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Tuesday, 23 April 2013
St. George's Day after Dinner speech in Leeds 2013
Ladies & Gentlemen, we are gathered here this evening in a celebration of St George and many thanks indeed are due to our hosts the Leeds branch and Joanne and Chris Beverley in particular for organising such a superb event.
Now I know that we English are traditionally known as being a bit stand-offish and for sometimes being a bit kill-joy and not keen on celebrations.
But ladies and gentlemen I think this is a celebration worth making something of. Let me explain.
The fact is that St George as the patron saint of England is a reflection of the history of our country, but I think he is a good patron saint for England, not least because of his visually striking red cross on a white background, an emblem which for 700 years has adorned our English flags.
In history St George seems to have been a Roman soldier, indeed it has been said that he was of the rank of Legate in the Emperor Diocletian's Pretorian Guard. If so, that makes him not only a career soldier, but roughly equivalent in status to the Lieutenant Colonel in Command of my old regiment of the Coldstream Guards.
The Roman Empire had been going through a terrible period in the run up to Diocletian's seizure of power in which Emperors came and went kaleidoscopically in bloody civil war. The Empire seemed to be tearing itself apart whilst it was also under almost constant attack from the barbarian hordes outside of the Empire. By this stage the Roman Empire was less heavily populated than the barbarian lands on the other side of the Rhine in what is now Germany.
The General who was to become the Emperor Diocletian had commanded the Roman armies in the Roman province of Britain, a province which then was made up of most of England and Wales but not that part north of Hadrian's Wall. The Roman province of Britain was frequently the source of rebellious and ambitious Generals seeking to become Emperor. The usual pattern would be that he would get the army in Britain to acclaim as Emperor and he would then march on to wherever the then current Emperor was and seek to defeat him in battle. If he succeeded in doing so, or succeeded in getting the current Emperor murdered, he was then in a good position to have himself accepted as Emperor, at least until the next rebellious General came along.
Usually the legion that had been most supportive of the new Emperor became his Pretorian Guard and, accordingly, if the story about St George being the Legate of Diocletian's Pretorian Guard is true, then St George probably did do a considerable period of time serving in Roman Britain and therefore in what is now England.
St George appears to have come from what is now either Turkey, Lebanon or Israel. He would appear to have been a Hellenistic Greek. Some oddball commentators have talked about his being Turkish, but the Turks did not actually arrive in that part of the world for another 500 years because it appears that St George was martyred in 303. 303 is a number with other associations.
Those with an army background will recognise 303 as being the calibre of the British army rifle bullet from late Victorian times until the 1950's. British soldiers sometimes referred to applying Rule 303 when they were talking about shooting the enemy, such as shoot to kill policy against Boer guerrillas in the Boer War or indeed the shooting of British deserters.
The lawyers amongst us will recognise Rule 303 as being a rule in company law which allows for shareholders to fire the directors of companies.
As I say it is also the year of St George's martyrdom and the anniversary date is of course the 23rd April.
The story goes that St George had either always been or had became a practising Christian. Diocletian was the last of the successful pagan emperors and introduced a new system of rule which is known in history as the Dominate in which the Emperors became much more like oriental despots and the last vestiges of the old republic were shed. Diocletian also sought to support the established pagan religions and issued an edict of persecution against the religion which was increasingly challenging paganism within the Roman Empire, that is Christianity. It appears that St George sought to personally argue with Diocletian about this. If he was the Legate of the Pretorian Guard then St George may have thought that Diocletian would listen to him. In the event it appears that St George was tortured to death.
Ladies & Gentlemen you should remember that the Romans were probably the most accomplished torturers ever and indeed Latin is the language that has the most words of all languages in human history for executioner and torturer because they had so many specialisms.
There is a lurid tale from Roman history of a Carnifex, a maker of meat, who received a standing ovation in that most impressive Roman public building the Amphitheatre for removing every last piece of meat from his still conscious victim over the course of an hour or so.
St George's tomb is in what is now Israel in Lydda (Lod) is approximately 25 miles from Jerusalem. His tomb is in the Christian church and next door is a mosque and the Palestinian Christians and Muslims of Lydda jointly venerate him and maintain his tomb. In Islamic tradition he is thought to be Al-Khidr, a white knight.
The legend of the dragon and the knight is a medieval morality story. St George who is the classic military saint is here depicted as fighting against Evil and the classic image of the dragon is the emblem of Evil. The image of Goodness is dramatically represented as the virgin princess whom he saves. This story has all the elements of such a visual story that it has remained fixed as the myth of St George ever since but it was a moral allegory rather than ever intended to be a description of history.
St George has a long history in England and indeed the original Anglo Saxon Church in Doncaster was dedicated to St George. So it is particularly appropriate that we are holding our dinner not that far from Doncaster and also during our campaign to win back the Mayoralty of Doncaster.
It is also interesting that there is such a hatred of St George and all he stands for in the ranks of our opponents and in a way it is symbolic that the Welsh born, leftist, milksop, Marxist Curate of St George's Minster Doncaster is trying to strip out all reference to St George from the church and that David Allen, our candidate, is determined to reverse this. So here we are ladies and gentlemen gathered – despite our English reserve - to celebrate a brave soldier and Christian martyr who through history has become an emblem of our English Nation.
St George became increasingly popular as a saint during the Crusades and its said to have fought for them when the crusaders were attacked outside Antioch and helped to bring the crusaders to the sensational victory of taking back Jerusalem from the Muslims who had then occupied it.
After this the Genoese adopted St George as their patron saint and as they regularly transported crusaders to the Holy Land, his red cross on its white background became increasing associated with crusading.
Richard the Lion Heart adopted him and then eventually he was formally adopted as England's patron saint in 1325 and his feast day as the 23rd April.
Edward III's armies in his three famous victories against the Scots at Halidon Hill and the French at Crecy and Poitiers were emblazoned with the Cross of St George and English armies ever afterwards until the Act of Union in 1707 always carried the Cross of St George which then became incorporated into the new Union Jack.
Ladies and gentlemen, England has three patron saints, the traditional patron saint of the English monarchy being Edward the Confessor, the last King of the Saxon Royal Family and St Edmund, who was the much earlier King of East Anglia, who was shot to death with arrows by Vikings. St Edmund is traditionally the patron saint of the English as a Nation, folk, or people. Some people say that St Edmund should be treated as England's patron saint, others St Albans and various others like St Cuthbert but I think that somewhat misses the point and is really a diversion from what needs to be done politically in England.
The issue isn't which patron saint we support, or what the emblem of England is, but to try and concentrate on what we can do to celebrate our English Nationhood.
Our history has given us St George and his visually striking red cross on a white background as the patron saint and the emblem of England.
It would appear that he actually has more connection with England and English history than St Andrew, who after all certainly never visited Scotland and one of Jesus' Galilean and Disciples.
St David was actually Welsh. It is unusual for a patron saint of a country to be of the same national origin as the country he is the patron saint of.
St Patrick came from somewhere near Bristol but was captured by slavers and taken to Ireland.
All in all I think England is fortunate to have St George as our patron saint but there is certainly no reason why other days should not be celebrated, some want to celebrate St Edmund and I would encourage that. I would also encourage the celebration of the anniversary of the Union of England into a single united nation state when King Athelstan became King of all England on the 12th July 927.
So here we are ladies and gentlemen at a feast organised by our Leeds hosts to celebrate St George and so ladies and gentlemen I give you the toast:- England and St George!
45 comments:
- Anonymous23 April 2013 at 12:37
The growing sense of English identity is a great worry to those whose politics demands that all bonds of kith and kin, nation, and religion be broke for their murderous intentions to succeed. Hope not have I see have begun a laughable campaign to claim St George for themselves as they see their campaign against the English people failing.ReplyDelete
St George for the Anti Christ
What larks
Happy St George's DayReplies
- Oswald the Englishman23 April 2013 at 18:25
Campaigners including the Muslim Council of Britain and the interfaith organisation the Christian and Muslim Forum have called for the hijab, or headscarf worn by Muslim women, to be as welcome as 'bangers and mash' in England. They want the Palestinian St George to symbolise inter-ethnic unity and not be "hijacked" by groups on the "extreme right"intent on creating division.Delete
- The PrangWizard of England25 April 2013 at 20:17
The odious Baroness Warsi, whilst unconvincingly and sickenly claiming to be English, at the same time poured scorn on the symbolism of St George as the English patron Saint, saying it was ridiculous as he was Palestinian. This is the argument used by the enemies of England and English identity.Delete
It is clear where her loyalties lie and they are not with England. No-one should vote Tory after that performance. You could see the insincerity if not hatred all over her face.
- Anonymous23 April 2013 at 16:18
Outstanding performance by Robin on the Daily Politics Show:ReplyDelete
- Anonymous23 April 2013 at 17:40
Hope Not Hate are a blatant Labour Party front organisation and ironically considering their title are full of REAL hatred for the ethnic English and indeed the other ethnic nations of this island.ReplyDelete
- Oswald the Englishman23 April 2013 at 18:05
St Andrew never went to Scotland and St George never came to England, he was a Palestinian. St George the patron saint of England and St Edmund the patron saint of the English.ReplyDelete
- Anonymous23 April 2013 at 20:59
Robin has just said that St George was not a Palestinian but a Hellenistic Greek so that is one in the eye for the muslims who want to forge some sort of unity through him.ReplyDelete
