Best wishes to my friend Valya, on her trip to the Russian Far East
Best wishes to my friend Joanna and her mother
Best wishes to Granniog on her house hunting
Glad to see my friends in NC, are okay, and the winds passed
Best wishes to my friend Susanne, and her family, who will be celebrating over the long weekend.
Belated Best wishes to Souldragon, and Danielle on the ending of Passover
Best of luck, to  Queen zenobia and her family

Best Wishes on the loss of her beloved friend

Nightmares

Last night I had an awful dream. I guess brought on by the anxiety, and alcoholic ginger beer.
It started innocently enough. I was sitting down, not doing the work I was supposed to do. Instead I had been drawing, or something.

Than I moved into the kitchen, where people came and went. 

One of the people who came, in was Russell Brand. Yes, the Wife of Ms. Katy Perry, and the tormentor of Andrew Sachs.  Well Brand played a trick on me, and put custard in my tea. Though it came out looking more like, vegetables in chicken soup. Someone said to me, that you can't let Russell get away with that.

So I than lost it, I started to attack Russell. I hit him with a hot pan. Someone commented on this. Daniel McEvoy from my High school, and I broke his glasses.

Than some girls, entered the scene. I had decided to be a monk. So, I paid them no mind. The whole encounter above, may have been in a monastery. Which I think explains, why Russell was there. Also it was a communal kitchen. We were fighting.

The Girls went to sleep next to me, which I thought was odd, but I ignored them

Then this was the really, disturbing bit. The monastery seemed to have been taken over by White Power fanatics. Daphne Du Maurier, was addressing on something. (*) It was not her. I think I thought it was her, because I read a review of a book, by her the previous day. The old woman looked like a cross between Helen Daniels, and Dame Judy Dench. ( Sorry Ladies)

(For information about the real Du Maurier please read

http://www.dumaurier.org/)

Than came the nasty bit. There was a guy talking about mass murder. I think he said Congo, but he meant Rwanda. Where hundreds of thousands of people were murdered with knives. He than began a rant, about Gypsy women. He turned and told me something, which made my blood froze. I had walked in front of him, in front of the door.

I slipped away, as the well Nazi's were up to something, everyone was going to and forth.

 I wanted to get out, and get out fast. I had to scramble up some rocks, and I was afraid people would notice I was going in the opposite direction from most of the crowd.

I managed to get out of the compound, into the street - the street was full, of departing Nazis. Some of them were leaving in Cop cars. I ran up, the ramp of a multi story carpark, to hide out until they left

Today the ``Rs'' the soccer team I follow. Are playing Hull City A.F.C
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hull_City_A.F.C.
Oh how cute. There mascot is called Roary the tiger. Anyway, why am I mentioning this now. It is because my Good friend in Glasgow University. Barry Jones was a fan. We were both outsiders, he came from Hull, I was from further afield. However we were both big soccer fans.

So, across the divide of sport, I salute an old friend

Easter 2011

Честит Великден 
Paşte Fericit
Veselé prežitie Veľkonočných sviatkov
¡Felices Pascuas!
З Великодніми святами 
Gleðilega páska
Dhaoibh, Beannachtaí na Cásca
Frohe Ostern
воистину воскресе 

Cath Chluain Tarbh

Random maths

r5tr5t69+69-59-9-59-59-5+
65.0533333333333333333333
35
312+312+6563

I was stepping on my spare keyboard, and this set of numbers occured

An old enemy

This is the green visa waiver form. I used to have to fill out when traveling to the USA

I used to have to fill in a copy for myself, and my brother. nerves and jetlag meant I never got it right first time

and I had to take two or three attempts. At JFK, we were sent to the back of the line at least once.

Now, this is done electronically, from the comfort of my own home

Look at the questions on the second part of the form….

 

Elisabeth Sladen


``Sarah Jane Smith''


(1 February 1948 – 19 April 2011)


Actress, Stage Manager, Mother


Farewell

Shark!

Postcards from Nevada

These are a few years old. They were from an old love. Who is now happily married, and a mother.

