As I "patiently" wait for the new 2017 black recolour of the Hot Wheels McLaren P1 to hit our pegs at least I can console myself with plenty of these dark blue versions which I managed to find plenty of back in 2016. A very fine model of this super expensive and super exclusive British hypercar which Hot Wheels have captured nicely and have had the decency to give it some really neat colours and complimenting front and rear detailing. Bought from Poundland back in June 2016. Mint and boxed.

Law Enforcement Week - week of May 11th thru the 17th each year. A time to remember and reflect. Sadly, I know too many people whose name line the memorial wall. "Fidelis Ad Mortem". From the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial page.....On average, one law enforcement officer is killed in the line of duty somewhere in the United States every 58 hours. Since the first known line-of-duty death in 1791, more than 20,000 U.S. law enforcement officers have made the ultimate sacrifice.

The Memorial Fund serves as a nationwide clearinghouse of information and statistics on law enforcement line-of-duty deaths. Our Research Department maintains a comprehensive fatality database, and we publish regular Research Bulletins examining trends and issues in officer fatalities.

If the information you are seeking is not provided here, please feel free to contact the Memorial Fund Research Department at 202-737-3400 or research@nleomf.org. Under each of the Memorial’s four lion statues are inspiring quotes that capture the spirit of the heroic men and women who are honored:

"It is not how these officers died that made them heroes, it is how they lived."

—Vivian Eney Cross, Survivor

"In valor there is hope."

—Tacitus

"The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are as bold as a lion."

—Proverbs 28:1

"Carved on these walls is the story of America, of a continuing quest to preserve both democracy and decency, and to protect a national treasure that we call the American dream."

—President George H.W. Bush

Not strictly a Finsec event, but here's a few photos of the Service and Food Workers' Union Nga Ringa Tota rally in Wellington on International Cleaners Day.

The 'Fair Deal for Cleaners' campaign that this rally is part of aims to provide a voice to the low-waged largely immigrant female workforce, in cities across Australia and New Zealand, who are calling on big property owners to support decency in their workplaces.

Not strictly a Finsec event, but here's a few photos of the Service and Food Workers' Union Nga Ringa Tota rally in Wellington on International Cleaners Day.

The 'Fair Deal for Cleaners' campaign that this rally is part of aims to provide a voice to the low-waged largely immigrant female workforce, in cities across Australia and New Zealand, who are calling on big property owners to support decency in their workplaces.

Taken during our August 2011 photoshoot. I am posting this image for two reasons, one of them serious, the other anything but serious.

First, the serious reason. A few days ago I posted this, which was taken during the same shoot. To the photo itself, I added the text of the same Dante sonnet used here. My reasons for doing so today are essentially the same as indicated in my description for the first version, except that I believe this portrait more effectively captures Lisa's warmth, kindness, and decency, as well as her inner serenity that I mentioned in the earlier post. (Additionally, I prefer this version because I used Italic script for the text, which seems more appropriate for a poem in Italian and written by Dante.) At the risk of sounding like a variation on a time-worn cliche, I believe that about 70% of female beauty comes from within, with the other 30% supplied by such externals as makeup, clothing, and so forth. With that in mind, Lisa is beautiful all the way through.

Now for the not-so-serious reason, which I here explain while wearing an impish grin on my face. Lisa might be disappointed in me for revealing this here, but she was in fact fully clothed throughout the shoot, including for this shot. It was literally at the last moment of postprocessing that I decided to crop the image as you see it here, and in fact I will probably still post the full-length version of it at some point. But today the spirit of mischief descended upon me, so I post this version to make my viewers ask themselves, "Is she, or isn't she?"

During a shoot with Lisa back in December, I took this, of which Lisa later ordered a print for her mother. I have never met her mom, but I do know that she, like Lisa herself, is religious and a regular churchgoer; and I also suspect that she, again like her daughter, has a mischievous streak in her nature. Lisa told me that her mom did a double-take when she saw the picture, wondering for a moment if Lisa was wearing any clothes. When I was told this story, I responded that I only had one regret about the photo, which is that we didn't send it to her mom anonymously, in a brown envelope with no return address. I can only imagine how she would have reacted to that!

The story doesn't quite end there, however. Not long ago, Lisa went to visit her mother in Texas. That photograph, which Lisa now refers to simply as "The Picture," is prominently displayed in her mom's living room, where her visitors can see it -- including the ladies from her Southern Baptist congregation, who apparently drop by regularly. Mother and daughter thought of putting a sign under the photo to let viewers know that, yes, Lisa was in fact wearing clothes, but they decided against it. Lisa told me she prefers to keep people guessing, which I imagine she would like to do in this case as well. (For the earlier photo, she was wearing a red evening gown, but lowered the shoulder strap while posing in front of that abstract painting. The inscrutable expression on her face adds something to the mystery as well. Man, have she and I had fun with that picture, mostly since it was taken!)

(Update: The full-length version of this image can be found here.)

Throughout the 21st Century lots of airlines seemed to be celebrating significant anniversaries, and the go-to celebration was to paint a plane in a retro livery of days gone by.

I was delighted to see that Arriva NW have done the same here, trimming this 2014 Alexander Dennis Enviro 400 in the classic MPTE livery of my youth, in celebration of 50 years since the formation of the MPTE itself.

I saw this on Sheil Road but I was driving and was hoping that I might see it again while out on foot so that I might get a snap. Here, it even had the decency to stop at a red light for me! :)

It's a common thing in Serbia that the most educated and the most creative persons emmigrate from their fatherland by the age of 30 (or so), seeking better future for themselves. It has become something like a tradition.

That's the reason why this country is one really fucked up place - there's no brains and no spirit to pave the way to some decency we could all live in. I don't feel angry about NATO bombing our country in 1999 - I'm angry on them for not doing that job well, they should have diminished this shithole called Serbia and should have diminish this ignorant cattle.

My best friend just called me to say he packed his bags and is leaving tomorrow noon, finally. Few days ago I gave him nice book from Mile Dupor - for the road, I'm sure he'll like it.

Pentacon Six TL, Carl Zeiss Jena 120/2.8 Biometar, ORWO NP22 pushed to 200ASA.

Enjoy This 20 Years Old Film Large On Black

every time

there's a threat of thunder

I wake up with

an urge to plunder

dig a hole in the soil

the size of a heart

(or thereabouts)

I'm planting

a seed of doubt

(or am I?)

I never know

until it sprouts

invasive roots

and branches

all my life to the

give and take

chances

every time

there's a threat of thunder

I go out wrapped

in my sense of wonder

there's no dress for success

like the suit I'm wearing

no companions

like decency and daring

you gotta let it all out

but leave them

wanting more

make them hungry

for what they can't see

then slaughter the cow

that gives the milk

away for free

every time

there's a threat of thunder

I go off drunk

on a curve and bender

up the winding roads

where the mountain grows

a centimeter a century

I'll get where

I don't know

I'm going

screw stuck

in the wheels of progress

rolling home flat

I'll never go back

no route for the

pilgrim's regress

heartbeat and drumming

to a tuneless humming

lay slack in the grass

and surrender

every time

there's a threat

of thunder...

June 23, 2020

Hampton, Nova Scotia

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1912 postmarked postcard photograph of the RFD (Rural Free Delivery) Route No. 8 mail carrier at Plymouth, Indiana. The carrier was posing in his horse-drawn vehicle for a photo that he used as a Christmas card for the patrons on his route. This copy was addressed to Mr. and Mrs. Eli Silvius.

