CORFU, Greek State Land For Sale (Kassiopi)

This sale of land near Kassiopi is very upsetting to many Corfiots and environmentalists. I've seen comments such as "Another Barbati in Avlaki?" I don't have any details about the precise location of the state land to be sold.

See earlier posting, about a Bloomberg report

I was surprised that planning permission was ever given in the past for the building of houses and villas beneath the site of the ancient castle of Kassiopi. In the 1960s that would have been inconceivable.

Surely there are a host of other Greek State assets that could be sold which are far less sensitive or controversial?

It's almost as if this proposal is deliberately designed to invite outrage and opposition.

Whatever happened to the Greek National Trust?

Must it all be down to individual citizens of Corfu, to contribute 100 Euros each to try to buy the land for the benefit of future generations? Unfortunately, that would never be enough.

John Mackie, Castle Cary (Somerset) Dialect Poet; William Barnes Society

A member for 25 years

The William Barnes Society organised a very convivial evening last night (6 March), thanks to the initiative of  Christopher Heath: a poetry reading with a difference, inspired by the example of William Barnes- but nobody was allowed to read a poem by Barnes himself! It was an "Un-Barnes Evening".

There were some excellent renditions of poems by Clare, Hardy, Milton, Browning, Heaney, Campion, Edward Thomas and the Wiltshire poet Edward Slow (from Wilton), amongst others, as well as some songs and ballads, both sung and recited.

It so happened that it fell to me to kick off the readings, so I was delighted to be able to introduce the work of little-known Somerset dialect poet, John Mackie. Here is my introduction:

"The Somerset dialect poet John Mackie was of Scottish descent (the Mackie family came originally from Dumfries, Scotland). He was the son of James Mackie, one of the original directors of Boyd’s. John Boyd established his horse-hair business in South Cary in 1837. “He identified with Castle Cary and its well-being” (Castle Cary, Michael McGarvie, FSA, Avalon Industries, 1980). John Mackie joined the firm about 1887 and was associated with it for more than 50 years (McGarvie).

There were three infuential, enterprising and public-spirited Castle Cary Scottish families: the Boyds, the Mackies and the Macmillans. The Boyd and Macmillan families came from Ayrshire.

Many Scots had first come to Wincanton, centre of the linen trade (McGarvie). Douglas Macmillan was born in Wincanton in 1884.

As a poet, John Mackie shows the influence of Barnes (as well as of Kipling and perhaps Burns).

We should not forget the proximity to Castle Cary of Barnes’ school in Mere; Barnes also gave lectures in Wincanton.

The Somerset Folk Press was most active in the years 1922-1926. The Press published poems and drama in dialect, for recitation, plus local history and local interest titles, including folklore and folk guides. Douglas Macmillan, a “keen antiquary and an authority on natural history” was a regular author. He founded the Castle Cary Visitor in 1895. The last issue was in December 1915.

John Mackie’s “Dialect Poems and a Play” appeared as number 23 in the Somerset Folk Series. His foreword is dated Hampstead, 25 November, 1925:

“Some of the happiest hours of my life have been spent in the delightful company of sons of the soil in Somerset, under whose homespun coats beat some of the truest and noblest hearts in Christendom; nature’s real gentlemen.”

(Introduction followed by a reading of three short verses from the first poem in the book, called  “ZOMERZET”, which mentions Lodge Hill in Castle Cary, and my favourite poem, or rather a song, “THERE’S A CALL FROM CASTLE CARY”).

SEE ALSO my earlier posting on Mackie and Castle Cary

John Mackie, The Poet William Barnes, and Mackie's poem "Pa'son", 

Southern Times, April 21, 1923

"Mr. Mackie is a native of Castle Cary...Mr. Mackie not infrequently delights a London audience with is dialect recitations" ("Selected Poems in Somerset Dialect", 1921)..

Molly Mackie, left; Bee Baker, right, Castle Cary

Moll Mackie (left), Castle Cary

Edward Lucas on his new book, Deception

Economist Audio Interview with Ed Lucas

Deception, details

A review by Democratist

And a strange exchange (Democratist)

I haven't read the book yet, but I do know the author, and I enjoyed his previous book.

