Greece remaining in the eurozone while respecting its commitments”, or in other words, pay your bills or get out. Cold-bloodied, eh?

The odd-person-out at the get-together is of course Angela. She can’t encourage Greece to leave the Euroclub because her own economy stands to take the biggest hit and she can’t go for Eurogrowth because effective devaluation will hit her hardest. And she dislikes the fact that these seven global fellas have the affrontery to discuss ‘her’ Europroblems. Poor Ange, now bereft of a little French shoulder to cry on too.

Scottish Cup Final 2012. Hibs 1 Hearts 5

For the avoidance of doubt, it it would seem that there really is only one team in Embra. I do not care if any other Charioteer cares about that. I do. 

More later once I limp back from naked and primitive triumphalism on Gorgie Road. Gave my ticket away because of the limping. Probably won’t do the naked but will definitely be doing the primitive triumphalism.

Question: When did Hibs last win the Scottish  Cup?

Answer: Ten years before ‘Titanic’ hit that iceberg.   

Abschied Dietrich

Well, since the Chariot is a Broad Church and many of us are now of an age when our icons are dropping off the twig at a depressing rate, I thought that I should record the passing of the boy Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau.

I was fortunate enough to hear him live several times with both Schubert’s  ‘Winterreise’ and ‘Die Schöne Müllern’ cycles more than once. Pure magic every time. 

But, it’s his interpretation of a Strauss song that is my particular favourite