Plus, even if he had been a Palestinian, he was a Christian as were all the peoples of North Africa and the Middle East and Turkey until they were forced to submit to Islam or suffer the consequences; and Christians are still being murdered and persecuted in those areas today by muslims. One consequence of the removal of the "dictators" in the name of "freedom" in Iraq and North Africa and other areas, Syria, being affected by the NATO inspired Arab Spring is that Christians have lost all the protection that those "dictators" afforded them from the muslims who would wipe them out. The Christians in the interfaith forum must be as do-goody dim and naive as their counterparts on the Continent and in Scandinavia.
I am pleased to report that our moot hall here in our Cumbrian town flew the St George's flag today as did the Castleberg in Settle, that I visited, where the union flag is normally flown.Replies
- Oswald the Englishman24 April 2013 at 09:07
Good that in Cumbrian towns the England flag is flown on St George's day, rather than the union jack. Why can't it happen everywhereDelete
- Oswald the Englishman24 April 2013 at 14:22
More is known about St Edmund, king and martyr, as an actual person, than is known about St George.Delete
St George was either a Greek, or a Turk, or an Egyptian, or a Libyan, or someone with a Greek father and a Palestinian mother.
The country most people associate him with is Palestine and he is the patron saint of Palestine among a number of other countries including Greece, where George is a very popular Christian name.
- Anonymous24 April 2013 at 18:24
Why can't it happen everywhere. Why not have a campaign for the England flag, rather than the union flag, to be flown over public buildings in England all year round, except those which house UKwide public bodies, and on those days of UKwide importance such as the birthdays of members of the Royal family, when the union flag would be flown.Delete
A similar rule would drastically reduce the flying of the EU flag, if it could only be flown over buildings with a direct connection to the EU in Brussels.
- The PrangWizard of England24 April 2013 at 08:30
I was pleased to see that the pupils at the school in Manchester visited by the Duchess of Cambridge yesterday were waving St George's flags.ReplyDeleteReplies
- Oswald the Englishman24 April 2013 at 14:26
You have to look to the North for real English patriots and nationalist.Delete
In the South, English nationalists are thin on the ground
- The Prangwizard of England25 April 2013 at 09:13
I was born in North Yorkshire and now live in Oxfordshire. I worked in Manchester for 20 years so I know NW England and west Yorkshire quite well although it is 15 years since I moved away. Please try not to be too northern, and not 'holier than thou', we don't want to divide the nation.Delete
While out yesterday (24th )I saw 4 St George's flags in Burford and others elsewhere on my journey, one in a garden in Snowshill. This may not seem many and I can't make a comparison with how many were flying in the north. I imagine I am one of the thin 'thin on the ground' but I 'keep on keepin on'.
- Anonymous24 April 2013 at 20:12
Robin was more than a match, on BBC2 politics, for Baroness Warsi who boasted of wrapping herself in the union jack on St George's Day to show how English she is, LOL. Robin quickly put her right about that.ReplyDelete
When contacted by the BBC, no BNP spokesman was available for comment.
On its website, the party describes the English Democrats as "a part of the liberal-left attack on our nation". It adds: "They are just another safety valve, designed to lead good people up a blind alley, and to divide the true nationalist cause."
The BNP are every bit as confused as Baroness Warsi, they also think that the union jack is the flag of England. They talk about the British, but they don't say whether they mean the original British, i.e., the Welsh and the Scottish Cumbrians of Strathclyde, or the new British from the British Empire (in Victorian times also known as 'Britain'). The English are not British in the former sense nor in the latter sense.
The BNP, (they keep saying they represent the British) either only represent the Welsh and Scottish Cumbrians of Strathclyde,i.e., the original ethnic British, or the new British from the British Empire and later immigrants. Whichever it is they don't represent the ethnic English, because the English are not ethnic British.Replies
- Anonymous25 April 2013 at 20:19
In Cumbria they are still a bit confused as to whether they are Celts or English. Westmorland was eventually part of England as Athelstan set the border of England at Eamont Bridge on the Westmorland side of the Eamont south of Penrith. However, I believe it fluctuated between England and Strathclyde even after that. Cumberland is still really the land of the Cwmry. But Cumbrians definitely think of themselves as English these days. Quite a few look darkish like South Walians contrasting with the Viking input - others look like Danes. The dna is meant to be 50/50 Celtic/Viking and Penrith is meant to have the highest Norwegian dna in the country, which is strange as it has a Celtic name. Very few place names are still Celtic. The majority are Anglian, Danish or Norwegian/Irish. The accent is meant to be heavily influenced by Old Norse and listening to it I can hear that. On the other hand they still count their sheep in a form of old Brythonic/Welsh. Plus Donald is a very popular boy's name. The last king of Cumbria was Dumnhail or Donald and I often wonder whether beneath all that English exterior they are still harking back to their last king defeated by the English. Chosing the name Cumbria was rather retrograde in my view as Westmorland and Cumberland are English names. Many would like to go back to the old counties and they fly the flags of the old counties on their buildings. There is no flag for Cumbria!!Delete
- Anonymous26 April 2013 at 14:34
Cumbria does indeed have an official flag. It was taken from the Arms of Cumberland.Delete
It is pictured at the bottom of this page and is well known throughout the county:
One of Carlisle United's most popular songs is "Cumbria My Lord, Cumbria!" so please don't doubt Cumbrians' love for their county, no matter how new.
Cumbrians are also very proud to be English.
- Anonymous27 April 2013 at 18:59
Sorry for my ignorance. Obviously, there are probably a majority of Cumbrians now who were born after the boundary changes and have never known the old counties. Quite why you see the Westmorland flag rather than the Cumbrian flag in Westmorland I do not know. However, the fact that the flag of Cumbria is taken from the Arms of Cumberland may explain it, Cumberland not Westmorland.Delete
- Anonymous27 April 2013 at 19:40
They do. They recognise the British collectively as the ETHNIC English, Scottish, Welsh and Ulster-Scots. Unlike the traitors of the Lib/Lab/CON party, the British to the BNP are ONLY inclusive of those who are ETHNICALLY English, Scottish, Welsh, Ulster-Scot.Delete
British nationalism was a civic concept FOR the English, Scots, Welsh and Ulster-Scots (formerly ALL the Irish). The globalists of the Tory Party, Labour and Lib Dems decided post-WW2 to expand this concept to include Third World and other immigrants.
- Anonymous24 April 2013 at 20:46
A car bomb has exploded outside the French embassy in Tripoli because of the French fighting the islamists in Mali. A spokesman from the newspaper Figaro said that Libya was now ungovernable, because of the rise of Al Qaeda backed islamists. I feel sort of sorry for Colonel Ghaddafi. He tried to warn the French and the British that this would happen but sensible William Hague knew best and is now up to the same thing in Syria where the EU tells us that hundreds of "Europeans" are fighting, many from Luton and Brum and receiving help from Al Qaeda to bring terror back to the streets of Europe.ReplyDelete
These white multicultural maniacs really are pretty stupid aren't they? Now Canada is getting it and we must remember that it was "Canadians" who were involved in the seizure of that gas plant in Algeria. But, hey, Europe, Canada, Australia and now New Zealand, all so diverse, vibrant and exciting, as exciting as wondering whether it will be you or some other poor sod who will be blown to smithereens next.
- Anonymous25 April 2013 at 20:47
Robin. I happened to catch a few minutes of Night Waves on Radio 3 last night and suggest you listen to it on the i-player. They seemed to be talking about the status of England if the Scots vote for independence. I think somebody even referred to the need for a parliament.ReplyDelete
I had not heard of any of those talking apart from Michael Wood and Maurice Glasmann. Wood was getting very excited about the prospect of the revivial of Anglo-Saxon England.
Somebody made the point that the English were finally defeated by the Danes and then the Normans but that they bounced back and England emerged in its old Anglo-Saxon form in terms of its administration, democracy and institutions despite all that.
There was a lady who called Joanne who chose Alfred the Great as her favourite Englishman, Wood chose Shakespeare, a chap called Paul chose Hereward the Wake provided he was not a Dane. I don't know why. I have mixed feelings boasting, I hope, Danish Viking blood. Glasmann, being I suppose not ethnic English, steered clear of the Anglo-Saxons and chose Cromwell. Then there was a lady called Lisa Goldmann, presumably also not ethnic English, who said she did not believe in nations but a borderless world. I suppose she is part of the diaspora and wants us all to be like her, rootless and wandering, even when she now has a homeland in the Middle East.
Wood thought that Indians and West Indians could all read and love England's history as well. The question is whether they would all have the same feeling of attachment as you or I. Their ties are to places thousands of miles away not to the soil that our ancestors have trod for 1500 years. In a hundred years time when the population of this country is Afro-asian and mixed race will anybody care about the Anglo-Saxons in a way that Wood and you and I do I wonder. Even in America as it becomes a Hispanic and Black majority country I wonder whether the Anglo-Saxon heritage will be of any note. It seems to matter less and less there. Sorry to say this but I curse the people who have done this to Anglo-Saxon England. I don't want its whole identity to be wiped out in the name of one world government or a plutocratic few. Why do I have to accept this? The Chinese never would. I heard today of a gentleman of 90 who started with Alzheimer's Disease. He said he wanted to go to London again as he had not seen it since the War. Perhaps he did not realise what had happened but he was so angry and shocked at the demographic change there that it sent him over the edge into full-blown Alzheimer's. Shock often can. I think it was Alfred Sherman who spoke of the sheer cruelty of what has been done to us and this is an example, like the old man who returned to Birmingham for a funeral after 50 years and cried all the way in and all the way out. I suppose that Sonia Gable of Hope not Hate would not be moved by any of this. She would say that we deserve it for the cruetly we showed others in imperial days and that the Marxist revolution is much too important to be sacrificed to the feelings of silly old men. The interesting thing is that we still seem to be reluctant to ditch our national identity for the New Britain. We still see ourselves as white and Christian, a bit like a man being forced to jump out of 'plane. He knows he has to take the plunge but does not really want to do so.Replies
- Anonymous26 April 2013 at 09:05
Glassman and Goldman show how Jewish people are loyal to their identity in different but very effective ways, and so they should. We should be more like them. Glassman probably chose Cromwell as he let the Jews back into England after their expulsion by Edward I in 1290. In other words he is honouring an ally. Goldman is propagating the internationalist idea that all nations and peoples should be borderless and identity free to ensure that national socialism ( in this instance) is less likely to rear its ugly head and once again threaten the Jewish people.Delete
- Anonymous26 April 2013 at 08:14