The carrier didn’t identify himself, but an undated document at the Indiana Genealogy Trails website provides information about the Marshall County post offices. That document includes a list of the rural route carriers for Plymouth as of 1908 and identified Roller Kleckner as the carrier for Route No. 8. The postcard owner has also found additional documentation showing Mr. Kleckner was still the carrier on Route No. 8 in 1910. Although the carrier in this photograph was probably Mr. Kleckner, that remains to be confirmed.

Postmasters were political appointees in those days and, prior to Mr. Kleckner’s appointment, there was some controversy regarding the examination and employee selection process at Plymouth. In 1905, F. M. McCrory had resigned as a Plymouth rural route carrier. In a November 15, 1906, letter to the editor of the Plymouth Tribune newspaper, Mr. McCrory took issue with Postmaster Yockey’s handling of the selection process for the new RFD carrier for Route No. 8.

“I desire to call attention at this time to a condition existing in rural route matters, to make a few predictions and the dear people can figure out the balance. A year ago Oct. 1st I resigned as carrier on rural route No. 1 and an examination was held of applicants for the place at which the postmasters prospective son-in-law was given highest grade and the place from which I had resigned. Roller I. Kleckner won second place and Ora Jacox fifth place there being nine applicants. This year Mr. John Nye decided to withdraw from the service and purchased the restaurant of Mr. Cripe taking possession Oct. 10th. Mr. Kleckner wrote the department stating the facts, making formal demand for his rightful place.

“At this time another letter was sent the department stating the facts more fully than Mr. Kleckner felt warranted in doing and reply was received that ‘there was no vacancy on route No. 8 and as soon as a vacancy occurred, if the Civil Service Commission recommended Mr. Kleckner, he would be appointed at once.’

“Now instead of sending his resignation to the department, Mr. Nye placed it in the hands of Mr. Yockey, who held it up until the department was notified by outsiders and demanded it at once, and it was sent in about Oct. 17, so we are credibly informed. Now why all this jockeying? First Mr. Kleckner is a Democrat. Second the mother and brother of Mr. Jacox we are informed are sureties on Mr. Yockey's bond and Mr. Yockey asked' permission for Mr. Jacox to drive the route from Oct. 10 on instead of sending in the resignation of Mr. Nye and asking that his successor be appointed at once. A notice is pasted in the lobby of the postoffice for examination for rural route carriers, since the commissions of those examined a year ago expire Nov. 16. Now we predict Mr. Jacox will be given first place and the route, at once after the examination, for which we will wait and see. Now let us moralize a little. When those men took that competitive examination a year ago Mr. Jacox virtually agreed to take his place according to what he won. If he entered into such machinations as above stated, is he the party the people on route 8 desire to trust to carry their mail? What do you think of a postmaster who will be a party to such scullduggery which amounts almost to a crime. My dear people this is the class of political scavengers and their methods against which Mr. Hendricks and his friends have waged war during the past ten months and will continue, if they so continue, for the next ten years. People who will lend themselves to such work would enter an orphan asylum and rob the baby of its nursing bottle and jaw the nurse for having allowed it to drink some of the milk. Nothing remains of h6nor and common decency but the grinning skeleton and they envy even that the little space it occupies. F. M. McCrory."

The following individuals served as Plymouth postmasters during those years.

Joseph A. Yockey, appointed June 6, 1901 and reappointed December 16, 1905

Monroe Steiner, appointed January 19, 1910

Francis E. Garn, appointed August 19, 1911

L. G. Hurley, appointed July 23, 1915

From a private collection.

A close-up section of this postcard can be seen here.

www.flickr.com/photos/hoosier_recollections/5419181794/in...

The message on the back side of this postcard can be seen here.

www.flickr.com/photos/hoosier_recollections/5418578783/in...

Copyright 2008-2018 Hoosier Recollections. All rights reserved. This creative JPG file package is an original compilation of materials and data. The package is unique, consisting of a wide variety of related and integrated components. Neither this package in its entirety nor any of the individual components may be downloaded, transmitted or reproduced without the prior written permission of Hoosier Recollections.

This is one of the photos from a Power Point presentation explaining a study in Augusta, Georgia about a street named for Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The “Claiming A Street Named King” Project is the brainchild of Rev. Terence A. Dicks of Augusta, Georgia.

These photos depict homes, building and abandoned structures along Martin Lutheran King, Jr. Boulevard in Augusta, Georgia.

It began with research in Athens and Augusta (Georgia) through the University Of Georgia School Of Environmental Design.

Research was led by Dr. Mary Anne Akers in collaboration with Georgia Legal Services Program, Georgia State Trade Association of Non-profit Developers (G-STAND) and Neighborhood Works America, INC.

“Claiming A Street Named King” Project study in Augusta, Georgia – conducted along Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard - shows areas that need economic assistance – and that’s the same issue in many American cities that have streets named for civil rights leaders

For more information:

claimingastreetnamedking.wordpress.com/2012/01/24/Claimin...

ARARA-VERMELHA-GRANDE ou ARARA-PIRANGA

Nome em inglês: Red and Green Macaw

Nome científico: Ara chloroptera

Família: Psittacidae

Peso:600 a 1000 g

Tamanho: 0,80 a 1 m

Who guarantees the feeding of the female and of the younglings is the male,

that in this species is faithful, keeping the same friend the life all.

Ahhhh if the so intelligent "man" followed the example of the macaws male-female,

the world would be another one…With ALLEGIANCE AND LOVE, more health,

more joy, more humanity, more justice, more peace, more decency, more union,

more wisdom, plus everything! We have much that to learn with the animals and

with the nature! My Moments of dream & illusion...

As araras vivem em bandos, sempre aos pares. Possuem bico fortíssimo, capaz de quebrar os frutos mais duros. Emitem um som “a-ra-ra”, de onde originou seu nome.

Seus filhotes crescem com muita rapidez, com 2 anos de vida já abandonarão a família e já irão formais casais. As araras chegam a viver até 70 anos se viverem em lugares adequados. A arara vermelha tinha uma grande área de distribuição, pois era encontrada do Panamá ao Paraguai, e no Brasil existia até o Rio de Janeiro e no Paraná, mas hoje só sobrevive em quantidade na Amazônia, pois nas demais áreas está se tornando bastante rara. O ninho da arara vermelha é feito em ocos de árvores, mas também se aproveita de buracos em paredões rochosos para colocar seus ovos, os quais são chocados apenas pela fêmea, que fica no ninho numa incubação que demora 29 dias.

Quem cuida de garantir a alimentação tanto da fêmea como dos filhotes é o macho, que nessa espécie é fiel, mantendo a mesma companheira a vida inteira.

Ahhhh se o tão inteligente "homem" seguisse o exemplo das araras macho-fêmea,

o mundo seria outro...Teríamos FIDELIDADE E AMOR, mais saúde, mais alegria,

mais humanidade, mais justiça, mais paz, mais decência, mais união, mais sabedoria, mais tudo!!!!!!!!!!

Humhummm como temos muito que aprender com os animais e com a natureza afora!!!!!!!!!! Momentos de devaneio.........Utopia!!!!

After the shock of Donald Trump’s inauguration day, when millions of Americans (and visiting foreigners like me) felt understandably distraught, bereft, dismayed, as the grotesque, narcissistic, predatory, corrupt fraud that is Donald Trump delivered a bleak and graceless inauguration speech, it was nothing short of a delight on Saturday, Jan. 21, Day 2 of the aberrant Trump presidency, when, across the country and around the world, millions of women (plus large numbers of supportive men) marched in protest against Trump and all he and his administration stand for — his disdain for women, his racism, his xenophobia, his adherence to intolerant white Christian fundamentalism, and, last but not least, his opaque, but very obviously corrupt business practices. Two US academics have estimated that between 3.3m and 4.6m people marched in total across the US, with New York’s turnout estimated at between 400,000 and 500,000 people.

