Two firsts 30th April

Congratulations to Glasgow University graduate David Mackay who piloted @virgingalactic White Knight II on their first supersonic test flight! From one alumni to another Well done!

17 years ago today. Crash by Dave Matthews was released. I listened to this in UNC, it was one of the first Albums I bought.

In other news I hope they accept scans of my papers, for my job

Rule of 3

I lost a teaching English second language job

I broke my glasses. I stepped on them

I will have to pay a lot of money, to the town hall to get married. I haven't a penny!

3 strikes against Malchera today!

Song for the day.

Had a nostalgia flash the other day. My brother in law, was listening to it

The ultimate faux pas Nazi Smokes

Sean Collier

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/apr/19/mit-police-officer-sean-collier-killed

Policeman, Kickballer, Salem State Alumni, Son

Fell in the line of duty, April 2013

Round up 19th of April

My pupils did their project today. I hope I have graded them correctly. I am worried I have been too lenient. My boss told me to be more organised. I nearly had a heart attack, until I realized  she was talking about my register. I wonder and worry how good a job I am doing
Margaret Thatcher died this month. The first British Prime Minister I knew
I am pleased to note, the two suspects in the Boston Marathon case have been apprehended. Alas after the death of a gallant police officer at MIT
The Boy received an award at his school
I made a homemade video for my class. I am pleased with this

Boston will overcome

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22166037

15th of April, 2013. A bomb explodes at the Boston Marathon. Murdering three people and wounding several.  My thoughts are with the people of Boston there families, and friends.  I have had the honour of visiting Boston several times.

My Grandfather singing

My Grandfather singing, at his 50th wedding anniversary. With his Wife, and family and friends beside him

Doctor Who fan trailer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7li5eZ3JZbA

I like this, it shows all the 11 incarnations of the Doctor, Baker, McCoy and even McGann

Sahara went from Green to Sand in a flash

http://science.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/04/05/17620176-sahara-went-from-green-to-desert-in-a-flash?lite

Fascinating story. It seems that a study of dust samples in the med. Have confirmed what people have long suspected. The Sahara was once a green and verdant paradise. It had Hippos and lions. It had villages. If the change had never occurred, the history of the world would be very different
Firstly there would be no Sahara to act as a firebreak between the African jungles, and the rest of Eurasia. So the Entire Eurasian population would be exposed to the African disease system.
The civilization of Egypt might never arise. Or be very different, as the Nile would not be the life line round which the Pharoah's organize.  The horse nomads of Eurasia may well reach the Fish River in this universe.

From such turns and twists of fate is our world made.

Its interesting how much speculative fiction there has been about turning the Sahara green. In the TV series ``The Centurions''
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Centurions_(TV_series) In the UK annual. The Sahara, was a green paradise transformed by advanced terraforming. I read a book, in which a free wheeling Yankee engineer, helped a Bonopartist Pretender save the French Empire by turning the

50 anniversary special Doctor Who

David Tennat and Billie Piper are to return to Doctor Who for the 50 anniversary special
I am a bit disapointed in this.
I will accept David T, was a great servant of the series. I liked his work. I still watch them.
I am glad he has gone. I thought the Doctor and Rose stories got bogged down in melodrama.
I prefer Matt Smiths, slightly innocent, strange schoolboy. The God who wears a 9 year olds face

Secondly. Why David T. I know its a ratings dream. I know lots of people will love it. Maybe the BBC will produce a 10th Doctor Cartoon. That is all fine. As I said I will still watch Midnight, I will watch the Fires of Pompeii, I will watch the End of Time.

But why not give one of the lesser lights a chance. Why not let see McCoy or Colin Baker, or even McGann. For a moment remember the fans who bought DVDs, and Videos and read the Target Paperbacks. When the series was not the jewel in the Crown. Give them a chance to shine

Anyway

The Walking Dead Season 3

Spoilers

There are Spoilers here

Spoilers

Don't you listen to River Song?

***********


We saw some returns. Merl, back from the rooftop. A nice touch was Merl quoting the Gospels and mentioning how he liked woodbury's library. Then we see him later tearing apart mattresses for dope, and confessing he does not really know why he does it

We also saw the return of Lenny James. In ``Close'' This was the best episode of the series I think. With Rick having to confront his past. He had simply forgotten, Morgan(Lenny James carácter)
Rick, and by extensión the audience had moved on, and left Morgan
 behind . Meanwhile the past had caught up with Morgan. In fact Morgan would never be able to escape it
The scene when our heroes ignore a hitchiker in the episode Close, and we return to see his bloody rucksack, was chilling. A man reduced to his his teeth and nails. It would only be a matter of time..
and it was.


We lost some people T-Dog. I was sorry to see the character go, but TPTB never really did anything with the character. There seemed to be an element of tokenism, as T-Dog was replaced by an African American former prisoner, whom had the good taste to be killed on a raid on Woodbury and then by Tyreese

The problem with the season, was the Governor. David Morrisey, did a better job with the material then the writers of the comic book and perhaps the series intended. Consequently it felt that the Governor was constantly kicking the dog, or killing a priest...
PS I last saw David Morrisey in the next Doctor. So Kudos for two star turns in genre TV
The point I think is that the Governor despite his problems is still better then the outside world.
 The Dead have risen. The Governor has created order in Woodbury.  Through Milton the Governor

 is conducting research into the plague. Milton is probably right. The Walkers do have some spark of what they were before. I say what rather then who. Remember Morgan's son. Morgan's son is killed by his own mother. So we have a biter following her son scross country. Look at Woodbury. It has street lighting, it has law and order. From this the future can be rebuilt. So why doesn't the series present the Governor as the Hobbesian monarch. Rome built roads and aqueducts  but Rome watched people fight to the death.
I suppose its just the spirit of the times. All villains since 1945 are Hitler. That said I suspect the Governor using the term `terrorist'' to refer to Ricks group is a nod  to post 911 politics.
If the Governor is Hitler. Remember decent Germans voted for Hitler. The Germans supported Hitler with reservations until the end of the War. Why-well because Hitler was better then what came before, and they were scared of the alternative. In the Walking Dead Universe. The alternate option is a living hell.
Apologies for breaking Godwins law. Let us return to series
The final act of the Governor a massacre of the citizens of Woodbury. An act of nihilism, Hitler would have approved of in his final rages in the Bunker. Perhaps the Hitler/ Governor analogue despite the cliche is the correct one. The Governor, which is a close approximation of Fuehrer, felt Woodbury had failed him. He had saved it, and Woodbury would not rise to the challenge of the New Order

The woman hiding under a body, as the Governor drove off, is perhaps another nod to the New Order.

The way our favourite Governor got Milton to kill Andrea was wonderfully despicable. The fact that once we die, we turn into zombies was used very well. We have been spared the horror of this truth in the series. Shane turning at the end of season two, didn't really pack the same punch, that Daryl having to euthanize his dead brother had.

It was a brave decision to show Rick suffering from the trauma of losing his wife. Suffering mentally. Though this being TV land Rick regained his mental health all to quickly. I think TPTB did better last season with Shane's descent.

One final thought, why abandon Woodbury with its creature comforts and full larder for the Prison. Woodbury was secure after the Governor left.  Clean clothes and bed sheets would seem to be the next target for a run. Or even leave Woodbury as in tact as posible

Another PPS, I wonder if the series is going to have Tyrells group. As the people that Rick shot up in the bar.

That is gravy. I enjoyed the series, I look forward to series 4