In other news
The sun’s still shining,
In other news
A baby’s smile,
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The worlds still turning,
In other news
The cat still purrs,
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That cow just farted,
In other news
I am amused.
Tag: News
In other news..
Digital illustration of a comet. Didn’t want to use someone else’s copyright photo. This is just to give an impression of its colour….
I get alerts from Spaceweather.com about all sorts of astronomical events. I got this alert about a comet this morning. As we are in ‘interesting times’ I thought I would let you know.
Here is a short excerpt with the link:
COMET ATLAS IS BRIGHTENING FASTER THAN EXPECTED: Get ready for a wild ride. Comet ATLAS (C2019 Y4) is plunging toward the sun and, if it doesn’t fly apart first, it could become one of the brightest comets in years. Amateur astronomers are already getting fantastic images as the comet brightens even faster than expected. Visit Spaceweather.com for the full story.
I don’t think the link will work from here, but it’s an easy address to find.
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It goes from bad to worse!
We were in quite a reasonable situation earlier today. Not to many restrictions here about the Corona virus. That was until a news conference with the Prime Minister.
Now anyone over 70, pregnant or with underlying health conditions should self isolate for 12, yes twelve weeks. They should not go shopping, go to bars, clubs, pubs or restaurants. People with a persistent dry cough or temperature above 37.8°C should self isolate for 14 days and stay in with their families. Schools are staying open for now, but that may change, and some parents are already keeping their children off school.
There is a shortage of hospital beds and ventilators and possibly a lack of oxygen. There will be many problems no doubt.
It feels like we are in a sci-fi horror film. Like an apocalyptic future that has just arrived. How will the elderly and vulnerable people cope? Obviously this will have an economic impact, but its better to save lives than lose them for lack of funding. People could be thrown into debt and destitution.
The overall illnesses and deaths are not high yet. But we are at the start of a new world. Who can say how many will be affected. And yet millions die of starvation and illness every year. Poverty is one of the biggest killers. The first world has been lucky until now. Perhaps we have lost some of that luck.
Rocking horse
Another of my digital drawings, and variations by using filters.
I tend to try different filters to see what the results are. Can you flip the image? Change the background? Alter the hue, colours, brightness, contrast, size, sharpness, solidity, edges.. Make a change, if you don’t like it click the back button, or save it and put another filter over it. When I had photoshop I used all sorts of filters that I don’t have now. But what I have on this small phone is so much more than I had on one of my early smart phones. You just have to try it out.
Flooding
This is a local lake, but I’m using it to illustrate what has been happening this weekend as storm Dennis rages over the UK. Flooding in South Wales, Worcestershire, Yorkshire, Scotland and many other of the shires (counties). Cities, towns and countryside have all been affected. The water that fell from storm Ciara last weekend has saturated the ground and made it difficult for the water to drain. The weather has battered the mainland of Europe too.
Watching it all happen on the TV, I know its a rather small problem compared with what’s been happening in Australia with its wild fires. In East Africa where billions of locusts are affecting many countries. In South America where people are burning rain forests, in so many places on the earth where seven billion of us are causing untold damage?
The questions come, but are not always answered. I don’t know what to think. But I might have to stop writing about it. I’m depressing myself and probably everyone else….
Can you know how I feel?
Can you know how I feel?
The fog that ties me down?
The tight knots in my head,
A lack of wanting to do things.
My mind wanders away to rest.
Huddled in grey mist,
Finding solace in thought.
Do you know what I can do?
How I can break my bonds.
Feel lightened by relief?
A choice of turning in and tuning out.
Or hold tight until life returns….
Freeing me from these thoughts.
Farewell Europe
At 11pm tonight Britain moves into the transition period of Brexit, we will still be a member of the European Union until later this year when negotiations are completed, but as far as our government is concerned we are OUT. Not all of us are happy that celebrations are taking place tonight. A crowd funding plea was started to pay £500,000 to arrange for Big Ben to ring 11 times to welcome in the change. That’s about £45,000 a bong! But it didn’t collect enough money. I wonder who gets to keep it? If the government was so keen why not pay for it themselves. Oh I forgot to say the Conservative party, who recently won the general election, is stuffed with Millionaires.
Fifty Two percent of those that voted in the Brexit referendum chose to leave. But forty eight percent said no. I’m one of them. Brexit is not in my name. I get fed up of being called a ‘remoaner’ and being told ‘get over it’. I can see how all this is affecting my European friends. I’m wondering how it will all turn out. I have also seen tea towels and mugs for sale from the Conservatives, I don’t know why they think people will buy them? Our Prime Minister keeps telling us to be optimistic. He promised and end to austerity before the election, now they have announced at least five percent cuts! They are able to do this because they have a massive majority in parliament.
So what do I think? Brexit is a massive waste of money and irrelevant. We should be concentrating on climate change, not throwing away a treaty that had lasted almost fifty years.
Perhaps if I read this in a year things will be OK, but I doubt it.
Serendiparty Art and Craft Centre, Stoke
Apologies to Google for using their map? This is a new Art Centre with local artists work being displayed and for sale. I’m really pleased that I’ve got some of my paintings there.
Its Serendiparty Arts and Craft Centre in Campbell Place, Stoke, Stoke-on-Trent. Open 10am Wednesday to Sunday. The owner Phil, is very welcoming.
If you look for http://www.serendiparty.com you should be able to find it.
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Farewell Terry Jones
Terry Jones, one of the Monty Python team, has died today aged 77. He had been ill for a while with dementia. He was born in Wales in Colwyn Bay.
He was very funny and one of his lines while playing Brian’s mother in the film ‘the life of Brian’ was ‘he’s not the Messiah! he’s a very naughty boy!’
Monty Pythons flying circus was a TV programme in the 1960’s and 70’s. It was a surreal sketch show where Terry Jones, Micheal Palin, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Graham Chapman and animator Terry Gilliam (who’s film about Don Quixote is just being released) all worked together to create the most bizzare and wonderful and mad series of sketches. Terry Jones would often be dressed up as a woman and talk in a very high silly voice.
The pythons also made several films and Jones was of course involved with them. He also wrote sketches for the Two Ronnie’s along with Micheal Palin and went on to make history programmes later in life. He was awarded a Bafta for his work.
It’s a sad loss. He will be missed
Panto scenery
Blurry photos, we are doing Aladdin for our panto this year. Someone else started it but I then asked if I could help. It’s bright and breezy and as colourful as I can make it. Im not publishing this on Facebook so you are getting a sneak preview. This is the Act one scenery.
Widow Twankey is Aladdins mum. She owns the local laundry and here is the market stall she has in her village. Expect excessive silliness!
When this is finished I will be doing the scenery for Act two. That’s is of a cave in the desert. I might add palm trees. At least its got me painting again, I was a bit down but this has helped.
Mallaband-Brown 