Stepping out of Grand Central Station into a river of protest, with more clever, witty and insightful handmade posters than you could imagine, and with chants and cheers punctuating the general hubbub at regular intervals was to feel that perhaps this dystopian vision of America can indeed be overthrown before it wreaks untold havoc at home and abroad. And with no beginning or end of the protest in sight, it was easy to believe that the number marching was much larger than even the academics’ estimate. This photo shows the crowd on Fifth Avenue joining in one of the chants.

It will take more than one day, of course, as the people of America need to unite like never before — everyone who didn’t vote for Trump, everyone threatened by Trump, everyone appalled by Trump, including, of course, those who voted for him but might already be having second thoughts. This could be a disastrous presidency, or it could be even worse than that, but people need to put aside any notions of complacency, and work out how to resist. This was a great start, and a historic moment that everyone there will remember, but now there needs to be much more action and organizing.

As you look at these photos, however, I hope they are a reminder of a day of hope across the US and around the world, when ordinary people demonstrated that fundamental decency will not be silenced, and that a tolerant, multi-racial society, featuring, at its heart, equality between women and men, and between people whatever their race, creed or color, has humour, intelligence and compassion that throw into even sharper relief how troublingly miserable, negative and ungenerous Donald Trump and his advisors are.

For an article by US Uncut about the numbers attending the protests, see: usuncut.com/news/womens-march-largest-protest-us-history/

For the turnout estimates, see: docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1xa0iLqYKz8x9Yc_rfhtmSOJQ2...

For an article in New York Daily News, which ran a front page devoted to the protests, under the headline, “See them roar,” see: www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/women-march-washington-...

For my website, see: www.andyworthington.co.uk

For my Facebook posts after Trump’s inauguration, see:

www.facebook.com/andyworthingtonUK/posts/1015497574252380...

www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10154975238073804&set...

For my most interesting photos, see: www.flickriver.com/photos/andyworthington/popular-interes...

„No, I don't mind the photo at all, just go ahead. And you know why? Because you have the decency of asking. Other people just snap a photo. Whenever I see that, I turn around, so they end up with a photo of the back of my head.“

---

After finishing my 100 Strangers Project, I continue to photograph strangers based on the principles of the Project. Find out more about the project at the group page 100 Strangers.

View On White

Last night I saw a movie titled : Sophie Scholl, the final days.

If anything, it is a testament to courage and decency in the

face of evil. Sophie was a member of The White Rose, a group

of German students who sacrificed much as they rebelled against

the oppression of their leaders during WWII. She was executed

at the age of 21, along with her brother Hans, aged 24, and a young

medical student Cristoph Probst, aged 22, for exercising a basic human right: freedom of expression. This is a thought provoking movie because current events seem to be leading us into the dark once more.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Rose

15 MAR 13

Really all, I am sorry about all these sort of lame uninspired pictures as of late. I'm working with a bottle of mojo that is really low right now. It's strange because I can't seem to juggle my two sort of talents at the same time. When I am really inspired to write, I don't do that well in the photography realm, but when I am really inspired with photography, my writing brain sort of shuts down....strange...

Anywhoozal doozal. Today I transferred and staked my roma tomato plant out an onto the patio. The main stem is tied to the pvc with kitchen twine, and I hilariously duct taped the two polls together to give them more stability in the wind (its clear that I know what I'm doing here...*laughs*). The thing has definitely outgrown the window sill, so I thought I'd let it be outside where it needs to be soaking in the rays. I had to put a plastic bag into the pot to discourage squirrels from digging the pot up. They are going crazy underneath the sunflowers. Every morning I find fresh holes and new tracks. They will dig through the roots of this plant and destroy it to bury their pecans, if I don't cover it. I have now officially learned that lesson.

Let's talk about equality between the sexes. Just out of brain curiosity, I went online to see why it is women are not allowed to fight in the infantry. I knew this was going to be a slippery and insulting slope to slide down, but I went in feet first anyway. A lot of the pages and reason I found were written by clear bigots whom I often wondered if they had mother's and sisters the way they spoke of women in the military. Thankfully, though, my first exposure to this research was a page I found that was written by a male soldier from what I could tell, with decency. He wrote that it was more due to the fact that the equipment is largely much too heavy (he said this, and said, I'm not being an a-hole here, the sh-- is heavy!!!) and he explained that there have been various trials (some of which I later looked up) to see if women actually wanted to be on the front lines, and for all the hoopla in the media, the truth is, they weren't exactly chomping at the bit to get on in there. The ones that did want to join where usually career female officers looking for higher ranks (apparently the higher ranks tend to go to those that have done infantry) but the majority weren't really looking to get into that field.

Now believe you me, I like to fight for my sisters. I want to stand up for them and push equality any way I can, but this is one rare case where...I'm sorry...what would I be fighting for here...the right for you to go onto a field and possibly die? Hey, if you are a woman and you want to be out there, then by all means, sign the skull and bones contract and get out there and prove you're the same as everyone else, but I guess what I'm saying is I don't see a point beyond putting these women on the field. It's not like an office president, where a female running the company has growth potential, can foster positive changes in the workplace and can potentially get more women in the door with equal or greater pay...this is risking your life...and for what I'm not quite sure. To be fair, I'm probably the worst person to speak on anything related to the military. I generally abhor its practices and policies, but then again, part of the reason I have the freedoms I do, are because soldiers fought a long time ago so that I could stand and be free here today. This is one of those cases of, am I truly part of the solution here, or part of the problem. We like to say we can do anything just as well as men and largely that is true, but, and this is a big but...the same issue of heavy equiptment has been brought up in terms of female fire fighters. They exist, yes, but there certainly aren't' as many because to test in, you have to be able to pass rigorous physical fitness tests based on the equipment and various scenarios that do occur in the field. We are talking about your life, and the lives of others. If I am trapped in a burning building with my friends and family and you are struggling or can't lift whatever is necessary to save us, that is a real problem that has nothing to do with your sex. This is life and death and that's no joke, that's not about your pride or your ego, that's about being in a situation that you can physically handle in order to make a really messed up situation, better. Now again, if they can handle the physical bit of it, and want to deal with the whole host of other issues that come along with it, then go out there and do it by all means, I'm not going to stop you, but for now at least, that, I think is going to be a man's world out there in infantry.

In the uttering of Napolian Dynamite: Gaaaaaaaaaa!

