Iranian crisis

I guess I'm pretty well in the majority when I say that I have no interest in interfering with Iranian politics and I certainly wouldn't wish to criticise the policy of a foreign government as long as that policy did not pose a threat to me, my country or to the world as a whole.

On the other hand, how often does the policy of a foreign government coincide with the hopes and wishes of its people? I strongly suspect that most Iranians just want to get on with their lives (as I do) and make some sort of life for themselves and their nearest and dearest. The policies of the British government certainly do not mirror my views on the world. I am quite certain, as are most Brits, that we should never have invaded Iraq. it was that decision to follow the Bush administration blindly that first made me ashamed to be British. What we must avoid is to make the same mistake over Iran. Their country is their own sovereign territory and we must not interfere with their internal affairs.

OK so they want nuclear power. Well, why not? We have it Israel, India, Pakistan and the man in the moon have it, so why not Iraq? Is it because we see their government as being corrupt and unrepresentative of the people - perhaps liable to invade/attack another country? Er.. we live in Britain where our MPs, including many from the government ie the Cabinet) have proved to be corrupt; they certainly do not represent the desires of most of the British people any more (if they ever did) and we have recently been involved in attacking Iraq and Afghanistan! Incidentally, most of these comments would apply to the citizens and state of the USA.

Until George W started ranting about the 'axis of evil' I recall that Iran was gradually becoming less confrontational. Maybe George W didn't like the Moslem Religeous leadership but that is what the Iranian revolution chose. That was the will of the people. Let US stop being confrontational and maybe we will all start to live in peace as most people in this world would want.

MPs Expenses

The revelations about MPs making excessive expenses claims has led to many of them saying that they 'made a mistake' and to some of them returning at least some of the money. They are missing the point!

What I, and many members of the public are blazing angry about is that these people 'bent' the parliamentary rules on expenses. No matter that they could be said to have kept within the parameters of the 'rules', they nevertheless have ripped off the public purse and ,to me, that seems like fraud.

Either they have all made genuine mistakes - in which case they are incompetent and I don't want them in Parliament; or they have been on the fiddle - in which case they are dishonest and i don't want them in Parliament.

It is my belief that Parliament should be dissolved immediately and that, wherever an MP has proved to have 'made a mistake', the constituency parties should elect new candidates. We may than face an election with candidates who, if we can't yet trust them, at least have no record of immoral behaviour.

Following the election, an external body should be appointed to oversee MPs' expense claims. As far as second homes are concerned, i believe that each MP should be allocated a decent flat - sized according to his/her familial needs - thus keeping them out of the property market on second homes.

OK rant over (nearly) but if we had been caught with our hands in the till, we would have lost our jobs and, probably, been imprisoned. Since Magna Carta, the laws applying to us should be also applied to our Parliamentary representatives.

As for the rest of life - i.e. the important things - we have some of our home back. The sitting room is finished but for curtains and loose covers and the dining room requires decorating by a competent decorator. So downstairs is pretty habitable. Upstairs, our bedroom is still a bit of a disaster area. We have new carpets there but we still need the wardrobes building, the room decorated and new curtains etc. - we are living out of suitcases and old drawers lined up on the floor!

I have a seminar to attend on Thursday in London (Academic Development course) and another in cambridge on Monday (Formative Assessment) - so that should keep the brain going. Meanwhile I am busy analysing the results of the April exams. We have to make absolutely certain that no student has been unfairly treated and that the exams are doing what they are supposed to. That's one thing I am rather proud of the ifs for - we genuinely try on their behalf to allow them to show us what they know.

Socially, life is a bit dull. My darling Judi has put us both on a diet - so no wine (boo hoo) and no meals out (ditto). I suppose we need to - we are both grossly overweight - but where are the pleasures in life?

Enough whinging, Hollingshead. Life is good and, on a world scale, I am a wealthy man - though not as wealthy as our bloody 'leaders'- so many people are starving that I must not complain!

Bah humbug!

Haven't been able to get to a computer for a couple of days. In fact I've hardly been able to get into the house. That's the last time I have so many rooms decorated at once!

Anyway, saw James Casha at the Chaucer Hospital yesterday about my creaky knee and back. The result was that at 9.00 a.m. today I found myself in a white tunnel for 20 minutes while it boomed, banged and crackled. I am a wee bit claustrophobic but was able to remain sane by closing my eyes and thinking venemous thoughts about the decorator. So he has his uses!