Oh my lord! The sight of London today causes Alzheimer's!ReplyDelete
I really have heard it all now from the fruit cake brigade.
Nonsense like that does the ED cause no good whatsoever.Replies
- Anonymous26 April 2013 at 11:14
I would add that the constant negative portrayal of Jews by fruit cake commentators on this blog does nothing for the ED's moderate nationalist party image.Delete
- Anonymous26 April 2013 at 20:33
It was not me that suggested that Glasman chose Cromwell because of the fact that he brought the Jews back into England. I surmise that it was because Glasman is a socialist, I don't know. And I think it is probably true that those of us whose ancestors were around at the time of the Anglo-Saxons feel differently from those whose ancestors probably only arrived a hundred plus years ago. As regards Lisa Goldman, I do get annoyed at recent arrivals to this country - like the Millibands - who feel they can impose their international socialism on the people of England to whom it is wholly alien and use this country as a test bed for the same. This does not mean that all Marxists are Jews or even recent arrivals, far from it, there are plenty of ethnic Europeans who are as equally naive, infantile and demented and refuse to accept obvious truths with regard to the different races and human nature. Cultural Marxism is now deeply entrenched in all western countries. I do not view Jews in a negative light. Alfred Sherman, if he is still around, is Jewish and sided with the ethnic English over mass immigration. I do find for a population of only 15m the Jews seem to encompass some very divergent points of view, from extreme capitalism to the total opposite; but that's the way it is. There are only half a million Jews in this country and they do not cause us any problems. International bankers are wrecking the world for their own ends but I do not hold the view held by some that they are exclusively Jewish.Delete
As regards the gentleman with Alzheimer's disease, this does happen to be a true story. Obviously, the Alzheimer's disease played a part in his reaction to what he saw. But you cannot blame him for being upset and annoyed, like the gentleman returning to the funeral in Birmingham, at seeing his city wholly transformed into something wholly alien without his consent and for no apparent common sense reason. There is no common sense or logic to mass immigration. It has taken place because of the ideological fanaticism of the Left and the globalizing greed of international capitalism. None of it would have happened had democracy triumphed in Europe and North America.
- Anonymous26 April 2013 at 19:52
The media establishment in this country seems hell bent on denying the English any right to a sense of their own identity. What did we get from the biased BBC's 'The One Show' to mark St George's day. Of course the BBC drafted in non other than the left liberal Norwegian, Sandi Toksvig chucklingly telling us that St George was 'not even English anyway, but in fact a Palestinian'.ReplyDelete
Whatever the history of how St George came to be the Patron Saint of England, he is recognised as the figurehead of English national identity and pride and Toksvig has no right to demean and belittle this on England's national day of celebration.
But just watch as the National Anthems, Guinness hats, three leaf clovers, dragons, daffodils, shamrocks, kilts, thistles, bagpipes, stories of bravery and valour etc are brought out as 'The One Show' celebrates the national days of the British Isles other constituent countries. It seems the British media and political establishment allows the celebration of ones own national identity as an inalienable human right bestowed on those people of all nationalities,, just not the English.Replies
- Anonymous26 April 2013 at 22:07
I think you will find that Sandi Toksvig was born in this country of Danish parents not Norwegian. Actually, I have always rather liked her but her attitude is not because she is of Danish extraction but because the liberal consensus just likes to make fun of the English. For some reason the English are scared stiff of blowing their own trumpet. Perhaps it is a sort of cowardice. If I put myself down then nobody will come and hit me for being over-assertive. I think also it is a sort of guilt at the fact that we did once control the biggest empire the world has ever known and think that the rest of the world have it in for us as a consequence. That is why we put up with mass immigration because we are scared of being screamed at by the rest of the world. There is no doubt that this guilt, as in the case of all Europeans, is being exploited by our enemies. The immigrants are just the tool they are using against us, the immigrants themselves are being used as we are.Delete
Robin said it was unusual for countries to have a native-born patron saint. It is not in the case of Germany and Norway at least. It would be good if we could revert to St Edmund - Sandi Toksvig might think she has good reason to object to that because of her ancestors' part in his martyrdom. And also we could avoid the accusation that St George is a symbol of the Crusades, not that we have any reason to feel ashamed of that but the Marxists and their muslim allies are twisting the Crusades, even though they would never have taken place if Islam had not forced Christians in the Middle East and North Africa to convert or be slaughtered.
On the positive side, Mervyn King, often a thorn in the side of our leaders, has chosen Sir Winston Churchill for the £5 note and spoken of him in glowing terms. I am waiting for the backlash from he confused left. They will blame him for carpet bombing in Germany and for wanting to keep Britain white in 1955.
They forget he defeated Hitler; but he was just another socialist fascist like themselves; and saved the Jews whilst they are happily handing them over to islamic anti-semitism all over Europe, including in this country. The Jews have left Ken Livingstone - that lover of Palestine's anti-semitic pro-muslim Rainbow Alliance for that very reason.
- Anonymous27 April 2013 at 09:53
I don't think that the crusades have anything to do with it. St George is venerated equally by Christians and Muslims and he is the patron saint of Palestine.Delete
We don't have mass immigration because we are scared of the rest of the world screaming at us. The reason is that democracy depends on the existence of nation states and the globalists of the Capitalist-Marxist alliance are out to destroy the nations of the world.
Thatcher was the arch-globalist, as she said, she believed that there is no such thing as society (i.e., the nation) only individuals and their families, the more easily to be isolated, exploited, and destroyed if necessary.
Without the nation state and democracy most lives would be "nasty, brutish and short", and there have been numerous examples of just how nasty, brutish and short.
- Anonymous29 April 2013 at 11:41
Yes, the Nation and Democracy are both necessary.Delete
- Anonymous27 April 2013 at 23:23
Of course, you're right, Sandi Toksvig was born of Danish parents and is not Norwegian as I had said. And I have to admit to always having 'rather liked' her also.ReplyDelete
But really Toksvig and the type of liberalism which she believes in and promotes are the reasons why the England we knew is in its dying embers and the future England looks to be in for real trouble. The version of liberalism which Toksvig and other 'progressive' liberals promote is that the whole world can live together as one in harmony and the only obstacle in the way of a united, borderless world are regressive, stuffy, traditional attitudes of Christian, former imperialist 'oppressor countries'. It is to promote the alternative and denigrate traditional western values at all costs because in a liberals fluffy mind anything traditional that originates from a former 'oppressor state' is bad, outmoded, responsible for centuries of minority oppression.
In a liberals own mind they are progressive and forward thinking. The teachings of what the tragedy of human history, inter ethnic quarrels and religious strife might be relevant to today or the future are of no concern to a 'progressive'. Liberals see themselves as of superior intelligence to the average joe so for anyone to even question the legitimacy of a liberals views will be belittled and seen as inferior. Those countries which in a liberals mind are seen as having any form of minority or oppressed status can be allowed to go ahead and celebrate their national identity and culture of tradition, hopefully as far as liberals would like, in perhaps a rather kitch, post modern way. But, to a liberal, in no way must the 'aggressor' countries, (north western hemisphere, former imperial and superpower countries) which to the liberal mind caused the suffering of the minority group status, oppressed countries and peoples in the past, be allowed to express any form of their own identity or culture as this would be a regressive and backward step to the process of one world of harmony and freedom and of co-existing traditions, cultures and religions.
Western media organisations employ staff who have identical liberal views, and their liberal guests such as Toksvig who appear relentlessly on their shows subtly yet deliberately again and again drum into the publics minds that we have nothing to be proud of and they mock our own culture. This is how the guilt for the deeds which we and our ancestors were supposedly responsible is washed into the minds of the masses of all western nations.
I'm all in favour of tolerance, liberty and fairness for all myself, therefore i realise that the media should stop indoctrinating the peoples of all western nations with guilt and allow the people of all western nations to appreciate that they too have their own right to protect and preserve their individual identities, freedoms, heritage, cultures, traditions and borders just as any other country or culture would wish to protect their own identity, culture and traditions from unwanted change.Replies
- Anonymous28 April 2013 at 22:05
They say that you never appreciate what you have got until it is gone and sadly I fear that these people will eventually wake up from their silly, infantile, utopian dream and find themselves living in a total third world nightmare. They think they are intelligent but sadly I don't rate their iq levels very highly.Delete
People like Winston Churchill and Enoch Powell unfortunately exceeded them by far in brilliance and intellect and they could see the logical consequences of such muddled thinking. Time is now running out so fast for Western Civillisation and Europeans that it will take a massive shock to wake these silly Liberals up and bring them down to earth with a bump. I don't think that massive shock can be too far off now or at least I hope not.
- Anonymous28 April 2013 at 17:38
A Ukip surge in counties like Essex and Oxfordshire may rob the Conservatives of overall control in key southern shires in the local goverment elections.ReplyDelete
In contrast, with Ukip polling 16 per cent in the Midlands and 13 per cent in the North, twice the Lib Dems' ratings, it is just as likely that Mr Farage will cause as much of a headache for Mr Clegg in the Midlands as for Mr Cameron in the South.
Even so, Professor John Curtice, of the University of Strathclyde, believes talk of a "substantial Ukip intervention" may be overblown.
Ukip's problem is that its support is geographically thin and spread fairly uniformly. It will struggle to convert votes into seats.
There is lesson here for the English Democrats, which must first establish themselves as the party of the north, before spreading themselves to the rest of the country.
Ukip challenges the Conservatives in the South and the Liberal Democrats in the Midlands. The English Democrats have to occupy the niche of challenging Labour in the North.
Having missed the opportunity to put up a candidate in the South Shields parliamentary by-election, the EDs have, no doubt, also failed to stand a candidate for the North Shields election for Mayor.