Edward Barkham 1633 , Lord Mayor of London, who bought the manor in 1621 lies in the north mortuary chapel he built before his death. He lies with wife Jane Crowche who died 16 Jun 1661, and some of his children on a monument completed c 1654

"My will and mynd is that my bodie shall bee buried within the chappell of the Church of Southacre in the Countie of Norfolk within the vault of the North side of the chancell there which I lately made for that purpose without any name pomp or great solemnitie onely with decency and upon buriall lying as shall seeme best to my Executors"

He was the son of Edward Barkham 1599 & Elizabeth daughter of Henry Rolfe of White Parish Wilts and Agnes Boteler

He was Lord Mayor of London in 1621/ 1622 & knighted in June 1623

He m Jane daughter of John Crowch / Crouch 1605 www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/79QMcP of Cornbury & Layston Herts (a cloth merchant) & Joan 1583 heiress of John Scot & Elizabeth Pickard

Her elder sister Eiizabeth Flyer Freman is at Aspenden Herts www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/kA3uG8 widow of William Freman www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/6693KP

Children www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/166591 www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/Uw5WFy www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/119GJs

1. Elizabeth 1593-1632 m 1611 Sir John Garrard, 1st Bart 1590-1637 of Dorney Bucks, (buried at Wheathampstead www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/mB6uvN ) son of Sir John Garrard, Mayor of London & Jane daughter of Richard Patrick / Partridge

2. Edward 1595-1667 m 1622 Frances daughter of Sir Thomas Berney of Park Hall in Reedham & Juliana daughter of Sir Thomas Gawdy of Redenhall & Frances Richers (died at Tottenham, buried here)

3. Susan 1596-.1622 m 1619 Robert Walpole 1593-1663 of Houghton son of Calibut Walpole & Elizabeth daughter of Edmund Bacon Esq and Elizabeth Cornwallis

4. John b/d 1597

5.Robert 1599-1661 m Mary daughter of Richard Wilcox

6 Jane 1602- 1661 <https://flic.kr/p/8gS5Zo www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw136315/Jane-... m 1626 (2nd wife ) Charles Caesar 1643 flic.kr/p/8gS5Zf of Benington Herts, Master of the Rolls; Son of Julius Caesar Adelmare 1636 & Dorcas Martin; Widower of Anne 1625 flic.kr/p/8gS5Z3 daughter of Peter Vanlore &Jacoba Teighbott / Thibault

7. Margaret 1602 - 1603

8. Margaret 1603-1640 m (3rd wife) Anthony Irby 1605-82 flic.kr/p/hjG5U9 son of Sir Anthony Irby 1610 of Irby Hall Whaplode & Elizabeth flic.kr/p/hjJpJr third daughter of Sir John Peyton 1616 www.flickr.com/photos/52219527@N00/10740503164/ of Isleham by Alice daughter of Edward Osborne, Lord Mayor of London

9. John b1604

10. Thomas b/d 1606

11. Hugh d 1628

At the top are the arms of Barkham & Crouch between figures of victory and death with winged hourglasses

His Will

"In the name of god Amen

Edward Barkam of Southacre in the county of Norfolk yeoman being in p(er)fect minde & memory the xxnl (18) daye of ffebruary in the xly(?) year of the reaigne of our sovereigne Lady Elizabeth by the grace of god of England ffrance & Ireland Queene

First he committed his soule to god Allmighty and his body to the earth

Item he gave towards the rep(ar)ations(?) of the p(ar)ish church in Southacre XXs(20s)

Item he gave to the poore (there xx’s (20s) ) there Xs (10s)

Item he gave to the other poore people dwelling neere there abouts to be delt at his funerall XX’s(20s)

Item he gave to my^or^(4?) poore men that shall carry him to church my’s (4s)

Item he gave to the ringers at his funeral my’s (4s)

Item he gave to two of his mayde servannts dwelling with him at his decease XXs (20s)

Item he also gave to my men servannt my’s (4s)

Item he gave to Elizabeth Rolfe Xs (10s) & to Mrs Smith his daught’r being goddaught’s to the same Edward X’s (10s) of lawfull money of England

Item he gave to his grandchildren the some of xx1’lb (£21) of like mony to be paid evenly x’ted amongst them at their severall ages of xx1 (21) years

Item he gave to his sonne Barkam of London his children the some of my’lb (£4) to be x’ted equally amongst them at their severall ages of xx1 (21) year

The residue of his goods & chattells what soend he gave to his daughter Margaret Gallard(?)

Witness: Thomas Barkam, Robt Barkam"

- Church of St George, South Acre, Norfolk

Picture with thanks - copyright Evelyn Simak CCL www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1813331

Showing the neat conversion job, and matched seating. Note that whoever converted these ones has removed both decency screens around the rear door, fitted a wider window and removed the door control panel. Looks like detail spotters could be kept busy with these conversions.

Not strictly a Finsec event, but here's a few photos of the Service and Food Workers' Union Nga Ringa Tota rally in Wellington on International Cleaners Day.

The 'Fair Deal for Cleaners' campaign that this rally is part of aims to provide a voice to the low-waged largely immigrant female workforce, in cities across Australia and New Zealand, who are calling on big property owners to support decency in their workplaces.

Leading up to the International Women’s Day celebration and as a continuation of the awareness raising sessions among journalists on the issues related to women’s rights and women’s empowerment, UNO Baku – Department of Public Information office in Azerbaijan (UN DPI) teamed up with its sister agencies to kick start an early observation of 8 March. The date commemorated at the United Nations and in so many countries around the globe is designated as a national holiday in Azerbaijan.

This was just one more reason for 30 Azerbaijani journalists to gather on a bright 5 March morning, some of them entering the UN House for the first time. They were genuinely pleased to be greeted by the UN Resident Coordinator and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) representative along with the representative of the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) and the UN DPI team that organized the gathering under the motto -- 'Help vulnerable women in achieving their dreams and you will achieve yours'.

“I have started my work in Azerbaijan several months ago and just wanted to reassure you that our door is wide open for the cooperation,” said UN Resident Coordinator in Azerbaijan, Mr. Antonius Broek. “We hope to partner with the press as often as possible and jointly put into spotlight areas in which the country is very advanced, and also to highlight issues where we should seek improvement together.” This particular session with journalists was devoted to the internally displaced women (IDPs) who make up 50 per cent of the 600,000 Azerbaijanis internally displaced due to the conflict over Nagorno-Karabkh nearly two decades ago and also to media reporting on domestic violence.

With their identity and individuality reduced to being generally perceived as a non-subject, many IDP- women have had to forge new roles for themselves and find a modus of survival. Uncovering the truth about domestic violence or gender based violence within these newly formed, closely knit IDP communities is not an easy task since discussing such issues outside of family remains a strong taboo, and not only among IDPs.

Speaking in line with the 2013 Women’s Day theme - 'A promise is a promise: Time for action to end violence against women,' Mr. Dag Sigurdson, the head of UNHCR office, reiterated the readiness of his organization, which has been operating in Azerbaijan for 20 years already, to further assist and make every day women’s day. “For us who work closely with and for those vulnerable groups, it is truly important to work towards women’s empowerment, their advancement and welfare, which will lead to a better future for the whole country,” said Sigurdson.

The evidence-based data suggests that the efforts to combat diverse forms of violence against women are doomed to be ineffective unless all concerned actors, including the media, take an active part in the process,” says Ms. Bahija Aliyeva, UNFPA Programme Analyst.

She further highlighted the role of the media in achieving a violence free world for women and girls. “Media representatives should understand their shared responsibility in this process and should put more emphasis on treating these cases as serious violations of the human rights of women and girls instead of contributing to further victimization of women through a sensational reporting style without any attempts to explore the root causes of the related issues,” she stated.

While wrapping up discussion on the challenges and opportunities of women for women, Ms. Envera Selimovic, UN DPI Representative in Azerbaijan said, “Each of us has a role to play in fighting discrimination, abuse and prejudice and in helping women’s voices to be heard loud and clear.” She added that the media could play one of those most important roles in encouraging women to raise their voices and stand up for their rights. “You should be the one that opens the window of change, puts the spotlight on violence, examine the roots and call for more attention and action from all layers of society.”