I have retired them from my space at work. They brought me smiles, and light all these years

Short Circut

Short circuit. This was one of the films, my family had VHS. Remember VHS? Anyway it is being repeated on one of the TV channels has I type

Newton Crosby: OK. Listen closely. There's a priest, a minister, and a rabbi. They're out playing golf. They're deciding how much to give to charity. The priest says "We'll draw a circle on the ground, throw the money in the air, and whatever lands inside the circle, we'll give to charity." The minister says "No, we'll draw a circle on the ground, throw the money in the air, and whatever lands outside of the circle, that's what we'll give to charity." The rabbi says "No no no. We'll throw the money way up in the air, and whatever God wants, he keeps!"
Number 5: Hmmmm. Oh, I get it! Ho ho ho ho ho ho ho ho ho ho ho! Hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee! Nyuk, nyuk nyuk nyuk nyuk nyuk nyuk nyuk nyuk!
Stephanie Speck: What's going on? Is he laughing?
Newton Crosby: Yeah! Yeah! And the joke wasn't even that funny, and I think I screwed up the punchline. Ha ha ha ha!
Number 5: "Whatever God wants, he keeps!" 


This exchange is from the film short circuit
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_Circuit

The premise of the film, is that a robot has come to life. The dialog between Newton and Number 5. (Number 5, is the robot) is an attempt by newton to prove or disprove that Number 5, is alive. Rather Newton is trying to prove that Number 5 is self aware, and sentient. But thats academic

The unfortunate implication is that Johnny 5 is alive, because he finds anti semitic gags funny

Found on the street today
From Brasil a coin, so far away from home
I wonder will it bring me luck

Source code

Source code

This was recommended by a co worker. It is well made thriller. I am glad I went to the cinema today
The premise is one, that anyone who has been following popular culture in the last generation should be aware of. The hero is sent back in time, to relive the last 8 minutes of an event. A train bombing, and to gain information about the act, and its perpetrator . The protagonist is reporting to a US Airforce captain and a mysterious man with a cane.

See Cause and Effect in Star Trek the Next Generation

The Hero like Sam Beckett in Quantum leap, is sent back into another body.  A US army helicopter pilot is sent back into the body of a teacher. Who commutes into Chicago by rail.
The Army pilot, however has only 8 minutes before he is returned to his own time. Or own universe. The film muses that what . He attempts to save the girl, and is killed by an express train. There is nothing the hero can do, but observe.

The female lead's phone plays. ``I am the one and only, by Chesney Hawkes
There are lots of tourist promo shots of Chicago, I miss that city.
We see the hero relieve each moment. The commuter pouring coffee on his feet
The bomb blasts are quite horrific its one of the few times, I have seen this conceit where the hero really seems to suffer. The explosion seemed forgive the understatement painful,

I would have the left the ending a bit more open ended. I might have started with seeing the person, who Captain leaps into on his journey. That said, I enjoyed the film, a lot. Looks like one of my favorites for 2011

Yuri Gagarin

12 April, 1961

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuri_Gagarin

First Man to orbit the Earth

``So blue''

Round up 11 -4-2021

Round up 11-4-2011

Again my best wishes to my friend Sveta
I hope our beloved sister Lexie's mother is better
Drive Safe Susanne!
I have finished the long week, at work. The time after my long weekend has passed. From now on, my working week is in bite sized chunks. I hope I shall be less tired.
Bossy girl, is working again in my watering hole.
The sun is shining.

As you may know I was  having troubles with my phone company. I am supposed to be reading the Origin of species. So its stuck on the kindle app, on my phone. I want to finish to the book, on my Kindle. Not since High school, have I had to work, at reading something. I have had to make time to read

Anyway, I came across mentions of Ayn Rand, in my observations of discussions of American politics. In one such discussion  is a film of Atlas Shrugged in development. Cooper in Mad Men, gives Don Draper a copy of Atlas shrugged in the series. As my friend Valentina was reading Ayn Rands work, I decided to give the works of Ms Rand a try

Its different. I will give Ayn Rand that. I can understand why the book does influence people. There is a lot of truth in this book, and there often uncomfortable truths. We don't like to admit. Such as the social worker, who is upset when a charge of hers, gets a better job than the one she had planned to give her, Through the trials (literally) of Roark. We get to see that the motivations of the great and the good. Are not always steller. One is reminded of the phrase ``There have always been Christians in the Church''

There are some purple passages. The description of Wynards Philadelphian rivals as the European chiefs preparing to meet Attila the Hun, The biographies of Tuohy and Wynard stay in my mind.