To win a war an army has to have strategy. The English Democrats don't seem to have a coherent strategy for establishing the party, just a series of gimmicks like putting up candidates for the Welsh Assembly or the apparent fiasco in Kent, where the party is wasting its time and efforts in a part of the country which is irrelevant to capturing ground from which to spread territorially. The north/south divide is real and it is widening. It is there to be exploited politically, and the English Democrats are uniquely placed to do that.Replies
- Oswald the Englisman30 April 2013 at 16:04
The British National Party (BNP) is standing just 102 candidates across England, compared to 450 in the county council elections four years ago. What is worse for the BNP is that they are a serious contender in just two or three seats. Even Sharron Wilkinson, who is the BNP's only current county councillor, has decided not to defend her seat in Burnley.Delete
The BNP could not even find candidates for the Mayoral elections in Doncaster and North Tyneside.
The BNP apples across the north are ripe to fall into the laps of the English Democrats.
- Anonymous1 May 2013 at 10:18
Oswald, the only BNP apples are rotten ones.Delete
- Oswald the Englishman1 May 2013 at 20:11
Anonymous. Just to clarify the point, the BNP apples that I had in mind were the seats they currently represent, not BNP members. But surely not all BNP members are bad applesDelete
- Anonymous28 April 2013 at 18:16
Thoughts from a Young Ukipper. (Ukip if you want: Ukip's not for learning.) He doesn't seem to have heard of England. It's all about Britain, which is a Ukip and London-centric fantasy.ReplyDelete
Sunday, 28 April 2013
Thoughts of a Young Independence member: Immigration
After watching the latest episode of BBC Question Time, I really get a feeling of how Ukip foreign policy is still seen by many people: as something very Nationalistic, and possibly leaning towards xenophobia. It's very saddening, particularly because Ukip is the most global party of the lot - seeing prosperity beyond the regulation fuelled shackles of the EU. Admittedly, foreign policy is still quite elusive. There is also a sense that Ukip does not appreciate the melting-pot granted by immigrant populations settling in Britain over the past decades; and this sense is false. I want to differentiate between integrated immigrants and incoming immigrants; as well as assemble some picture of foreign policy, or to the least how I see it.
Yes - Britain is a melting-pot, and that's obviously wonderful, as the diversity instilled has really driven our economy forwards, especially in terms of small business which our county has always naturally thrived out of; but mass open door immigration, which brings forth unskilled labour, just increases exploitation. And then there are those who don't work and seep out of the benefit system, as well as getting involved with a lot of criminal activity. Basically, if we left the EU we can get some co-operated skilled immigration from English speaking counties, [like Nigeria] whose people can integrate. How can we embrace such immigration? It's simple; they've been right under our noses all along. The people of the Commonwealth.Replies
- Anonymous28 April 2013 at 21:58
It seems that he wants to turn England into the New Commonwealth which it is at a rate of knots. But then the Old Commonwealth is being turned into the New Commonwealth as well, i.e. Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Has he had a good look at the countries of the New Commonwealth - like Nigeria - and whether they can afford to lose what skilled labour they have? More importantly has he ever wondered why the New Commonwealth is thus - witness the recent factory collapse in Bangladesh - and no it can no longer be attributed to imperial ransacking - and why people from the third world feel the need to flood into the first until eventually everywhere will be the third world? There is perhaps a reason, which is not even allowed to be discussed, except I noted by a UKIP member on a Conservative website. As the first world sinks down to the level of the third then perhaps he and Sandi Toksvig et al will realise what it is like and why. As for our economy, if you count a booming service sector (hikes by the utility companies making us avoid another recession) and manufacturing shrinking away then I would not really say it has been driven forwards. And I don't think that everybody would agree that a melting pot is so wonderful compared with pre-mass immigration England which was infinitely more civilised.Delete
- Anonymous29 April 2013 at 11:38
Bigamy is illegal in England, unless your a Muslim. The remedy being proposed is that the law should be changed to accomodate Sharia. In the meantime, secondary wives married under the nikah Muslim marriage law are being maintained by social services paid for from national taxation.Delete
- Anonymous30 April 2013 at 20:39
Welcome to the New Commonwealth or the extension of the Indian Sub-continent as Enoch Powell predicted. It seems to me that there has been nobody, apart from the obvious two, who have had the courage to stand up for our country, its laws and values in the last 60 years. Eventually, the country will take on all the laws and customs of the third world, from bigamy to the Hindu caste system to child sacrificial murder. Is there not one single person in the British establishment who has the courage to say, no we don't do things like that here? It is all reminiscent of our attitude towards children here now and in all European countries. To say no to a child, to exercise discipline is rated as being cruel so we let them run all over us and get away with murder. Spare the rod and spoil the child and in some ways these third world immigrants are like children and we do not have the courage to say no to them either.Delete
I was interested to hear on the news that we are no longer to send £19m of aid to South Africa per year as it is now the powerhouse of the region according to the BBC. Presumably, we only started sending it once the apartheid regime had been dismantled. As for South Africa being the powerhouse of the region, at least since the disappearance of the European empires it has been the powerhouse not only of the region but of the whole of Africa, just as Rhodesia was the bread basket of Africa where all were fed, clothed and educated but Zimbabwe is now a basket case. If the remaining whites leave South Africa or are murdered like the farmers there then I wonder if it will still be a powerhouse. Interestingly China now seems to be taking over from the Europeans in the rest of Africa; don't mention iq levels.
Europe and North America were the powerhouse of the world but as they are rapidly replaced by the third world the lights are going out all over. Civilisation is going into reverse before disappearing. We will eventually have third world instead of first world hegemony. Who will help the rest of the third world then? I hope those who have brought this about will enjoy reaping what they have sown.
- Oswald the Englishman1 May 2013 at 20:16
The native peoples of the USA and Australia are right at the bottom of the pile with life expectancies of about 50 years.Delete
The native English could be heading in the same direction - strangers in their own land.
- Anonymous30 April 2013 at 15:20
HS2 presents the English Deomcrats with a great opportunity to be seen to be defending the English countryside. UKIP has established itself as the party opposing HS2 between London and Birmingham.ReplyDelete
There is every bit as much hostility to HS2 between Birmingham and Manchester. That could be fertile ground for the English Democrats.
- Anonymous30 April 2013 at 15:23
UKIP seems to have revealed itself to be a coalition of Thatcherites and Empire Loyalists.ReplyDeleteReplies
- Anonymous1 May 2013 at 20:12
David Cameron's conservatives are now well and truly rattled at the prospect of tomorrow's elections and the threat from the nationalist parties. Whereas head in the clouds, only a small percentage of me is English anyhow, Clegg wants the Afghan intepreters to be given asylum here, Cameron wants them to stay put. I can only think he said that because of his party's problems at the hustings. However, in parts of the country like mine where UKIP offer the only alternative to the conservatives and Lib Dems then I am afraid that there is no other option but to vote for them to try and dislodge the threefold Cultural Marxist alliance.Delete
A good idea that the English Democrats should fight HS2. As regards HS1, it will save 20 minutes off the journey but will deposit passengers 20 minutes outside Birmingham, thus no saving whatsoever. And it will be designed and built by the French, just like our new nuclear power stations and just like the nationalised supplier of much of our electricity. Wellington and Nelson must be spinning in their graves at the speed of light.
A good idea
- Anonymous1 May 2013 at 19:42
Good luck to all English Democrat candidates tomorrow. These elections will be a powerful springboard to win EU seats next year.ReplyDelete
So vote early, vote often ;-)
- Anonymous1 May 2013 at 19:46
Some good early news for everyone:ReplyDelete
English Democrats "Out Poll" UKIP 20 to 1 in Doncaster Postal Vote Returns ……
English Passport has reliably been informed that at the Doncaster Postal Vote opening sessions, the English Democrats are out polling UKIP on a ration of over 20-1.
This is very encouraging not only for Doncaster, but also for the rest of England".
This could be mega.Replies
- Anonymous2 May 2013 at 22:04
This is good news but sadly there are many places in the country today where this option is not available and the only way to shake off the three main parties is to vote UKIP. If people start by voting UKIP then they are thinking along nationalist lines and may be more inclined to switch to the EDs once a candidate manifests him or herself.Delete
I have been reading about Iceland on Russia Today. They have rejected the EU and told the bankers to take a long walk off a short cliff. Interestingly, the Icelanders have something of our ethnic mix, North European/Celtic having taken wives from Ireland and elsewhere on the Celtic Fringe back to Iceland so that their blood group is, unusually for Scandinavians, type O.
That was very nice of the Afghan taxi driver but the First World cannot take every person from the Third World who wishes to flee to the First. Most of them seem to want to and are having a go. Hungary is now overwhelmed with illegal immigrants from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Africa all trying to get into the Schengen zone over the border in Austria and hence to Northern Europe. Even though Britain and Norway are not members you can be sure that they will try to get in there as well.
European countries are rapidly losing all sense of national identity, just as the Marxists planned. If you watch Swedish crime dramas you will become aware of how many non-ethnic Swedish actors there now are. The new King of the Netherlands' Argentinian consort has the job of integrating immigrants into Dutch society, most of whom are muslims. In the end Sweden will no longer be Sweden, Holland no longer Holland, Norway no longer Norway and England no longer England. Apart from the fact that there are different languages in the different countries you will soon have no idea where you are, just as the Left intended and will be rootless individuals with no sense of history or culture. This will be a very sad loss and will make the world less and not more diverse and much less interesting and enjoyable. By the way, a commentator about Iceland said something about Marx and Adam Smith - of libertarianism free market economics- marching hand in hand. This is how I was told it was going to be 30 years ago but now it is becoming obvious that this is what the New World Order is all about. Iceland has said no and it is time for the rest of us to do so also.