Followed by a live Q&A session, which stressed the importance of having more female voices in the decision making, journalist Ulviyye Tahirqizi from the Popular Front Newspaper highlighted the need for more females in power structures that will serve as good role models.

Expressing her gratitude to the UN agencies, and UNDPI in particular, Yelena Sidorenko from Khazar TV said that her “only regret was that women are still not supporting each other; however, we should do our best, pay attention and work towards this worthy goal on this long way to real progress.” For Almaz Mahmud from Region Plus magazine the main question was – will the media accept and adopt a code of conduct and ethics that specifically addresses gender-fair reporting? She said that it is not enough to rely on broad guidelines that deal with morality, good taste, and decency. We need professional guidelines regarding coverage of women and women's issues, which will not only help upgrade women's status, but also help raise the quality of journalism in general. "The session was specific and focused - I think this is one of those very useful workshops that open another venue for a follow up,” says Anakhanym Hidayatova from APA News Agency.

The event was concluded with a briefing about the UN Secretary-General’s UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign, launched in 2008, which is based on the simple but powerful premise that all women and girls have a fundamental human right to live free of violence.

” To those women we say: the United Nations stands with you. As Secretary-General, I insist that the welfare of all victims of sexual violence in conflict must be at the forefront of our activities. And I instruct my senior advisors to make our response to sexual violence a priority in all of our peace-making, peacekeeping and peace building activities.”

***

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transvestite, Freedom, Self Expression, All, Inclusive, Acceptance, Acknowledge, Parade, Charlotte, Downtown, Girl, Backside, Young, Different, Rainbow, Colors, Skirt, Tutu, Walk, Legs, Topless, Cover, Decency, Legal, Normal, Diversity

I arrive in a taxi

a black cab

Picked up from The Old Kent Road

Ministry for Foreign Affairs produces photo material for media representatives. Please feel free to use the photos for journalistic purposes, considering the following restrictions: One-time picture publishing right, no archiving or reselling. Editorial use only. When publishing the pictures, the name of the photographer and organisation shall be mentioned as a source. No picture manipulation is permitted. The holder of the picture rights and/or the organisation shall at all times retain the copyright to the picture. The publisher is not entitled to transfer rights to a third party. When publishing the pictures, the publisher shall ensure the legality of the context where the pictures are used, obtain the permissions and consents required for their publication, and observe the generally established practices and decency. The publisher shall also obtain the permissions needed for any names, persons, works of art, trademarks, and proprietary rights shown in the pictures. The publisher shall ensure that publication of the pictures does not insult anyone’s privacy or dignity. Photo: Atte Kajova

The Session of the Committee of Ministers, to be held at Finlandia Hall on 17 May 2019, will mark the end of Finland’s Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. At the meeting, Finland will hand over the Presidency to France. More than 30 ministers from the member States of the Council of Europe will attend the meeting. The meeting will be chaired by Foreign Minister Timo Soini.

Ministry for Foreign Affairs provides photo material for media representatives, participants and organisers of the meeting. Please feel free to use the photos, considering the following restrictions: Not for commercial purposes nor reselling. When publishing the pictures, the name of the photographer and organization shall be mentioned as the source. No picture manipulation is permitted. The holder of the picture rights and/or the organisation shall at all times retain the copyright to the picture. When publishing the pictures, the publisher shall ensure the legality of the context where the pictures are used, obtain the permissions and consents required for their publication, and observe the generally established practices and decency. The publisher shall ensure that publication of the pictures does not insult anyone’s privacy or dignity.

Sikhism originated in the 15th century, in the Punjab region by Guru Nanak, who preached ideas that were radical for his age: he denounced Hinduism's oppressive caste system and Islam's gender discrimination, preaching that all people can commune with the divine equally, without the intervention of rituals or priests. The Sikh faith is a monotheistic religion, meaning Sikhs worship one God. The three core pillars of Sikhism are: vaṇḍ chakkō (sharing with others, helping those in need, as well as participating as part of a community), kirat karō (earning/making a living honestly, without exploitation or fraud, and speaking the truth at all times) and naam japna (meditating on God’s name to live a life of decency and humility).

The temporary distractions of the material world are seen as an illusion. The qualities of ego, anger, greed, attachment and lust are known as the Five Thieves that rob a person of their ability to realize their oneness with God and creation. Sikhs work to counteract the temptations of these qualities through the values of service, equality, and seeking justice for all. Sikhs also believe that one’s form on Earth is only a temporary vessel for the eternal soul. Thus, the death of the physical body is a natural part of the life cycle, while the soul remains. Death is not an end, but merely the progression of the soul on its journey toward God.

Nine more gurus succeeded Guru Nanak (Angad, Amar Das, Ram Das, Arjan, Har Gobind, Har Rai, Har Krishan, Tegh Bahadur, and Gobind Singh), and continued to spread his teachings across the world.

The last guru, Guru Gobind Singh, named the Sikh sacred text, the Guru Granth Sahib, to be the eternal Guru that would guide the Sikhs going forward. It consists of 1,430 Anks, or pages, and 6,000 Sabads, or line compositions, all are written in poetic verse and are aligning to the rhythmic forms of ancient north Indian classical music. At the core of the Guru Granth Sahib is a yearning for a world governed by divine justice, without oppression of any kind.

The final living guru, Gobind Singh, also established the Khalsa, or order of Sikh soldier-saints. They are recognizable by "The 5 k's," their physical articles of faith: Kesh (unshorn hair and beard), Kirpan (ceremonial sword), Kangha (comb), Kara (steel bracelet) and Kachha (drawers). The Dastar, or turban, is considered a spiritual crown, a token of remembrance of the Sikh principles.

Subathu, Himachal Pradesh, India

...show some fuckin' respect !!!

they ,you , I , WE have the right to protest , but when it becomes a direct verbal &/or visual assault on one person or persons it becomes NOT a matter of if you can , but if you should!

such 1st amendment rights need be tempered with decency & respect for the family , beloved , friends & acquaintances at a time of sorrow for there individual losses.

I belive they have the right to protest , but should NOT be allowed to encroach on the family(s) at such a time of sorrow in such a viscous and heartless manner , and any and all actions while en-route to a loved ones final resting place should be considered off limits.

(they could set up at a park ,town hall or other location ,announce there intentions via printed format , TV & radio and be as hateful & vial as they want , protest as they cal it)

...or accept the fact that there might be a Catcher In The Rye meltdown in the mind of some seemingly nice guys Psyche and you & yours are outta here bang-bang style ....could get sticky.

(I have the right to hope to see any news footage of any/all reprisals encountered by there nasty heathen disrespectful so called free speech.)

~would love to see the sniper shot that takes the bitch out

~would love to see the guy that slips through the crowd & slits the cunts throat or stabs her ta'death

~would love to see the smoldering ash-pile that was there church after the fire

~would love to see the bits n pieces left after the bombing

~would love to see 100 bikers stop escorting the funeral & start beating the ever-lovin crap outta them at there next protest

dont really care what approach is taken to teach these nasty-bastardz respect nor care if the resulting violence takes the lives of any & all members of there ~so called~ church. ....just so long as I getta see the footage on my TV or The Net.