The British empire, is credited with Afternoon tea, and the Detective novel.

The descriptions of the working world of the middle century, catch you. Roark's only friend admiring him, for his work ethic. For Roark's skill. Male friendships often begin on this mutal respect. The Newspaper room of the Banner, during the strike. With Gail Wynard, fixing a typewriter. The hordes of rewriter's. The Copy boys. There are glimpses of Hell's Kitchen in it's rougher years.  Also there is trouble in Europe. This would have been in Rand's mind. She had managed to escape the USSR,

Where Wynard once told paramours that they would fornicate in front of six million people. Wynard today could see his sexual encounters online for  money. Its a different time. Before Hiroshima, Before Texas Instruments. Before Al Gore invented the Internet. Wynard has a radio station play, a piece of classical music for his wife, at an appointed hour. There is Wagner's song of the evening star, played in Swing music on in the background, in a cafe. Indeed the Radio announcer mentions that ``Time Marches on!'' The closing line of newsreels. One character divorces and Rand, as author comments on how society has absolved him from the end of the marriage. The book is before the no fault divorce

The story revolves arround Harold Roark a brilliant modern architect. Who the world tries to bring low. Its the story of the peg that refuses to get hammered. I found his character hard to read, when I first encountered him. He questions every thing. It is sometimes annoying and sometimes confusing. This is something, I have been wondering about. The world has moved on, since Rand's day. The social conventions that Rand new have ebbed. We are a more individualist society in some ways. There is less of an ``establishment'' than what Rand would have known. I notice that Roark does not have a family. Indeed he emerges out of the ether it seems. The beginning of the book, has him standing naked, in a field or a Quarry. An Adam, one is almost tempted to say a New Soviet man?  Also the first redheaded hero I can remember.

Well, I am glad I read it. It took effort. I am reminded and will conclude with an observation made on my History. What Ayn Rand needed most of all, was an editor

Congratulations Sveta

Many happy returns on your engagement

Relepant kissing a Dinosaur

The last day

The Last day. A friend asked me, what I would do, on the last day. If I knew it would all end tomorrow.
I would hope for the courage, to face the day, well.

I would

I would wake up, ride my bike, and watch Vincent and the Doctor.
I would than have a steak, and egg Breakfast, and a cigarette
I would than buy a Clan jersey, for my friend. The one she saw on ebay
I would buy a copy of the magic of the horse for the good witch of the South
Tease Lexie, and buy her sweets
Send postcards. Postcards from the edge? to my fans
Buy Nessa some whiskey.
Buy Robyn that jersey
Tell my Valya, that she is the best! Instruct her, to look after my brother. Take care of my fan club, and let not Lexie go unteased
Buy a relephant, for someone
Send chocolates, to the nice people in the shop in Virginia beach
Send an e-mail to the Carolina Panthers, thanking there fans for there kindness
May charitable donations to the Universities I attended
Send flowers to Bossy girl
Tip the staff of the Pub, I drink in well
Send Danny at work, a large packet of smokes
Send vegan Candy, to the lady who got me the whip
Send a few vegan chocolates to the Southern med
Send Irina flowers
Send the Princesses of Kiev, daises and roses
Write up, the outline of how, sleeping under the cross would end
Writie up outlines for my AH's. As I can think off
Send Graniog as many dvds, as I could find that I think she would enjoy
Close of my history list account, with a brief salvette
Close my blog. Twitter, Facebook account.
Have a cocktail
Stand up, and face the dying of the light

Ég hélt að síðasta heimsókn var frá einhverjum öðrum

Hversu heimskulegt

Svo grimmur stolt

Ég er til einskis

The Tudors Showtime

The Tudors

The story of Henry VII and his wives.