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Where can I find candidates' answers to questions about the issues?
Only Places 1 and 4 are contested in the May 2015 election, but candidates for all 7 Places were invited to submit responses to the VOTERS GUIDES.
In addition, it contains the candidates' photographs and their answers to four questions. The candidates' responses to the questions in the printed VOTERS GUIDE meet word limits imposed by the League due to space considerations.
Copies of the printed VOTERS GUIDE are now available at the following locations:
Richardson Library
Senior Center
Heights Recreation Center
Huffhines Recreation Center
Dallas Chinese Community Center
Islamic Association of North Texas
The printed VOTERS GUIDE is also available as a printable pdf version here.
Each candidate's responses are contained within a printable document. To view a particular candidate's responses, click on his or her name from the list below.
Note that only two races in this election are contested.
The candidates for Richardson City Council (Places 1-6) and Mayor (Place 7), in ballot order, are:
Place 1

subset: commoncrawl


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Trouser Style
Updated classics. We have designed our casual cotton trousers with on-trend cigarette cuts and sleek belts. Work wear has been shaken up too, with sophisticated joggers not as you know them, tapered styles and trousers with new season utility details you will love. How about a pair in every colour?
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The University of Dubuque designed the Learning Institute for Fulfillment and Engagement specifically for adult learners. LIFE's accelerated degree programs and services---available during the hours you need them---help you balance your family life, your career, and your studies.
Not registered for Fall? Session 2 starts September 30. Contact your academic advisor to get registered today!
Contact your academic advisor today for an appointment.
Session Dates 2019-2020
Fall 2019
Session 1: 8/27/19 to 9/26/19 [No Monday classes]
Session 2: 9/30/19 to 10/31/19
Spring 2020
Summer 2020
Session 8: 6/1/20 to 7/2/20
Session 9: 7/13/20 to 8/13/20
The LIFE Advantage
Learn about the program requirements, admissions, transfer credits, financial planning and much more.
The University of Dubuque has designed the programs of the Learning Institute for Fulfillment and Engagement (LIFE) specifically for adult learners who are at least age 23 years of age and who have three or more years of work experience. LIFE's accelerated, evening bachelor's degree programs and services - available during the hours you need them - help you balance your studies, your career, and your family life. Our 5-week course format allows you to begin classes when you choose.
Majors available in the LIFE program include:
Business Administration - 4 majors available Graduate Degrees
- Accounting Master of Business Administration (MBA)
- General Business *Master in Management - Communication Management (MMCM)
- Human Resource Management *Dubuque and Cedar Rapids only
- Marketing


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Amazon has used drivers from UPS, FedEx, USPS, third-party couriers, and other services — including its Uber-like platform Amazon Flex — to help deliver packages to customers. But never has the company actually hired its own employees for the "last mile" of deliveries — until now.
For the first time, Amazon is directly hiring drivers itself as the tech giant continues to expand its delivery infrastructure. The company plans to hire thousands of full-time seasonal employees across the U.S. to deliver packages from fulfillment centers to customer doors this holiday season. Business Insider first reported the news and an Amazon spokesperson confirmed the hiring plan with GeekWire.
The drivers are part of an annual hiring spree Amazon does for the holidays; last year it brought on 120,000 seasonal employees to help inside its fulfillment centers, though that number is being reduced to 100,000 this year reportedly due to reliance on robots, according to Citi analyst Mark May.
Amazon's drivers will receive the same benefits that other seasonal employees get as part of their temporary employment package. The company declined to offer details about how those benefits compare to full-time employees.
Amazon recently raised its minimum wage to $15 an hour for all employees, including part-time and seasonal workers. A new job posting for a "Seasonal Delivery Associate" in Ohio showed a hourly pay rate of $17.25.
In the past, Amazon relied on third-party providers for costly "last mile" deliveries — those from the warehouse to the customer. But now it is experimenting with new delivery methods.
In 2015, the company launched a program called Amazon Flex, the company's Uber-like platform that lets everyday people packages with their own cars as contractors. One year later it started experimenting with its own delivery operation. Amazon also last year reportedly tested a service called "Seller Flex" in the U.S. that consists of the company picking up packages sold on its site directly from third-party warehouses.
Earlier this year, Amazon announced the new Amazon Delivery Service Partner program, which lets entrepreneurs start and run their own companies, delivering items purchased on Amazon.com in distinctive blue Prime-branded shirts and vans.
In an odd twist, Amazon is technically now competing with entrepreneurs running Delivery Service Partner operations, at least in terms of hiring drivers.
Amazon is increasingly relying on its own logistics infrastructure as shipping costs continue to spike with growing demand, particularly from Prime members who pay $119 per year for free 2-day shipping and access to Amazon's 2-hour Prime Now delivery service. The company now has its own truck trailers (7,000) and jumbo jets (40) that shuttle packages to and from 125 fulfillment centers across the world.
Amazon's shipping costs ballooned to $21.7 billion in 2017, up from $16.2 billion in 2016 and $11.5 billion in 2015. In its annual 10-K SEC filing published this past February, the company said it expects the cost of shipping to continue increasing. Amazon changed its Prime annual membership rate from $99 to $119 this year.
Earlier today Amazon announced that it will offer free holiday shipping to all of its customers on hundreds of millions of items, a potentially costly competitive move designed to keep pace with similar moves by the company's retail rivals.
Amazon is also testing a new service called Amazon Day, which lets Prime members set a designated drop off day for orders placed throughout the week.
The company's overall global employment is more than 600,000 people, which also includes its Seattle headquarters, worldwide operations and other employees in addition to its fulfillment network.


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Adhesive capsulitis, or �frozen shoulder� is a condition of the shoulder which results in the formation of inflammation and the subsequent production of scar like tissue in the shoulder joint to result in pain, stiffness and debility. The condition is common in diabetics and in this particular group, it may be recalcitrant, often requiring several injections.
The cause of adhesive capsulitis is often not known. However, when known, common causes include:
- Rotator cuff tendinosis/tendon tears
- Subacromial Bursitis
- Shoulder surgery
- Trauma
- Shingles
- Heart attack, chest surgery and stroke
Adhesive capsulitis has been reported to be a self limiting disease, meaning that untreated, it will eventually spontaneously improve, however this may take up to 2 years. In its early phase, the disease may result in vague shoulder pain which mimics other causes of shoulder pain. The diagnosis is often suggested at the time of ultrasound evaluation, when patients are unable to move their shoulder in the necessary positions required for the scan.� An ultrasound also yields important information, as it may diagnose the underlying cause that resulted in the patient developing adhesive capsulitis in the first instance.
In mild cases, adhesive capsulitis usually responds to rehabilitation. If the condition progresses, often an injection, called a hydrodilatation (or hydrodilation) using cortisone and saline is required to suppress the inflammation and thus target the underlying disease process. The joint is then stretched with approximately 20-40mls of saline, often resulting in a popping sensation. It is debatable whether stretching the capsule with the addition of saline is of additional benefit and makes the procedure more painful. It is felt that the stretching part of the procedure tears the scarred capsule of the joint to improve mobility. Whether this is of additional long term benefit is as yet unproven, however stretching the capsule can often result in immediate improvement of a patient�s range of motion. Patients may require several injections to treat the condition, however if this is unresponsive, then another option includes manipulation under general anesthesia and surgery.
CT Guided Hydrodilatation
The skin is marked for accurate needle placement (image 1 of 9), with a needle then introduced into the shoulder joint.
Gas is then introduced into the joint to confirm position, with the medication then injected to relieve the patient of their adhesive capsulitis (frozen shoulder).
- Tveit� EK, Tariq R, Sesseng S, Juel NG, Bautz-Holter E. Hydrodilatation, corticosteroids and adhesive capsulitis: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Musculoskelet Disord 19;9:53 2008
- Bell S, Coghlan J, Richardson M. Hydrodilatation in the management of shoulder capsulitis. Australas Radiol 47(3):247-51, 2003
- Watson L, Bialocerkowski A, Dalziel R, Balster S, Burke F, Finch C. Hydrodilatation (distension arthrography): a long-term clinical outcome series. Br J Sports Med 41(3):167-73, 2007
For more information read:
Melbourne Radiology Clinic - Patient Fact Sheet on Hydrodilatation & Arthrography/Arthrogram


text: Small Ship Cruise Line Pivots to New Ports and Value-Driven Itineraries to Encourage Tourism Ben Souza November 10, 2017 Cruise Fever, Cruise News, Windstar Cruises Resurrecting tourism after a natural disaster isn't easy. There's the perception that everything is destroyed or closed, with the second wave of damage then hitting in economic form when tourists are hesitant to return. Windstar Cruises President John Delaney wants to fight that negative narrative after the recent storms by revealing … Click Here to Continue Post The post Small Ship Cruise Line Pivots to New Ports and Value-Driven Itineraries to Encourage Tourism appeared first on Cruise Fever. Related posts: Windstar Adds New Cruise Itineraries in Europe Carnival Cruise Line Modifies Itineraries on Six Cruise Ships Due to Closed Ports Disney Cruise Line Returns to Popular Tropical Ports in 2019 Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Your email address will not be published. Name* Email* Website Comment


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How fast should you act in reaction to a portfolio addition or deletion alert?
A good general rule for following any portfolio, whether it is one of ours or one run by another organization (e.g., a newsletter service), is to buy when an addition alert is issued and sell when a deletion alert is issued. If you want to mimic the performance of the portfolio, it only makes sense to follow the changes. Acting quickly is prudent.
There is a difference between 'quickly' and 'immediately,' however. In the Model Shadow Stock Portfolio stock order guidance rules, we advise members to be patient. In the user's guides for our Stock Superstars Report and AAII Dividend Investing portfolios, we suggest generally "acting on portfolio addition and deletion alerts within the week." We follow up this statement by saying "don't be afraid to wait longer if you feel the stock price is moving in your favor (falling if you are a buyer or rising if you are a seller)." In other words, don't dawdle, but don't feel rushed either.
The amount of patience you should use depends on the stock itself. A large-cap, widely held stock likely won't be affected by a newsletter alert. We didn't notice any unusual trading activity in Apple (AAPL) when we added it to our dividend investing portfolio this past April, for instance. Conversely, a smaller, less-followed stock may well be affected. Before the financial crisis, I once saw Movado (MOV) move upward by more than 10% in just a few days because Jim Cramer talked favorably about it on Mad Money. Lower volume will cause a stock to move in reaction to favorable or unfavorable comments or actions, especially if the portfolio or the commentator has a sizeable following.


