Posts

Showing posts from May, 2013

Sharpe versus Wickham from Pride and Prejudice

I have been reading a condensed version of Pride and Prejudice. I meant to read the book, while I still had my kindle. I did not realize that the original draft of Pride and Prejudice was written in the 1790s. With war and rumor of war, prominent in Ireland. Nor did I realize that George Wickham was in the Milita. As I was explaining the novel to my ESL students. I wanted to give my reaction. As a historian, I noticed two things about Wickham. Firstly he is in the Milita. Austen who came from a Navy family would have looked upon him as a ``Weekend Warrior'' or perhaps a parade ground or Parish green soldier. The other point, which I wanted to press. Is in my Macmillian reader, Mrs Bennett tells her daughter, that if Mr Bennett and Mr Wickham meet in London. Wickham will kill him. Which is what probably would have happen. Bennett would have challenged him to a duel, or they would have had a confrontation in the street. Wickham would have killed Bennett. With no real polic

In the Red wastes...

My little sister resides in Australia at the moment.

Happy Birthday to my Aunt Happy Birthday Nessa

Many Happy returns to my Aunt. Happy birthday to my friend the blogger Miss Misery Best wishes to her Uncle in law, who is ill. In a nice link to yesterdays post. Many happy Returns to Christopher Lee

Centennial of the birth of Peter Cushing

Grand Moff Tarkin, Doctor Who, Sherlock Holmes, Van Helsing,  Husband, Friend, Birdwatcher

This time last week, my life as a QPR fan in Lima

I would have been scanning the internet, for the QPR result. Living in Peru. I may be the only QPR fan for miles, for days even. Though last week, and the week before. I had to remind myself too. I have attended Queens park rangers games for the last decade. I would walk down the uxbridge road, to Loftus road to crown my monthly saturday off work, or sometimes dash from White city station after work on Wednesdays. Eager to watch the hoops play under the lights. I was there when we were in the Championship, there when were in the third flight. The last game, I watched at the Loft, was QPR v Aston Villa. ( According to rumor David Cameron was in attendance) I left for South America.I may never be able to see QPR play live again...I was delighted when I was able to see some of the games, on ESPN. I was worried but not too worried about the team.  I had faith in Mark Hughes. I did not expect great things. I expected to lose. It was not just that we lost. We capitulated We capitula

Almost West of Eden. Might the Dinosaurs have survived?

Image
West of Eden, is a counter factual novel by Harry Harrison. I read West of Eden, in High School. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_of_Eden   Harry Harrison was one of my favourite writers when I was a teenager. Imagine my joy when I discovered he had crossed Dinosaurs with Alternate History. H/T Walking with Dinosaurs BBC... If the asteroid hit 10 million years earlier, might dinosaurs have survived? Steve Brusatte palaeontologist: Edinburgh University Steve is a research fellow at Edinburgh University and the resident palaeontologist on Walking with Dinosaurs. LAST WEEK I answered a question about  the origin of dinosaurs , a topic that fascinates me. But just as interesting is the extinction of the dinosaurs: a mystery that has generated more research (and  speculation ) than any other issue in dinosaur palaeontology. This question hints at a view that has emerged over the past three decades, as palaeontologists reassess the dinosaur extinction using a w

Introducing John Hurt as the Doctor

Some wild guesses and thoughts. If we presume that John Hurt is a lost regeneration. People have made the assumption that it would be a regeneration between the Eight and Ninth Doctor. Between McGann and Eccleson http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eighth_Doctor   It would have been interesting IF the powers that be at the BBC, had ignored McGann until now, and then written him, in as the Doctor that did not live up to the name. I would like to see McGann given a run about. Does anyone else remember the Cartmel Masterplan http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cartmel_Masterplan ... Omega  and  Rassilon  were the founding fathers of  Gallifrey . They towered above the Time Lords who followed. They were demigods. [Dialogue in  Silver Nemesis was] a subtle attempt to say that there was a third presence there in the shadowy days of Gallifrey's creation. In other words, the Doctor was also there. So he's more than a Time Lord. He's one of these half-glimpsed demigods. [1] John Hurt

The wife's new dollhouse

Image
BEFORE AND AFTER

The Name of the Doctor and Recap of Season 6 part 2

I have not had time, to write up the rest of the Doctor Who Series.  Since I came and settled in Peru. I used to write the notes while watching the episode after work. Then download an episode on I-Player, and write it again. It would take a day and a half. Series 6 of New Who has  been a sluggish season. I missed the Ponds. I thought Amy's big sister relationship left a shadow that left Clara shivering inside. I liked Clara. She is pretty. I never really saw what she had to do. Moffat loved writing Amy. Write what you know is always good advice.  I loved the snippet about  Strax in Glasgow. `` I'd wish he never discovered that place '' Its nice to see River song again.  Don't overuse her please. I bow to no one in my admiration of Alex Kingston. If River Song is used again and again, to resolve a plot. Then River becomes a God. Remembering The Wedding of River Song. I thought the episode took too long to get established. Even that referenced a lot of what came

Got my first pay yesterday

300 sols.

Rewatching Game of Thrones.

I have been rewatching, the first season of Game of Thrones. I did not realize at first viewing. The First season is foreshadowed Telegraphed with the several of the opening scenes. When the Starks discover a dead Stag in the forest. One of them asks was this the work of a mountain lion. The Death of Robert Baretheon ( Whose sigil is the stag, ) with the cognizance of the Lannisters  Theon threatening Brann with the knife. Theon would become Lord of Winterfell in a coup Ayra Stark, looking at the Hound, Joffery and Cersi in disguise as they walk into Winterfell. The relationship between Drogo and Daenariys. Its actually clear that Drogo has strong feelings for Daeneryis. He presents her with a beautiful horse. He takes her to the sea, for their first night together. He tries to speak to her in the common tongue. No No No. I know this must be obvious to everyone else but better late then never

23rd of June

Watch this space.....

Twenty years of Rain

Image
Discovery of 20-year long rainfall in Ireland in 2345 BC revealed Expert says it proves Noah's flood really did happen back then By  IRISHCENTRAL STAFF WRITERS, Published Sunday, May 5, 2013, 7:46 AM Updated Sunday, May 5, 2013, 7:46 AM New evidence has found that Ireland had to endure 20 years of non-stop rain back in 2345 BC - just around the time of Noah's Biblical flood. While many would say it rains quite a lot in Ireland now, new evidence has found that the Emerald Isle had to endure 20 years of non-stop rain back in 2345  BC - just around the time of Noah's Biblical flood. On Sunday, RTE One's 'Secret's of the Irish Landscape' will reveal that this period of continual rainfall makes it possible that the biblical story of the great flood really did happen,  TheJournal.ie  reports. "According to the ancient Annals of the Four Masters, the whole of Ireland had to be evacuated at this time,” says Professor Mike

My life

http://thedailyedge.thejournal.ie/irish-name-problems-891769-May2013/ Thank you Robert...