I always thought Henry VII. The Welsh outsider backed by the French was the more interesting character.

Jonathon Rhys myers, plays the Tudor monarch. The first ruler of England, to make it a crime to say something. A man who changed the world. He broke with Rome, and the rest is History. This is not the first time Johnnie boy has played a world changing figure in Michael Collins, he plays the fool with the rifle who changed Irish history.
JRM's has some of the demonic energy of Henry. He gives a sense of danger  My only problem, is that JRM is not quite smart enough. Henry had been trained to be a cardinal, and did have an interest in learning. I never quite believed that from JRM. There is also the accent. In Match Point. JRM, lets his accent slip. Or Allen does not correct a slip, made by JRM. Well there is that laager accent throughout the series. Sometimes its distracting. I wonder if they kept any Irish historical characters out of view. Such as:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_FitzGerald,_10th_Earl_of_Kildare
On occasion I would pretend I was watching alternate history. On the gripping hand, the Irish accent, is probably closer to Henrican English than say Estuary.

I followed the show out of my interest in historical matters. It was quite fun, however following the series there were
Anita Briem, playing Jane Seymour, before the queen was re cast. At the time I was dating an Icelander.
I seem to be remember the show, being on in the background  as me and `little girl '' broke up
I was surprised to learn a lot of you watched it.
Some of you may have noticed, that on occasion I have been using phrases such as ``our most beloved friend'' Our strongest and most beloved friend.
On and` Fantastical opinions''. Sorry but you never get to say that in life

JRM age was telescoped as the series went on.

The last episode featured unnecessary dream/vision imagery. Henry using the metaphor that life is like a Sparrow flying into a Great House feasting on Christmas. Comfort between two Cold and dark spaces. Should stand on its own.

Also the sky full of stars, reminded me of Ashes to Ashes

So, what did I like about

Joss Stone, playing Anne of Cleeves. Oh my, she was adorable.
Peter O Toole, as the Pope. Was just magnificent. Truly
Nice to Charles V. The Holy Roman emperor depicted on screen. He is shown in one of the early episodes as a potential Match for Mary 1 I wrote about him in my project for senior History. I wrote 30 pages about him. I got a F. He had the huge lip
I had a crush on Sarah Bolger playing Mary. There was a lot of eye candy in the series. Bodices were ripped.

The series has been accused of taking liberties with history. It paints with a broad brush. The opening titles have a cross falling over a roof. Thomas Culpepper  smelling a handkerchief for goodness sake.
That said David O' Hara plays a late medieval/early Modern Aristocrat with the perfect amount of pride bordering on Insanity. People really did act like that.  We see Downstairs, the servants eating with the ladies in waiting, in Katherine Parr's household.

It portrays England as the swing power, correctly. A lot of Henry's schemes, are thwarted when the Emperor and the King of the French come to terms with each other directly. Rather than him being used as the counterweight
There is a plot in the middle of the third series, which has English agents hunting Reginald Pole across Italy. Thats a bit of stretch
Its shows the Reformation as much bloodier than it is normally depicted. The torture of Anne Askew, the stripping of the monastaries by Breton mercenaries. The fact that everyone decided they like a piece of that action. Bishop Garner, and Thomas Cromwell are both brought down because of there larceny. The shock of the judicial murder of Cardinal Fisher. Henry was the first English Monarch close to having absolute power
One character says it well. No one knows will the king go further or will he rest
Catherine of Aragon, has a much stronger role than she normally gets given. Here they show her as the popular Queen consort she was. Also remind us that she was Isabella's daughter. In most Tudor drama's she is a passive figure. Here she is not.
Disease being something that kills people in their houses and farms, rather than in hospital. One of the plot points is that Edward is kept away from court, for fear of being swept away by illness. It is Dysentery that threatens Henry's invasion of France. 

 Its  more religious age. People appoint chaplains, they spend a lot of money doing this. This is hard to show on television. The Tudors didn't do a bad job. Probably did it, relatively evenhanded

The past is a different country and the Tudors gave us a decent tour for the money

Why doesn’t this look catch on?