Monthly Archives: September 2017

Detroit – a review

Posted on September 24, 2017 by Grouse Beater

This is a difficult film to dismiss as a lumbering beast, uneven and fractured, or to praise as powerful and a fine work of art. Detroit runs for over one hundred and fifty minutes – it feels much longer if you … Continue reading →

Posted in Film review | 4 Comments

Ghost Opponents

Posted on September 23, 2017 by Grouse Beater

An odd tweet appeared on my timeline. There was something clunky, something unnatural about the sentence construction. I answered it warily. Back came a second lifeless response, both short staccato sentences. I did what I usually do before encouraging further dialogue, … Continue reading →

Posted in Transportation | 3 Comments

Wind River – a review

Posted on September 16, 2017 by Grouse Beater

The jury must still be out on Jeremy Renner. He can throw himself off rooftops and onto shop awnings as many times as he likes for a television commercial, but he confused cinemagoers as the lead in The Bourne Legacy. He … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

The Hassan Hustle

Posted on September 16, 2017 by Grouse Beater

There’s an overwhelming feeling of deja vu watching professional miserabilists, flatulent unionists, reactionaries, and anti-democrats tell us what a gargantuan waste of time and money is Holyrood Parliament, Scotland’s platform of democracy, just as they did on its inception. Bigots should follow … Continue reading →

Posted in Scottish Politics | 8 Comments

Car News: Fall and Rise of TVR

Posted on September 9, 2017 by Grouse Beater

To be cautious and err on the safe side, this essay ought to be entitled the rise and fall, and probable rise again of TVR – maybe. If there is a better example than TVR of the strengths and weaknesses of … Continue reading →

Posted in Transportation | 2 Comments

Monologues of Demagogues

Posted on September 9, 2017 by Grouse Beater

Demagogues, there are so many overflowing with racial resentment you can pluck them out of the air – or any BBC chat show – pull the pin in their back and hear them cackle pre-recorded racist tosh. If you broke them … Continue reading →

Posted in Scottish Independence Referendum, Scottish Politics | 11 Comments

Car News: Smart Vision

Posted on September 2, 2017 by Grouse Beater

Your weekly guide to all that’s rotten about car ownership, plus some good bits When the Swatch Watch inventor Nicola Hayek took his design for a micro car to VW, had it rejected by VW, but persisted until Mercedes Benz … Continue reading →

Posted in Transportation | Leave a comment

Hotel Salvation – a review

Posted on September 2, 2017 by Grouse Beater

Autumn is in the air and at last we’re free of summer’s turgid block-busted turkeys, now approaching all the good stuff held back by the studios for New Year’s awards. The first into your local art house is a delight, a … Continue reading →

Posted in Film review | 2 Comments

Salmond Unleashed

Posted on September 2, 2017 by Grouse Beater

Alex Salmond, Scotland’s former First Minister, former MP, champion of the democratic principle of one person one vote, plebiscites for all, and ace political bruiser, got the envy of Fringe performers with a sell-out for his first appearance in a nightly Fringe … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 7 Comments