*****I AM NOT ENCOURAGING SUCH ACTIONS! ,but truly think there asking for it BiggTime!!, (BUT MUST ADMIT WOLD PERSONALLY CONSIDER IT O.K. IN SERGIO'S BOOK) , AND WILLINGLY CONTRIBUTE $$$'s TO THE DEFENSE FUND(s) OF THOES WHO MIGHT TAKE MATTERS INTO THERE OWN HANDS SINCE OUR JUDICIAL SYSTEM HAS NOT GOT THE BALLZ TO DRAW A LINE WHERE RIGHTS MEET DECENCY.****

****************************************************************************************************

I cant believe so many spoke out against a guy wanting to burn a stack of bullshit Koran's in PROTEST of Islam's direct connection to 9-11, but let this slid...... SHAMEFUL!!!!!

W C Fields: 'Twas a woman who drove me to drink ... and I never had the decency to write and thank her.'

THE WOOP WOOP MARCH - WHAT IS THIS ALL ABOUT

LETTER FROM MICK FRANKLIN

To whom it may concern,

My name is Michael Franklin (Turtle or Swampy). My parents, grandparents, and great grandparents have been breeding horses, logging and farming in the Grafton area since the 1800s.

We have a great love for the land and everything has been done with consideration to the future viability of our property to sustain a decent lifestyle. I worked in Queensland after going to TOCAL Agricultural College. I started as a Jackaroo and went through to Head Stockman for AA Company. I loved the way of life up there, the attitude was, do what you wanted as long as it wasn't at someone else's expense.

I have just returned from the CSG Gasfields around Tara/Chinchilla on a fact-finding tour. I went to peoples properties, whose bores were contaminated. Not drinkable, and no idea of if, or when the water will ever be drinkable. They have admittance from the company to interfering with the Aquatard, not the Aquifer so no responsibility taken. They have now had to build dams and if you know Queensland, you would realise that dams are there in the good years but when it comes dry, its all bore water. What happens then? It is not just one farm, there are numerous and any farmer worth his salt knows that clean water is our most valuable resource.

I went to the Wiembiella Estate where the blockies live. This is a motley crew of people, who have bought a piece of Australia to live and raise their families in peace and quiet, only to have it shattered by being turned into an Energy Hub. Thousands of vehicles a week, hundreds of trucks, I mean this is in your face 24/7, it just never goes to sleep. Its total disregard for your fellow man, the land and the water. We drove 15km around a dam just being built to fill up with toxic water to be cleaned and pumped back into the river that feeds the Chinchilla water supply. All they are taking out is the salts, not the radioactive materials or the heavy metal elements. The water is also used to irrigate crops and to water feedlots. I have done my Quality Assurance, Training and Assessment course for Beef Cattle Production and I am concerned about the quality of what the Australian consumer may be eating or drinking. I have never considered fertilising my paddocks with lead, yet The Land newspaper have reported that up to 90kg/ha annually is going onto the fields irrigated with produced water. I expect that the meat will be sold on the domestic/local market due to stringent export quality standards. You are what you eat.

I think that reusing emissions and renewable is the answer to our power problem. Septics/sewage, piggeries, dairies, sawmills, and rubbish tips and biofuel can all produce power. Then there is solar, solar-thermal, wind and tidal energies. Its more than enough and the proof is out there.

I am riding to Canberra against CSG. I believe in respecting thy neighbour. Even if you don't like your neighbour, I don't believe that poisoning them is justifiable. Common decency says that you do not have the right to interfere with or threaten the wellbeing your neighbours. I will also be promoting Australian Owned, Australian Made and Australian Grown because I believe that we should be supporting Australian business and farming as a sustainable future rather than the inevitable bust that will follow the mining boom. I would rather see Australia as a food bowl than a gravel pit.

Mick Franklin

Glenugie

NSW

AUSTRALIA

Arriving Algeciras 8th October 2022

Josh Homme, Queens Of The Stone Age, soundcheck, Innsbruck, Austria

p.s. if you are gonna post my copyrighted images elsewhere on the internet at least have the decency to credit me with them or link them back to here, or i'll probably stop posting them or at least start putting big watermarks on them.

This picture needs some explanation:

I was walking on the beach in north Mumbai early one morning. Many tourists and locals were jogging and exercising on the beach - fairly normal. As seen in other photos, there are many stray dogs around... so I was looking out for piles of dog crap as I walked.

I walked for about 15-20 minutes and I noticed a fairly large pile of *poo*. And I thought, "Man, that's one big dog." I kept walking and five feet down, yet another pile, same thought. I walked down another ten feet and yes... another pile of equal size and consistency.

I knew something was awry. I looked up and I saw a guy squatting, letting it go right on the beach. I was in shock. I'd never seen anything like it. Or at least on the beach.

I looked around some more and I noticed something even more alarming. In the area about the size of a football field, I saw about 100 people squatting on the beach. With a steady flow of people coming in and out. It was very surreal - I couldn't believe my eyes. I wondered - does this happen daily? If so, where does it all go? And I figured that high tide would wash it all away each night.

The tourists/locals jogging would all run up to a point on the beach, stop on a dime, turn around and run back the other way. I presume that many are low-caste, poor street people with no where else to go. I did notice that it was only men and boys - no women - there is some semblance of decency.

I was frozen for about 10 minutes, taking it all in: sights and smells. It was a physical example of the living paradox that is India. I hear often from different people that India is a cultural paradox - which deserves another post altogether. But it was yet another reminder that the culture I was trying to understand was way more complex than I imagined.

The next image is a wider view of the beach. This pic is the side of the beach where the more affluent locals and tourists hang out. This all being on one span of beach.

A student caught urinating on a war memorial was spared jail today by a judge who renewed his attack on organised mass drinking sessions at universities.

Philip Laing, 19, was told that prison had been a serious option but the judge had "never seen anyone before him who was more contrite".

Laing, who started a sports technology degree at Sheffield Hallam University this year, was given 250 hours' community service for outraging public decency.

He was caught on camera targeting a poppy wreath at the city's main memorial shortly before Remembrance Sunday, while hopelessly drunk after a pub crawl laid on by the firm Carnage.

At an earlier hearing, district judge Anthony Browne suggested that organisers of the event should have been in the dock beside Laing, who admitted the offence as soon as he was arrested. The judge told today's hearing that measures needed to be taken to curb a drink culture targeted at young people.

Drinks for participants had cost only £1 and Laing had been left almost insensible, with no memory of what happened during the evening. He had also shared a bottle of whisky with a friend before joining the Carnage party, where he drank "vast quantities of alcohol."

The judge told him: "Let me make this perfectly clear. No one forced you to take all this drink, or forced it down you, or persuaded you to commit a criminal offence. You did that all by yourself and you must take responsibility.

"But all this is set against a backdrop, as your solicitor has also said, of a culture of drinking far too much. In my view something does need to be done to change this culture."

Laing sat on his own in the glass-fronted dock wearing a grey suit, pink shirt and a blue-and-red striped military style tie. He was allowed to enter and leave court privately through the neighbouring police station.

His solicitor Tim Hughes told the court that social networking sites on the internet, including one on Facebook called Scum of the Earth, had directed a wave of "revulsion" at him.

Hughes asked the judge to avoid a jail sentence, saying that Laing was "terrified" of the prospect which would "utterly destroy what could otherwise be a good, hard-working, tax-paying life."

The court heard that Laing had been mortified by the shame brought on himself and his family, especially as both his grandfathers had fought in the second world war and he had done work experience with the army. The CCTV images caused national outrage, and the judge said that he had been sent many letters about the case before sentencing.

"I said to you when you last appeared that the image of your urinating over the wreath of poppies at the city war memorial was a truly shocking one. That was no understatement," he said. "There you are, a young man of 19, urinating on the war memorial erected to honour the memory of so many other young men.

