Monthly Archives: February 2018

Lost in LaLa Land 6

Posted on February 24, 2018 by Grouse Beater

The continuing saga of a sucker’s adventures in Hollywood Flaky contacts A writer with a screenplay in Hollywood is forever on the prowl for good contacts to pitch a sale. Anybody who is a producer with a studio deal is a … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Car News: Buying a VW?

Posted on February 23, 2018 by Grouse Beater

A weekly guide to all that’s rotten about car ownership, plus some good bits   That VW didn’t cost a pony, mate, it cost a monkey I wonder how many readers knew the shiny Volkswagen (VW) diesel car they bought … Continue reading →

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The Shape of Water – a review

Posted on February 18, 2018 by Grouse Beater

Guillermo del Toro is happy to praise the inspirational source for this truly weird film, the 1954 classic low-budget horror, The Creature from the Black Lagoon. In it, an intrepid group of unlikely looking ‘scientists’, led by a hairy chested … Continue reading →

Posted in Film review | 1 Comment

Scotland’s Don Roberto

Posted on February 18, 2018 by Grouse Beater

An occasional series on eminent Scots unjustly forgotten or overlooked The real Scottish ‘ward’ The great advantage of Scottish nationalism in the twenty-first century is the robust bulwark it provides against unrestrained British neo-colonialism. It offers the last bastion of … Continue reading →

Posted in Great Scots, Scottish Politics | 13 Comments

Phantom Thread – a review

Posted on February 16, 2018 by Grouse Beater

Having seen this film twice the only conclusion for its making has to be it was written for Daniel Day-Lewis’s swan song, but by luck and audition choice got a superb match for his acting style out of his much younger … Continue reading →

Posted in Film review | 2 Comments

Car News: Repair or Pimp

Posted on February 10, 2018 by Grouse Beater

A weekly guide to all that’s rotten about car ownership, plus some good bits One of occasional pieces on the car industry, this time offering good practical guidance. AVOIDING THE MINEFIELD When first I became a novice car owner I fell … Continue reading →

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Early Man – a review

Posted on February 10, 2018 by Grouse Beater

An Aardman animation is always a safe bet. Plasticine antics and eccentricities, an old-fashioned sense of humour, love of nostalgia, and safe japes add up to fun. Take children to see the film and they won’t run up and down the aisles … Continue reading →

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All You Need To Know

Posted on February 3, 2018 by Grouse Beater

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ELECTRIC CARS  –   BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK As Norway leads on the daily use of electric cars, backed by its government’s wide range of generous incentives and perks, our UK government is slothful. It … Continue reading →

Posted in Transportation | 7 Comments

A Faustian Pact

Posted on February 3, 2018 by Grouse Beater

Not in my backyard Throwing the term fascist into conversations is easily done without defining what we mean by ‘fascist’, but there’s no doubting the disenfranchised and the disaffected are adopting extreme ideologies out of frustration with their lot, and political … Continue reading →

Posted in Scottish Independence Referendum, Scottish Politics | 13 Comments