The new one sounds interesting!

A New Generation of Technology (and Talent)

Nina-Maria behind the camera at the Olympic Park, and in Monte Carlo
Two photos for International Women's Day (tomorrow)

Nina-Maria, Feature Story News (FSN):
UK correspondent, TV and radio (shoot, edit, report); 2005-2010 Brussels bureau chief, covering the EU and NATO; previously based in DC, Beijing and Sydney. London, UK · http://featurestorynews.com

For International Women's Day, a poem by Niki Marangou

For women's day on Thursday I am sending you a recent poem.
Niki Marangou.

Thank you Niki! 

(Niki Marangou is an outstanding and inspiring poet, prose writer and artist from Cyprus). Here is her poem:

SOURDOUGH

I think of the women who awoke
with the morning star to knead bread
The Christians with sourdough made
with blessed water from the feast of the Cross
and the Turks with water from the first rains.
Both carried their babies on their backs
and their knowledge about the sanctity of life.
Their men sometimes forgot about that.



(Posted with the author's permission; copyright Niki Marangou)

ΜΕΤΑ ΑΠΟ 16 ΧΡΟΝΙΑ Η ΝΙΚΗ ΜΑΡΑΓΚΟΥ

ΕΚΘΕΤΕΙ ΣΤΗΝ ΑΙΣΧΥΛΟΥ 83

Η Νίκη Μαραγκού είναι γνωστή κυρίως για το λογοτεχνικό της έργο, παράλληλα ασχολήθηκε με τη ζωγραφική και έκανε την πρώτη ατομική της έκθεση το 1975. Τα εγκαίνια έκανε τότε ο Αδαμάντιος Διαμαντής. Ακολούθησαν άλλες έξι ατομικές εκθέσεις με τελευταία το 1996 στη Γκαλερί Γκλόρια. Το 1987 είχε εκθέσει μαζί με τον Αντρέα Καραγιάν με τον οποίο ζωγράφιζε συστηματικά στη φύση. Έλαβε μέρος στις Μπιενάλε Λουμπλιάνας (1993) και Αλεξάνδρειας (1996).

Από το 1996 και μετά παρ’ όλο που συνέχισε σποραδικά να ζωγραφίζει συγκεντρώθηκε στη συγγραφή.

Η παρούσα έκθεση συγκεντρώνει έργα που έγιναν στα τελευταία 16 χρόνια. Η έκθεση έχει τίτλο από το ποιήμα του Ουράνη

«τι είναι η πατρίδα μας,

μην είναι οι κάμποι;»

ΕΚΘΕΣΕΙΣ ΖΩΓΡΑΦΙΚΗΣ

1975 Γκαλερύ Αρχ. Μακαρίου ΙΙΙ, Λευκωσία, εγκαίνια Αδαμάντιος Διαμαντής

1982 Κοχλίας, Λευκωσία, εγκαίνια Γ.Π. Σαββίδης

1987 μαζί με τον Ανδρέα Καραγιάν, Γκαλερύ Γκλόρια, Λευκωσία

1990 Γκαλερύ Γκλόρια, Λευκωσία

1990 Οδός Αθηνών, Λεμεσός

1991 Abu Feisal, Λευκωσία

1996 Γκαλερύ Γκλόρια, Λευκωσία

ΔΙΕΘΝΕΙΣ ΕΚΘΕΣΕΙΣ

1993 Μπιενάλε Γραφικών Τεχνών, Λουμπλιάνα

1996 Μπιενάλε Αλεξανδρείας

50 χρόνια της Κυπριακής Δημοκρατίας χαραγμένα από Κυπρίους

στο Hellenic Centre, Λονδίνο 2010

στο Παλαιά Δημοτικά Λουτρά Πάτρας 2010

στο Σπίτι της Κύπρου, Αθήνα 2010

στην Ελληνική Τράπεζα, Λευκωσία, 2010

The Greek Emergency Property Tax, and related issues

Keep Talking Greece, confused and fed up?

On the origins of the Greek Debt Crisis (Telegraph)

Schaeuble on Greece's Euro membership/exit dilemma (Telegraph)