Work is a bit hectic - I should be analysing the latest lot of results for the degree modules but keep getting sidetracked - still, it's all good fun.

Home now to bribe the decorator not to come back - well, to pay him for his efforts would be truer.

DIY

One thing I definately don't like is decorating. Because our ancient pile is so small, the minute you start on one job every part of the house is affected (a sort of 'domino effect'). The kitchen is almost clear - except it's the only place I can find to sit and write this. The dining room is packed with furniture and clocks: I forgot to mention my unnatural leanings towards clockomania, they tick and bong throughout the house. My latest love is a little longcase (grandfather) clock from about 1670 - delicious and just right for an old cottage!

Where was I? Oh yes the dining room. The worst of that is that the table is also piled high with odd and sods and I promised my wife (Judi) that she could use the table to make togas for the school play. I shall have to be pretty nifty if I am to clear it before she gets home! The sitting room is in the process of being decorated - he's just priming the woodwork now with special instructions to leave the beam, the oak mantle thingy and Judi's favourite door jamb in their natural, woody state. He is also painting the staircase and the top landing. Our bedroom is an absolute tip as I had to tear up the old carpet so that the electrician could fix some lights down below in the sitting room. Furthermore it, too, is full of more odds and sods as I had to clear the bookcase on the landing. If the decorator doesn't finish by Friday, I'm doomed! The carpet fitter is booked in to do the whole house on Friday. I shall have to move everything again on Thursday night. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!

Having got that off my chest, I can now admit that the Bank Holiday weekend has been great - plenty of sunshine, lots of wine and good food (as we went to the Griffin's Head) and it was Vintage Car Day at the Griff yesterday (first Sunday in every month, barbecue in Summer)
Additionally, we spent a fortune on the carpets so that's fed my pet spending bug.

Work tomorrow - I shall be in London interviewing a prospective examiner for three of my risk modules. His cv looks good, so let's hope!

Gulp! Never blogged before!

Well, here I am, ready to make a public ass of myself by getting this all wrong!

Firstly, I suppose, I'd better say a little about myself - that should give you the opportunity to go somewhere else pdq if you don't like me!

OK then I was born in the back of an old Rover 9 on 11 March 1949 - Yep, I've just applied for my bus pass - yippee. I used to like fell-walking and cycling but some sod called Arthur Itis intervened last year Now, I've turned to a much less healthy lifestyle and spend most of my leisure time eating and drinking - hence the return to 'fatty' status.

Apart from food and drink, I enjoy bird watching - the feathered type - go and wash your mouth out, I'm too old and ugly for the other type!

So, I guess that much of this blog is likely to be concerned with good/bad places to eat and drink and with 'exciting' accounts of birds I have bothered! I can see my small fan club dwindling before my eyes!

Anyway, remaining fan, I must tell you about my 'local', which just happens to offer some of the finest food in Kent. This is what I wrote in QYPE:

The Griffin's Head
A VERY fine eating and drinking establishment. What really annoys me is that we've been here before for a drink - even had a meal here with a group of people but only on a subsequent visit much later did I realise what wonderful food it was serving. Talk about blind and insensitive!Judi and I have been visiting gastro pubs lately - mainly in the south of England - as a means of ensuring reasonable food/drink quality. You can usually tell them by the makeover - the sage green sign and the trendy wood and metal furniture - and, yes, we have eaten well and there are a few Qype and Google Earth posts to record this experience. BUT........The Griffin's Head doesn't claim to be a gastro pub - it just IS one but doesn't feel the need to jump on the makeover/label bandwaggon. It has too much taste for that!The quality of the food and wine list is remarkable. There is no permanent menu - so if you go there one afternoon before it is written up on the board, as we did, you should just trust me and book a table. You will not be disappointed by the food itself or the presentation of the dishes. The wine list is extensive and contains some really good stuff.To top the lot, the Griffin's Head is a very beautiful, half-timbered house of great antiquity set in a tiny, remote village with houses of similar vintage. There is even a tiny smock mill to the north of the village to complete the picture of the idyllic English pub.The landlord has something of a reputation! He doesn't suffer fools gladly and if you behave in a crass fashion you will be told so in no uncertain terms and serve you right ! If you are NOT crass, love good food and fine wines and enjoy lovely surroundings, go to the Griffin's Head. Otherwise keep away and leave it to people of taste!Superbly run by Jerry and Karen Copestake