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- on Microcontrollers
- Published in issue 3/2007 on page 0
An alternative network cable tester
MODDING & TWEAKING – an Ethermeter
Although wireless networks are becoming more popular these days, cabled networks are still in widespread use. They are usually faster, cheaper (equipment-wise), more secure and easier to configure. One disadvantage of such a hard-wired connection is that the information carrier (the cable) can sometimes give up the ghost. We have designed this circuit to provide a simple test of the connections.
Downloading of this magazine article is reserved for registered users only.
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Due to a crashed hard disk in the author's PC an early version of the circuit diagram was printed. The correct schematic is shown in Mailbox, March 2007.


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By Alok Jha, The Guardian
In the desert of southern Spain, 20 miles outside Seville, more than 1,000 mirrors are being carefully positioned. Each is about half the size of a tennis court, so the adjustments will take time. But when they are complete in a few weeks, it will mark a major moment in the quest for renewable energy.
The mirrors are part of the world's biggest solar tower plant, a technology that reflects sunlight to superheat water at a central tower. Once this €80m (£67m) plant is inaugurated in January, it will generate 20MW of electricity, enough to power 11,000 Spanish homes.
Concentrated solar power (CSP) technology, as it is known, is seen by many as a simpler, cheaper and more efficient way to harness the sun's energy than other methods such as photovoltaic (PV) panels. But CSP only works in places with clear skies and strong sunshine.
The Andalucian deserts are an ideal location, and Spain hopes the PS20 plant will enable it to take advantage of its huge solar resource and lead the field in CSP technology.
"The radiation hitting the earth is 10,000 times the consumption of energy," said José Domíngues Abascal, chief technology officer at Abengoa, the Spanish energy company behind the plant. "There is great potential in solar energy."
Abengoa has already built a smaller version of the tower technology to test that the idea works. The 11MW PS10 system has been generating electricity for almost two years. Its new design uses an area larger than 100 football pitches, with 1,255 mirrors, called heliostats, each with a collecting area of 120 sq m. These track the sun as it moves through the day and reflect the energy to the top of a 160-metre tower at the centre of the field. Here, the concentrated light is used to heat water to more than 1000C, producing steam that can turn an electricity generating turbine.
When switched on, the new plant will be the world's largest commercial CSP plant feeding electricity into a national grid. It will be also be a significant step for tower technology, seen as a candidate for the large-scale solar plants of the future.
Spanish firms are charging ahead with CSP: more than 50 solar projects around Spain have been approved for construction by the government and, by 2015, the country will generate more than 2GW of power from CSP, comfortably exceeding current national targets. The companies are also exporting their technology to Morocco, Algeria and the US.
"CSP is at the very beginning of a big boom," said José Luis García, at Greenpeace in Spain. "Spain is in a good position to develop and implement the technology. We have the sun so we are in the best position to lead in this field."
The country's clean energy targets are in line with the EU's plan to source 20% of primary energy from renewables by 2020, which means that 30% of electricity would have to come from carbon-free sources. A new EU renewables directive would increase that electricity target to 40%, but García said Spain could easily reach for more, up to 50%.
John Loughhead, executive director of the UK Energy Research Council, said that Abenoga's tower approach at the new plant was relatively efficient "because what you're doing is concentrating a very large area of sunlight on top of a very small area so you can get very high temperatures".
He added that, given the right environment, solar towers were a credible way to make clean power. "But can you make them cheap enough, will they be reliable enough, will they have the right lifetime?"
Another difficulty for potential developers is cost. In Spain, the generation costs of electricity from CSP are double those from more traditional methods. But Abascal said the price was falling as solar projects got bigger and it would match that of fossil fuel power within a decade.
For now, CSP projects across Spain are built with the promise that the government will pay a premium, known as a feed-in tariff, for any CSP electricity sent into the grid. The PS20 is part of a €1.2bn series of solar power plants based on CSP technologies including tower plants and trough-style collectors - where water is passed in tubes directly in front of parabolic mirrors that collect sunlight - and a few PV panels planned by Abengoa. The solar farm will eventually generate up to 300MW of power, enough for the 700,000 people of Seville, by 2013.
The 20MW solar tower is also a forerunner for an even more ambitious idea, one that Abascal hopes will become a standard for CSP plants in future - a 50MW version that could generate electricity around the clock. "During the day, you'd use 50% of your electricity to produce electricity and 50% to heat molten salt. During the night you use the molten salt to produce electricity."
Molten salt technology is in its early stages but Abengoa is testing the idea at a power plant in Granada. So far the company has demonstrated that it is possible to store up to eight hours of solar energy by heating tanks containing 28,000 tonnes of salt to more than 220C. "This will make it possible to have almost constant production or at least it will be able to produce energy for most of the day," said Abascal.
The European commission has identified CSP as part of its future clean energy technology plan. Earlier this year a representative from its joint research centre argued that CSP could even form a major part of a proposed EU supergrid that would transport electricity, generated in solar plants in southern Europe and northern Africa, across Europe.
The supergrid has received political support from Gordon Brown and France's president, Nicolas Sarkozy, who has commissioned a feasibility study on the project.
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Well, I finally got around to signing up for a three month free trial of Microsoft's Azure. In case you've been living under a rock these past few years, Azure is Microsoft's cloud offering of virtual servers, virtual storage, web servers and associated services such as networking (between the virtual resources), Active Directory, SQL Server and something they call Mobile Services. This last one makes it easier to set up back-end services to support mobile apps for iOS devices and Windows Phones, although from reading the documentation I can't see how this is any different from setting up a virtual server.
Whereas AWS has a bunch of pre-configured AMIs (Amazon Machine Images) that you can choose so you can get up and running more quickly than starting up a bare server and downloading and installing web servers, databases, applications, etc., I like that Azure distinguishes between Virtual Machines and Web Sites. Under Virtual Machines you can choose from a handful of Microsoft servers (SQL Server, BizTalk, Windows) or a very small collection of Linux servers (CentOS, Redhat and Ubuntu 12. Web Sites lets you choose from a collection of pre-baked application environments including the standards like Joomla, WordPress and Drupal but also some others for photo galleries, blogging and commercial web sites. AWS has an awesome array of choices, but they don't make it easy for you to shop them. Azure has a much more limited selection, but it's easy to browse through the list and see what's on offer, almost like an app store. The breadth and depth of what's on offer can only get better over time.
My first impression is that the user interface is very slick, intuitive and functional. Slightly better than AWS and way better than HP Public Cloud, which is a bit old school and dated, even though it's the newest kid on the block. I was able to set up an Ubuntu virtual machine quite easily, even though it took me three tries. The first two times I tried uploading a .pem file to use for authentication (the same file I use to authenticate on my AWS servers), but this was rejected as not being X.509 compliant. There is nothing readily visible on the site on how to generate a compliant key-pair, so I'm left with standard username and password authentication. No worries, I'm only using this for a bit of mucking about to see how it works. But they really shouldn't let users skip this important security step without giving them the implications and an option to do it right.
It took a lot longer for my server to be set up than on HP Public Cloud or AWS, about 5 minutes vs 2. And then, frustratingly, once it was finally created, it was in STOPPED mode so I had to figure out how to start it. I really like, however, that Azure lets you choose something meaningful for the first part of your server's url, e.g. myserver.cloudapp.net. AWS dictates something unmemorable like ec2-46-xx-yyy-zzz.ap-northeast-1.compute.amazonaws.com. And with AWS you can get a public IP address to assign to the long url but you'll pay an extra $0.01 per hour for the pleasure. HP Public Cloud gives you a public IP address but doesn't charge you any extra. I think Azure gets it right here, although I'd also like to see the option of having a fixed public IP address.
When it comes to global regions, HP Public Cloud gives you three US-based options, AWS gives you the most with three in the US, plus Ireland, Brazil, Tokyo, Singapore and Sydney. Azure comes in the middle with US East, US West, Southeast Asia, East Asia, North Europe and West Europe. They don't provide much of a clue as to where these servers are physically located. This might matter to some companies for data protection or other regulatory reasons, though companies with those types of concerns probably shouldn't be putting their applications and data on the cloud in the first place. The thing that slightly irked me, however, was that I set up a virtual Ubuntu machine in North Europe, but when I started up a remote desktop session and surfed to whatismyipaddress.com, it showed me as Microsoft Corporation in Wichita, Kansas! This is important for companies who want to situate their services as close as possible to their users for cost and performance reasons. Maybe there's a way to specify connection points to the public Internet but it wasn't immediately obvious.
Lastly, and it's just as much of a show stopper for me on Azure as it is on HP Public Cloud, there is no easy way to suspend a server and stop paying the hourly charge. Here is a direct quote from the Azure help pages: "You are billed for a virtual machine that exists in Windows Azure whether it is running or stopped. You must delete the virtual machine to stop being billed for it." To my simple and cloud-indoctrinated mind this just doesn't compute. Virtualization and cloud are about pay for use, like an electricity model. Pay for as much as you use. Each time you turn off all of your electrical devices and stop drawing electricity from the grid, you don't have to tear out all the wiring. No, you just carry on and when you switch the lights back on, you start paying again. On AWS they give me some choices: STOP, which equals suspend, and means I don't pay the server hourly charge, just some nominal, minuscule fee to store the virtual image, and which also means I can later restart the server from exactly where I left off; or TERMINATE, which stops and completely deletes the virtual server. But it seems Microsoft wants to charge you for the virtual server even though you're not using it. Which means either they haven't figured out all the automated provisioning, scripting, clean-ups, billing, etc.; they want to discourage this type of behaviour; or they're hoping to gouge their users by charging them for services they may not be using.
I'll carry on playing with Azure until my three month free trial runs out, but I won't become a paying customer until Azure offers the ability to suspend virtual images without paying the run-time charges.


