Australian hazards
What with drought, excessive heat or floods in different parts of Australia, here's an unexpected hazard, although it never pays to stand for long under a tree...
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(no subject)
Today's news is terrifying. It's more real when you know the places involved. I visited Ukraine way back in 1976 when it was still part of the USSR. I explored Kiev, Cherson and Zaporozhye which are all under attack now. The webcams show all but deserted streets...
Putin is using blatant lies to justify the invasion of Ukraine. Our own politicians have become so used to telling lies they now don't know what to do. What if it's Poland, Hungary, and the Baltic States next? Putin has no problem with using tactical nuclear weapons...
Putin is using blatant lies to justify the invasion of Ukraine. Our own politicians have become so used to telling lies they now don't know what to do. What if it's Poland, Hungary, and the Baltic States next? Putin has no problem with using tactical nuclear weapons...
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Anyone need a giggle?
Found on 'Les's Laffs' Facebook page (Les Dawson (1931-1993) was a much-loved English comedian)
Several men are in the locker room of a golf club. A mobile phone on a bench rings and a man picks up with the speaker phone on and begins to talk. Everyone else in the room stops talking.
MAN: ”Hello?”
WOMAN: “Hi Honey, it’s me. Are you at the club?”
MAN: “Yes.”
WOMAN: “I’m at the shops now and found this beautiful leather coat. It’s only £2,000. Is it OK if I buy it?”
MAN: “Sure, go ahead if you like it that much.”
WOMAN:”I also stopped by the Lexus dealership and saw the new models. I saw one I really liked.”
MAN: ”How much?”
WOMAN: “£50,000.”
MAN: “OK, but for that price I want it with all the options.”
WOMAN: “Great! Oh, and one more thing… I was just talking to Kate and found out that the house I wanted last year is back on the market. They’re asking £980,000 for it.”
MAN: “Well, then go ahead and make an offer of £900,000. They’ll probably take it. If not, we can go the extra eighty-thousand if it’s what you really want.”
WOMAN: “OK. I’ll see you later! I love you so much!”
MAN: “Bye! I love you, too.”
The man hangs up. The other men in the locker room are staring at him in astonishment, mouths wide open.
He turns and asks, “Anyone know who’s phone this is?”
Night climbers strike again
Some time ago, I wrote a story about Illya in which he describes to Napoleon how he became a night climber of college buildings while at Cambridge, so it was interesting to see it still goes on: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-59386985
(The story is here:https://archiveofourown.org/works/12135270)
(The story is here:https://archiveofourown.org/works/12135270)
It hasn't gone away. Climate change? Covid? — no, terrorism.
Early trip into the city centre this morning before the crowds.
Anti-terrorism barriers at the foot of the Shambles, York, (and even uglier ones spoiling lots of other places, too). It prevents the market traders even bringing trolleys along the pavement and into the market, and creates congestion — so much for social distancing... but it enhances the Christmas spirit.
A climate conference? What for?
The COP26 Climate Conference takes place in Glasgow this weekend. Whether any of our political leaders agree among themselves to do something about changing the way we live, is highly unlikely — It's the economy, stupid! The privatised UK water companies were responsible for releasing raw sewage into our river systems 500,000 times last year... because they gave £57 billion to their shareholders, instead of upgrading the system.
The damage we are doing to Earth and its atmosphere has been talked about increasingly loudly for 60 years. Here's Tom Lehrer on the subject of pollution in the US in the 60s — he was probably preaching to the converted even then — but it applies everywhere.
Moaner Lisa, I think
This image is from the Monks of St Thomas Affair which hadn't noticed before. I'm not specially fond of this painting, but this is one of the worst renderings of Leonardo's portrait of Madonna Lisa Gherardini, aka Mona Lisa, that I've ever seen.
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It's sixteen months since we were last in a theatre and, mask and sanitizer apart, tonight was one of the best experiences ever: Ralph Fiennes brought his tour de force performance of T.S. Eliot's 'Four quartets' to York and bowled us over. He held a large post-lockdown audience absolutely silent for nearly 90 minutes of intense acting skill.
It wasn't a recital but a performance, with some very effective lighting and sound, and a background containing two huge Rothko-like panels on a pivot which reflected light and changed the space. His appearance was that of a shabby, aging man, barefoot, initially feeling for the words to express his thoughts. The whole performance was stunning and entirely worthy of the standing ovation.
It's impossible to describe what it is that makes an actor not just good or very good, but great. Whatever it is, I've just seen it.
It wasn't a recital but a performance, with some very effective lighting and sound, and a background containing two huge Rothko-like panels on a pivot which reflected light and changed the space. His appearance was that of a shabby, aging man, barefoot, initially feeling for the words to express his thoughts. The whole performance was stunning and entirely worthy of the standing ovation.
It's impossible to describe what it is that makes an actor not just good or very good, but great. Whatever it is, I've just seen it.
Hoping for Gold
It's my 49th wedding anniversary today — we're holding out for Gold, with any luck, next year.
We're not church-goers, I don't like dressing up or big celebrations, so there were only five people there (the bigger the celebration, the shorter the marriage?) I still have the skirt I wore but the waist measurement ... well, let's not go there. Waistlines aren't required to be as narrow as they were, thank God.
( Read more... )
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Writer's choice: Conflict management
Illya has been beaten up by fellow agents (see: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16374206). ;
Now Napoleon has an idea for teaching the culprits a lesson. Click on picture for AO3
![Katherine, [an organiser], DM](https://ic.pics.livejournal.com/hypatia_66/83498116/274992/274992_800.jpg "Katherine, [an organiser], DM")
Dancing from Selby to York by bus
This is just sweet. And some nice images of Selby and York on amazingly quiet Sunday mornings.
https://yorkmix.com/watch-dancing-bus-drivers-set-to-take-the-internet-by-storm/
https://yorkmix.com/watch-dancing-bus-drivers-set-to-take-the-internet-by-storm/