"You have understandably had the wrath and indignation of the public heaped upon you and your family, but I am required to decide your sentence on the basis of the facts of the case and principles of law alone."

His parents left through the public exit and his mother said: "He's sorry. He's very, very sorry."

Laing, the son of a computer programmer and an optician in Macclesfield, Cheshire, where he studied at the independent King's school, faces disciplinary proceedings by Sheffield Hallam. The judge said the university had not yet decided on his future, but noted: "I have never seen anyone more contrite for what has happened nor one who regrets more the hurt and distress he has caused."

War veterans' organisations at the time also recognised Laing's immediate apology and the scale of drinking involved. Varsity Leisure Group, which owns Carnage, denied encouraging irresponsible drinking at the events, which are accompanied by medical staff.

There are countries in our world who still administer flogging. I have no doubt that many Canadian vets as well as other citizens would gladly volunteer themselves to administer such a punishment to this disrespectful idiot. I met and talked at length with the last man who administered such punishments in Ontario and I respect his strength of character and his service to Canada.

"On November 17th, 1972 a squad of the Dead Donkey Eaters gang was taking a daytime shortcut through the old subway tunnels under Roosevelt Park when they came upon an unseasonal (it was summer at the time) formation of icicles suspended from the ceiling. The air in the tunnel was temperate save for the area nearest the ice, where Dead Donkey Eater Cedric Bell reported that the smell of hot chocolate penetrated his frozen nose hairs. . . . Using one of Swenson and Sing's maps of the area, the gang determined that the source of the moisture and cold must be located on the 1400 block of West Stewart Street--location of the Rostov Ice Plant, which had stood abandoned since shortly after the Exile. The entirety of Roosevelt Park had fallen off the (rapidly shrinking) power grid two years before, and yet in the warehouse cellar the Dead Donkey Eaters found a cold storage chamber which appeared to be working. Not only that, but its outer door was frozen shut; it took the gang the better part of a day to chip away the three inches of ice on its surface, and even after that they were unable to get it open. In the end the entire gang assembled in the warehouse, some fifty of them, aided by a half-dozen members of the Roosevelt Park branch of the Gemini Society. They were forced to remove the door entirely in order to gain access to the chamber. . . . Inside, they found the frozen corpse of one Robert Priest, an exile from the former suburbs. (This was only determined days afterward, when the body was sufficiently thawed for identification to be retrieved.) In addition, they found the work which had apparently consumed Mr. Priest's final days, and which he must have completed only shortly before his death: a miniature reproduction, in ice, of a landscape which in all likelihood existed only in the mind of its creator. Gleaming in the light from the Dead Donkey Eaters' helmets, the ice reflected streets of cozy little houses, candy shops, and human figures which were so lifelike that some described them as 'unnatural.' . . . 'There was a pond, with a hockey game being played on it,' Cedric Bell said. 'I kept looking back at it, because out of the corner of my eye it seemed like they were moving. So I kept my eyes on it for a little while, to convince myself I was imagining it; but instead I started to hear the sound of the skates, and the sticks hitting the ice, and boys shouting. I never played hockey--never even watched it, really--and all of a sudden I missed it something terrible. I realized that pond might not even exist anymore, and if it did, there was no way for me to get to it. . . . One of the guys started shaking me, then, and asked me why I was crying.' . . . The reactions of the Dead Donkey Eaters and Gemini Society members fell entirely into two camps. Most were overwhelmed by a flood of nostalgia and loss so severe that afterwards some of them spent days huddled beneath blankets, shivering, amid 80-degree temperatures; but a few were angered by the carvings, calling them dishonest and manipulative. 'It was the work of a delusional personality,' said Manuel Charcot, the noted 'Mathmagician' whose theories of dimensional-parabolic travel were popular until his apparent disintegration in 1988. 'The past which he had tried to reproduce, regardless of its technical merit, was a bourgeouis fantasy of a time when existence was simple and safe and free of suffering; a time which never existed. It was a child's vision. Had Mr. Priest dared to depict the interiors of those safe and warm little houses, the picture would have been quite different indeed.' . . . Cedric Bell maintains that Charcot was complicating the matter. 'This was just a guy who was homesick. I like to think that maybe he'd never carved anything before that--that he was just some guy who worked in an office, and one day he couldn't get home. So he found a way to bring home to him. What he made, it made me feel something. I don't think I'll ever forget it.' . . . Shortly after what Charcot referred to as 'the Bobbsey Twins' postcard world' was exposed to the open air, it began to melt--whatever magic had sustained the cold storage chamber seemed to have dissipated, and within two days Priest's work was lost forever. . . . The melted remains play a part in the stories of traveling children's entertainer Diana Kurlansky and her family; the magic water is supposed to have been the origin of the Salamander Cops, who police the sewers to promote safety and decency. 'Maybe the magic in that ice was made of dreams, and maybe it was made of memories,' the story goes. 'Either way, when Sergeant Olm drank the cool water, he became possessed with the need to clean up Salamander City.' . . . Other, more cynical storytellers have speculated that Priest's undisciplined magic, once unlocked from the ice, was responsible for the rise of the 'crocfather' Mad Green and his ilk." (p.372-4)

Sweden's Minister for Foreign Affairs Margot Wallström signing the Rovaniemi Joint Ministerial Statement at the 11th Arctic Council Ministerial Meeting in Rovaniemi.

Finland hosts the 11th Arctic Council Ministerial Meeting on 7 May in Rovaniemi. Minister-level representatives from the eight Arctic States will convene to review and approve work completed under the two-year Finnish Chairmanship to improve sustainable development and environmental protection in the Arctic.

Ministry for Foreign Affairs provides photo material for media representatives, participants and organisers of the meeting. Please feel free to use the photos, considering the following restrictions: Not for commercial purposes nor reselling. When publishing the pictures, the name of the photographer and organization shall be mentioned as the source. No picture manipulation is permitted. The holder of the picture rights and/or the organisation shall at all times retain the copyright to the picture. When publishing the pictures, the publisher shall ensure the legality of the context where the pictures are used, obtain the permissions and consents required for their publication, and observe the generally established practices and decency. The publisher shall ensure that publication of the pictures does not insult anyone’s privacy or dignity.

Photo: Jouni Porsanger / Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland

+++ MORE DETAILS OF ARTWORKS :

www.flickr.com/photos/144232185@N03/collections/721576745...

I am sad by nature,

or by condition,

as those made me

too weak,

too aware,

too natural

for the world of people.

Those roaming balls of noise

plucking and sucking

with millions of other pink and tan spheres of undue influence

in the perverted consumer romance.

A tachyon to escape them!

or a potent cone of lead,

or the decency of trees on slices of land ten degrees—

that is where I lose my last hope.

Between the crushing crash of people

in their obscenely public machine,

I can never make myself unseen.

But to be a tree on that slope,

knowing nothing but the air

and particles of light and green,

alive in the harmony of the chemical affair—

The "cat in a bag" entry (term originated from our comp secty Brad) is one where you say "to hell with what a judge might think", or could be experimental or just put up for a stir or joke (common decency and the laws of defamation considered) ~ G-Dig at Goolwa allows 12 entries (SCCC only 5) ~

Here's one such "cat in a bag' entry I'm trying out this Wed 11th at Goolwa ....the title as seen on the image is SURFACE TENSIONS ~ simply it shows a young couple coming to terms with "something" with an embrace using skin surfaces and in the background, seemingly oblivious to this, is a younger brother or other on a water board enjoying the tension of the water surface ....

www.politico.com/news/2022/05/26/janet-yellen-biden-debt-...