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Blues, Brews and BBQ
We had so many wonderful people who came out to support the animals at Rogue Valley Humane Society! Blues, Brews and BBQ was another great success! Thank you to our magnificent volunteers who worked their tails off. Thank you to our wonderous community for loving the animals as much as we do. Together we will make a difference in the lives of our furry guests! So let's keep saving lives…..See ya next year!
Celebrating Mother's at the Bear Hotel!
Thank you to all who attended our first Mother's Day Tea at the Bear Hotel! What a wonderful way to honor our Mothers. Your support will help feed, house and provide medical care for pets at the Rogue Valley Humane society.
Thank you!
Our volunteers did a fantastic job in coordinating and hosting this special day! We couldn't have done it without YOU!
Thank you to our Pawsome Volunteer Crew!!
2017 Spring Newsletter!
2017 Spring Newsletter!
It's time to get caught up on what's been happening at Rogue Valley Humane Society!
Bowling for Bowzer!
Thank you to all who participated in our Bowling for Bowzer event! What a great time, fantastic folks for a wonderful cause!!
A Special Thanks for Joining our Sponsorship Team!
Each year we ask the public to consider sponsoring a Dog kennel or Cat Condo to help support the animals in our care. The funding goes directly to the care of all pets in our facility!
We are happy to announce we have 2 more individuals to add to our sponsorship list and are grateful for their generosity!
Thank you!!
Elenora Akin
Don Huntley
Joshua Wicks – In loving memory of Gerrie Lee Wicks
Elizabeth Trevett – In memory of Kenwood R. Trevett
Lynn and Stephen Hubbard
Betty Ann Grodhaus
Pam and Brian Clark
Pennies For Pets!
Calling all elementary school students!
The Rogue Valley Humane Society is hosting a fundraising event called Pennies for Pets!
We are partnering with Club Northwest's Kid Zone and the Spa at Club Northwest!
We are asking all students to join us in our mission to save abandoned, neglected and abused animals in our community. It's as easy as collecting pennies from around the home, asking friends and family to do the same or create your own fundraiser, you decide! Each student will pool together their collection and present it to The Rogue Valley Humane Society. The winning classroom that raises the most pennies, will enjoy a fun filled party at the Kid Zone for the entire class, plus your teacher will be the winner of a relaxing 90-minute massage! You have until the end of January, so let's start collecting!!
The money your class raises will benefit our four legged friends at RVHS. Together we can help our community four paws at a time!
You can make a difference!
Winners will be announced February 1st 2017
Sponsored by:
Saturday October 1st at 1:00 pm at Rogue Valley Humane Society.
429 NW Scenic Drive Grants Pass, Oregon
Join us in the Blessing and appreciation of our beloved pets. Bring your well socialized pet(s) or a photo or stuffed animal as a representatives of your cherished animal companion, to be blessed by Father William Holtzinger. Please dress weather appropriate since the Blessing will be held outdoors. We would like to keep your pet(s) safe so please have your dog leashed, cats, birds and other small animals in appropriate size pet carrier.
"If you have men who will exclude any of God's creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who will deal likewise with their fellow men."
St Francis of Assisi
Blues, Brews and BBQ
Our second annual BBB event went without a hitch! Thank you to all who participated and for helping us continue our mission of helping the animals in our community, four paws at a time!
Fur Ball was a great success!
Our 7th annual Fur Ball event was a great success and we would like to extend our deepest gratitude to all who made it possible! Thank you to our sponsors, to the individuals and businesses who donated to our cause. To all the volunteers who gave of their time and helped with organizing the event. It was an amazing night of giving and we are extremely grateful for everyone who participated in our mission.
A special thanks to our sponsors for joining us in our mission…..
Big Dog Sponsorship
♥ Deborah O'Donnell ♥
♥ Wayne Blunk ♥
Purrfect Partner Sponsorhip
♥ Kris Cox ♥
♥ Animal Angel Team ♥
♥ Rich and Jeannie Steed ♥
♥ Kim Spann of WingSpann Farms ♥
"Helping our Community, Four Paws at a Time"


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60th Birthday
Let us help you plan the perfect 60th birthday party. Our stylish party supplies make it easy to plan a terrific celebration for this exciting birthday. From centerpieces to confetti, and balloons to candles, we have everything you need to make this a birthday to remember.
(4 Items)


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It's been awhile since my depression confession. I'm not sure what has kept me from writing but I think it has to do with the fact that despite the hopeful tone of my last post, life has been hard. These last months have been filled with lots of hard work and lots of change. There has been lots of dark moments entwined with joyful ones. In fact I had one of those today. You see, I've felt so good lately and it really surprised me that I started to cry after getting a call about a play I had auditioned for and did not get. It didn't take me long to realize it wasn't about the play at all but about a lie I have been telling myself since the very first time I was picked last for a team (and every time after) that I am unchooseable. I mean that is the pattern in my life, last picked for teams, not picked for plays, not picked for friendships, and certainly NEVER picked when it comes to men. There is a scene in Grey's Anatomy, season 2, I think, when Meredith and Derrick are stuck in an elevator (it's about halfway thru the season after Addison arrives and Derrick has to pick) and Meredith pleads with him and tells him to pick her. It's a powerful scene and I have often felt like she did. Clearly this is a lie and something I'll be talking about in counselling this week. ;)
That's not what I came to write. I came to write that despite of that, despite bad days or moments, during recovery there can still be lots of JOY and this summer was filled with it. I wrote this list to remind myself of all I do have, because I do have a lot. I want to share that list with you, to give you hope today if you need it.
JOY is a baby shower for an old friend.
JOY is feeling safe and secure in the house where that shower was held.
JOY is kisses from Thomas. He really does give good ones, all over your face.
JOY is singing my heart out at our end of the year choir show, alone and killing it.
JOY is drinks and food afterwards.
JOY is a brand new nephew named Lochlan.
JOY is watching my sister grow as a mom.
JOY is hearing her tell you, that Loch is lucky you are his aunt.
JOY is a really good book club book.
JOY is only really books you want to.
JOY is cuddles with Lochlan.
JOY is picking out a birthday gift for Thomas.
JOY is listening to Hanson.
JOY is thrift shopping for vintage items.
JOY is a very old quilt.
JOY is yoga.
JOY is spending a whole Sat shopping downtown.
JOY is a pool party at the home of a co-worker.
JOY is serving table 1, at the soup kitchen.
JOY is joining H at the piano.
JOY is my bible study family.
JOY is singing with a grand piano.
JOY is exploring antique stores.
JOY is flee markets.
JOY is a shadow named Lexi.
JOY is playing paper dolls.
JOY is conversations with my brother.
JOY is campfires.
JOY is feeling peaceful.
JOY is jumping waves.
JOY is Lexi giggles.
JOY is watching the sunset with my Dad.
JOY is a Backstreet Boy, living room solo dance party.
JOY is garlic spread.
JOY is a needle and thread.
JOY is planning a baby shower.
JOY is a harvest table found by a co-worker.
JOY is 10 dollar chairs to go with.
JOY is exploring the area where I live.
JOY is vintage jewellery.
JOY is a house, full of sisters and cousins.
JOY is making Grandma a perfect ice cream sundae.
JOY is two little girls playing dolls in my spare room.
JOY is a sleepover with Lexi.
JOY is choosing NOT to go in the haunted house.
JOY is a working sewing machine.
JOY is textiles.
JOY is making pillows out of vintage hankies.
JOY is a really ugly yellow chair.
JOY is spending an afternoon on the farm house porch.
JOY is Zumba.
JOY is a sacred place to write, with like minded souls.
JOY is discovering Nate and Beth.
JOY is really cold swims in Georgian Bay.
JOY is having the best sleep ever.
JOY is lovingly prepared food, enjoyed together.
JOY is home.
JOY is top down days.
JOY is ice cream sundae dishes.
JOY is being certain that I will be okay.
JOY is farmers market flowers.
JOY is drive-in movies.
JOY is finding a second or is it third, church community.
JOY is younger cousins.
JOY is vintage suitcases.
JOY is being certain that true love is meant for me.
JOY is yummy ice cream with a friend and a walk on the beach.
JOY is having Thomas climb into your lap to finish his bottle and Lexi cuddle in.
JOY is homemade strawberry, chocolate, and salted caramel sauce.
JOY is spending the afternoon at the beach with your best friend.
JOY is the candy store.
JOY is pretty dainty rings.
JOY is new (to me) clothes.
JOY is hugs from co-workers.
JOY is gazing at the stars when arriving home really late from work.
JOY is every child I care for in the hospital.
JOY is learning form those children.
JOY is paying someone else to cut the grass.
JOY is cornflowers.
JOY is sunsets seen from Recovery room.
JOY is feeling hopeful.
JOY is healing.


