Arthur's Seat

Making history "relevant"

Caught part of the BBC's bodice-ripper, the Virgin Queen, yesterday evening. Another number full of ruffled velvet let down by basic errors of historical fact. Where should the balance lie between artistic licence and historical accuracy? Should this production be admired for making history "relevant"? No more so than Braveheart. There was enough drama in the reign of Queen Elizabeth without having to rewrite history.

Off to London today - light posting till midweek.

A speechwriter writes

Peggy Noonan in the WSJ hears the POTUS* speak on the stump and wishes he would replicate the language and the content in the SOTU** next week.

* You don't watch West Wing? - ok then, President of the United States, as in "There's a Mr Potus on the 'phone for you".
** State of the Union Address

Update: Ben McIntyre in today's Times laments the passing of West Wing.

Condi in 2008?

Even the BBC likes her, and the polls suggest she has traction. Why not?

What to do with Hamas?

Democracy comes to the Palestinian Authority and the old regime topples. So far, so good. Instant reaction to Hamas' victory is just that - it is too early for considered prognostication - but Deutsche Welle makes an effort.

Small blogalanche, no-one injured

Thanks to the readers of the Corner who are still visiting - almost 900 of you yesterday. Welcome to Edinburgh.

We could sit in a room all day and play with Lego

These terribly bright ladies are full of kind words about boys who play with lego - but surely the plural of lego is lego?

...and now Haggis is too salty...

The FSA, hot on the heels of its decision to make Stilton salt-free has now turned its attention to Haggis, claiming that it contains too much salt.

But mark the Rustic, haggis-fed,
The trembling earth resounds his tread,
Clap in his walie nieve a blade,
He'll make it whissle;
An legs an arms, an heads will sned,
Like taps o thrissle.

The Scottish Executive wants to prevent primary schoolchildren from eating haggis more than once a week. Has the world gone mad?

Ye Pow'rs, wha mak mankind your care,
And dish them out their bill o fare,
Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware
That jaups in luggies:
But, if ye wish her gratefu prayer,
Gie her a Haggis!

Update: Welcome to the readers of the Corner, and greetings to that fine haggis-fed rustic, Iain Murray. A director of MacSweens, the family company at the centre of this story of over-bearing bureaucrats and mind-numbing regulation, Jo MacSween had this to say in today's Herald story - it sums up much of what is wrong with government policy generally:
It is not really the business of the FSA to be trying to get us to change our recipes. The business of government is not to interfere with producers, but to educate the public.

ps While you are here, please sign the petition to save the BBC's theme tune...

URGENT - Save the Radio 4 theme tune

An Urgent Appeal

Please visit this site and support the petition to save a much loved British institution - the Radio 4 theme tune. Insomniacs among you will recognise this jaunty air - others might want to get up early just to listen to it. Life has never really been the same since cinemas stopped playing the national anthem, but this is part of the warp and weft of these islands, and must be saved.

You can learn more about the piece - arranged by Fritz Spiegl - at Wikipedia.

Update: 3 MPs lodge early day motions in support of the theme tune.

Maple syrup all round

The PG alerts us to the excellent news from Canada (well, would have been even better if Mr Harper had won an outright majority). Today's Scotsman has this cheeky analysis by our good friend, Alex Massie:
Mr Martin's defeat will not have gone unnoticed at Westminster. A succesful finance minister who patiently bided his time for the top job was defeated by a younger, conservative opponent who tacked to the centre to occupy the middle ground, while promising reform and a fresh start.

Grounds for optimism

Some positive signs from the Middle East - Even Hamas members, who considered signing the Oslo Accord to be worse than eating pork, cannot swim against this current, and they are fighting over every seat in the parliament that was established by dint of that accord.