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Action Heroine Cheer Fruits season 2
Continuation of the daily anime show created by director Kusakawa Keizo based on the manga about the life of schoolchildren.
Release date anime series Action Heroine Cheer Fruits season 2 scheduled, premiere of the new series will be held – June, 2020.
In one of the cities of Japan, fighting between heroines and villains has become popular. Brave girls fiercely fight with scoundrels, over and over again gaining a brilliant victory over them.
At some point the popularity of such battles went beyond the limits of this city and spread throughout the country. Battles with villains began to show even on television shows.
On the wave of general hype, other girls also wanted to snatch their bit of glory, and the heroines began to appear in other cities.
In the town of Hinano, whose main activity is the production of fruit, its heroines are still not there. Therefore, the inhabitants have to look at the desperate battles of brave girls only on TV. But high school student Misaki Shirogane does not agree with this state of affairs.
She sincerely wants her hometown too to become famous all over the country, therefore she actively invites her countrywomen to become real heroines along with her.
Not all the villains are defeated, which means that Misaki and her team are going to fight evil and win the hearts of the audience at the same time!
Action Heroine Cheer Fruits season 2 release date
|Series title
|Release date
|Series 1
|June 2020
|Series 2
|June 2020
|Series 3
|June 2020
|Series 4
|June 2020
|Series 5
|June 2020
|Series 6
|June 2020
|Series 7
|June 2020
|Series 8
|June 2020
|Series 9
|June 2020
|Series 10
|June 2020


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Everyone has to enjoy a near-shutout against the Cowboys, even if Dallas did muddle through the meaningless game led a backup quarterback. The Eagles did lose to John Skelton earlier in the season, so at the very least this counts as progress.
The Eagles have put together their best and most consistent stretch of the season over the last three weeks, and there's no reason to believe they won't continue against Washington this weekend. But the broader questions remain as to how to interpret this recent upswing.
Are these the "real" Eagles that just needed too much time to coalesce into a playoff-caliber team? Does this justify last offseason's moves and support keeping the same structure in place going into 2012?
Although we'll have plenty of offseason to analyze it further, I don't think the answer to either of those questions is yes. Recent success, especially against poor opponents, can cloud our judgment and fabricate an upward trend where there is none. Nor does any improvement at this point explain why it took so long. I flat out reject any argument that blames the lockout, since once again: every team had to deal with the same thing.
But on a subjective, inside-Novacare maneuvering level? This final month could be just enough to justify maintaining the status quo.
The hope is that a disappointing season like this would force management to confront the decisions that led to such an outcome. They might find and attempt to correct the failures in drafting, free agency, playcalling, etc.
Instead, the danger of this potential false positive final month is that it allows the Eagles front office to conveniently ignore all of those mistakes, if they so desire. I sincerely hope that isn't the case.


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Beautiful weddings need celebrating – the memories are beyond priceless. And the best way of doing that is in a beautiful, leather-bound, hand-made album that will last for generations to come. Enjoy one of our Le Manoir couples' wedding albums!
Lilah and Mark's wedding at Le Manoir Aux Quat'Saisons was gorgeous, simply gorgeous. Everything about it – the couple, the location (of course) and the guests. Everything added up to a stunning day – in spite of the inclement weather!
You might also like:
Lilah and Mark's Le Manoir Wedding
Ox Magazine Le Manoir Shoot
Penny And Jon's Le Manoir Wedding
And here is the album we put together to celebrate and remember all of that! We rather like it and we hope you do too!
Take care


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Kudahuvadhoo, Maldives
Fine dining 20 feet below the surface in the Indian Ocean.
At the uber fancy PER AQUUM Niyama resort in Maldives, tourists frolic between two private islands. They have lots of dining choices, but by far the most unique is Subsix, a gourmet restaurant six (hence the name) meters (about 20 feet) beneath the surface of the Indian Ocean.
In order to even see Subsix, visitors must come by speedboat. It's a 40 minute trip from the capital, Malé, or a 15 minute one from Niyama Resort's islands. The entrance to the restaurant is inconspicuous, just a mysterious pair of doors atop a short dock. Once there, they descend three stories beneath the waves into the "clam-shaped" bar. The building (constructed on land then sunk below the waves) sits central to a thriving coral reef. Sea anemone chairs and soft blue light invite the diners into the ocean world, not to mention the Hawkbill turtles, eels, and parrotfish swimming just beyond the glass.
- http://www.minorhotels.com/en/peraquum/niyama/dining/subsix
- http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20151008-this-night-out-is-one-youll-brag-about-for-years
- http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-3167960/Dine-fishes-Guests-watch-eat-extraordinary-underwater-restaurant-unrivalled-views-sea.html


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Stephen Hawking was one of the most beloved scientists in this generation -- not only for his intellect, but for his wit and humor.
He died at the age of 76, and left behind provocative as well as comical quotes.
On the universe
"It would not be much of a universe if it wasn't home to the people you love."
On scientific discoveries
"I wouldn't compare it to sex, but it lasts longer." -- at a science festival in 2011.
On persistence
"However difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at. It matters that you don't just give up." -- at an Oxford University Union speech in 2016.
On curiosity
"So remember, look at the stars and not at your feet." -- at the Sydney Opera House in 2015.
On intelligence
"I would never claim this. People who boast about their IQ are losers."-- in response to a 2017 question if he believed he was the most intelligent person in the world.
On space
"May you keep flying like superman in microgravity." -- to NASA astronauts in 2014.
"I have always tried to overcome the limitations of my condition and lead as full a life as possible. I have traveled the world, from the Antarctic to zero gravity. Perhaps one day I will go into space." -- to the New York Times in 2011.
"I have already completed a zero gravity flight which allowed me to float weightless, but my ultimate ambition is to fly into space." -- to ITV in 2017.
On God
"God may exist, but science can explain the universe without the need for a creator." -- in a 2010 CNN interview.
"The scientific account is complete. Theology is unnecessary." -- in a 2010 CNN interview.
On women
"My [physician assistant] reminds me that although I have a PhD in physics, women should remain a mystery." -- in his first Reddit AMA. (His PA is a woman, by the way.)
On his appearance
"Unfortunately, Eddie [Redmayne] did not inherit my good looks." -- of the Oscar-winning actor who portrayed him in "The Theory of Everything."
Related Content
- Stephen Hawking's theory on everything, in his words
- Stephen Hawking Fast Facts
- Stephen Hawking muere a los 76 años
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Capital Cities :: In a Tidal Wave of Mystery
The title of the latest Capital Cities album perfectly suits the record – that mystery and curiosity is what brought me to listen to In A Tidal Wave Of Mystery. The dynamic duo is no stranger to the Toronto crowd as they performed at our very own Yonge-Dundas Square this past summer. Capital Cities are climbing the charts with their smash hit 'Safe And Sound' – which currently sits at No. 12 on the Billboard Top 100. The members of the band met in a very strange way; through a Craigslist post. Ryan Merchant put up an ad searching for someone who enjoyed music as much as himself; a posting that Sebu Simonian, who assisted with production, responded to. The chemistry between the two was automatic as they began writing jingles for advertisements in L.A. Three years later and the Capital Cities have released an awesome record.
The sound that the Capital Cities have kept consistent throughout the album is very similar to the sound of their hit song 'Safe and Sound'. The very first thing I noticed about the album was the fact that there is not one slow song on the album – which I feel is a great. I couldn't imagine what a slow song would sound like or where it would even fit on this record.
The album takes off with 'Safe and Sound'. The chart-topping song captures the attention with the dynamic sounds and the harmonic way that the voices of Ryan and Sebu clash into one another. Despite the lack of musical variety on this album, it really is a great dance record.
One of my personal favourite songs on the album is 'Farrah Fawcett Hair', a song that uses the well-known blowout as a metaphor to describe something good or appealing (pretty cleaver, eh?). The song features OutKast frontman André 3000, which definitely adds some much-needed variety to the album as a whole. Another thing that I found fascinating was the ending of the song: voices of people giving their own interpretations on good things. For instance, one of the voices describes the feeling of being calm underwater to be a good thing.
The various elements of sound that are used throughout the album never fail amaze me; and that is coming from a guy who has played the album a thousand times. I will admit that some of the lyrics are not the greatest; however, the album still proves to be a pretty good electro-pop piece. It is extremely electronic, which normally would defer me from listening any further, but I found that the different tones heard on the album had me in a trance. I would highly recommend this album for anyone looking for songs that they could play at their next party; I promise that the album will have guests on their feet for the entire 43 minutes!
The album gives off a very relaxed and cool feeling to listeners – it is not one of the best albums that I have heard this year, but it is perfect in its own way. I found that some songs reminded me of my Grade 9 year when I was obsessed with Far East Movement's Free Wired; the lyrics may not have been the best, but it did not fail to get me on my feet. That's for sure!
For more on Capital Cities, visit capitalcitiesmusic.com.
Listen here:


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|Train Number 52 at Bealville, CA
Many years later, I took this photograph. I was an employee of the Southern Pacific Transportation Company, and I was off duty. It was sometime in the early 1970's, and I had driven to the mountains just so I could photograph this train. Bealville and Caliente were two of my favorite locations to see and photograph trains.
One of the things I like about these photographs is that they show the section houses. I am guessing that this photo was taken in 1972 or so, and there still were facilities at Bealville (they were all removed shortly thereafter). To the left of the train, and just beyond the signal tower, is a section crew truck. It is parked near a section house.
Around the time that I took this photo, I worked on the brakeman's extra board. Several times I was a crew member of a work train. A work train was a special train that was ordered by a section foreman. Its purpose was to provide a platform for a small crane, and to deliver ties and ballast. We often had two SD 9 locomotives, and a relatively short train. We delivered the ties, spotted the crane, and spread the ballast wherever the section foreman desired. We had to work around the mainline trains, and so we spent a lot of time "in the hole" (siding) while traffic passed.
I do not recall the name of the Bealville section foreman. I wish that I did. He took great pride in his section and in his work. I understand that he regularly walked his entire section to inspect every aspect of his tracks, so that he could take the best care of his section of the railroad. He and others like him all over the system were instrumental in keeping the trains rolling, and the railroad safe.
|Train Number 51 at Bealville With One of the Section Houses


text: I just purchased the Moto TurboPower battery Mod and it is great, except for one little thing. The button to check the power level is raised above the surface on the back. This means that when you place the phone with the Mod flat on a desk or other flat surface, the button is constantly pushed in. I don't know if this is detrimental to the Mod at all, but it does seem to be a design flaw. Does Motorola/Lenovo read these forums to get feedback on their products?