Yellen, Biden's not-so-secret weapon, sees clout diminished - POLITICO

Janet Yellen, the first woman to serve as Treasury secretary, is seen as a technocrat, a widely respected, above-the-fray leader rather than a flame thrower in a political messaging war.

When Janet Yellen was tapped to join the Biden administration as Treasury secretary, she came with celebrity status — one of the world’s preeminent economists and the first woman to have led the Federal Reserve.

More than a year later, as Democrats are grappling with decades-high inflation, stock market turmoil and rising recession fears, Yellen is rarely on center stage. She has surprised supporters by wielding less influence in the West Wing than her recent predecessors did in the job, which is often considered an administration’s chief economic policymaking post, say people familiar with the matter.

Yellen was overwhelmingly confirmed by the Senate, then was instrumental in pushing Congress to approve $1.9 trillion in Covid relief spending, on top of the historic $4 trillion the government had already authorized.

But in key areas where the Treasury Department typically drives decisions — domestic tax policy, financial appointments, the debt ceiling, China — Yellen and Treasury have often taken a back seat to the National Economic Council or been overruled by the White House, according to nearly two dozen people, including current and former administration officials, those close to the White House and others who know her.

Among the cases they cite: She was rebuffed in her objection to Biden’s choice of a progressive law professor to be the top banking regulator within her own department. The White House failed to consult Treasury on remarks Biden was preparing to give on the debt limit and tasked another Cabinet official with reaching out to CEOs. And when Democrats were deliberating over how to finance the president’s signature Build Back Better proposal, White House officials led the discussions with Congress, not Yellen or another senior Treasury official.

“You’d think on questions of macroeconomics that the president would want to hear from her and be influenced by her on every decision,” said David Wessel, director of the Hutchins Center on Fiscal and Monetary Policy at the Brookings Institution, where Yellen was a distinguished fellow in residence before joining the administration. “It doesn’t look like that’s the case.”

Yellen is hardly out of the loop — she’s the only Cabinet secretary who always attends the daily White House senior staff briefing. But even in an administration where power is centralized in the West Wing, her low profile has puzzled those inside and outside the administration. It has also frustrated others who say the White House lacks a credible, confidence-building message on the biggest challenges facing the economy as a possible recession looms, including the No. 1 issue — inflation.

Yellen, the first woman to serve as Treasury secretary, is seen as a technocrat, a widely respected, above-the-fray leader rather than a flame thrower in a political messaging war. Some Democrats are yearning for more as they see their political fortunes crumble.

One administration official said she is an obvious candidate to spearhead a policy or communications response to the extraordinary spike in prices on behalf of the White House.

“Janet Yellen seems like this not-so-secret weapon,” said the official, who, like most of those interviewed for this story, asked not to be identified by name so they could speak candidly. “If we haven’t used her yet, are we ever going to utilize her?”

Yellen, through a Treasury spokesperson, declined to comment for this story.

Policy center

Treasury sits at the center of some of the country’s most critical functions, from collecting tax revenue and financing government operations to monitoring risks to the financial system and promoting economic stability at home and abroad.

People close to the White House and Yellen point to several reasons why she hasn’t been a larger force in the West Wing. Some chalked it up to Biden’s tendency to defer to his longtime, close circle of advisers, including chief of staff Ron Klain. Others say Yellen’s team at Treasury hasn’t done enough to help stake out her territory.

She also has a different style and background than some of her predecessors — her elbows aren’t as sharp nor her ego as large — and she has faced difficulty joining an administration in which she had few close relationships in the middle of a pandemic, the people said. On top of that, she has long eschewed the kind of political strategizing that is an important part of the job.

Senior White House officials say Yellen is an indispensable member of the president’s team. She plays a bigger role in the policy process than her peers in other departments, they say.

“She’s not the person who says the most in any given meeting; she’s not the person who’s as flashy and out there,” said National Economic Council Director Brian Deese. “But when she speaks, whether it’s around the Situation Room table, around the NSC, or with the chief of staff, with the president, her words and her perspective carry enormous weight.”

Klain called her “an integral and invaluable member” of the administration. In a statement to POLITICO, he said she’s “a leading force behind our economic agenda.”

Yellen’s defenders credit her with reviving negotiations around a major international tax agreement last year — the talks had stalled under Trump Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin — though the deal hasn’t yet been approved by the European Union and its fate in Congress is uncertain. And she was an important advocate for Fed Chair Jerome Powell, whom Biden reappointed for a second term in November.

She has led the implementation of last year’s massive Covid relief package, reinvigorated the council of regulators that monitors risks to the financial system and rebuilt alliances with global economic policymakers.

But current and former administration officials, including several who have worked for other Democratic administrations, said she isn’t leading policy initiatives or getting out front publicly as much as her predecessors, and she avoids political fights. Instead, the White House has taken the lead even in areas where the Treasury would ordinarily play the bigger part.

Previous secretaries have taken a central role in advising the president on financial nominations. But when it came time to decide last year on a nominee to run the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, a powerful national bank supervisor within Treasury, the White House chose Cornell Law professor Saule Omarova — a favorite of Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) — despite Yellen’s objections, according to two people close to the process.

“She wasn’t involved in the discussion; she was informed about the decision” to pick Omarova, who had previously advocated for a vast expansion of the government’s role in banking, one of the people said. Yellen made her misgivings known both to Biden and Klain, according to the person.

Omarova was later forced to withdraw her nomination after a messy and contentious confirmation fight, amid opposition from several moderate Democrats as well as Republicans, who objected to what they called her “radical” ideas.

The Treasury secretary is also the administration’s point person on the federal debt limit, which Congress must periodically raise to keep paying the government’s bills.

Department officials were stunned last October when the White House informed them on short notice that the president would be speaking publicly about the debt ceiling. They hadn’t been consulted and had no idea what he planned to say, said one current Treasury official.

Treasury would normally advise the White House on what message to deliver and would always be looped in well in advance, said the official, who also worked in previous administrations.

Around the same time, the White House asked Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo to make calls to top CEOs to offer reassurance on a potential deal in Congress to raise the limit, according to the current official and one former Treasury official.

“That is 100 percent a Treasury Department piece of business,” said the former official, who also was at Treasury during previous administrations. “The notion that the Commerce secretary was asked by the West Wing to make calls because of her influence, her relationships, her stature — we would have been like, ‘Excuse me?’”

Yellen also spoke with executives before the deadline last fall, including JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon and Wells Fargo CEO Charlie Scharf, according to her public calendars. The White House confirmed that Raimondo helped make calls and was part of a White House debt limit task force that included Yellen as a leading member.

That pattern has emerged in her dealings with Congress.

When Democratic lawmakers and the administration were hashing out how to pay for the president’s Build Back Better proposal last year, it was Deese and White House Office of Legislative Affairs Director Louisa Terrell, not Yellen or another senior Treasury official, who led the discussions with Capitol Hill.

While Treasury played a visible role on the bill’s international and tax enforcement provisions, “all of the rest of the pieces very much seemed to be White House-driven,” according to a Democratic congressional aide close to the process. That dynamic has frustrated senior Treasury officials responsible for tax policy, said another person close to the administration.

Different skills

Every Treasury secretary comes to the job with different skills in different circumstances.

President George W. Bush deferred almost exclusively to Secretary Hank Paulson, the former Goldman Sachs chief executive with deep ties to Wall Street who ran the agency during the 2008 financial crisis. Tim Geithner, who took over in early 2009 under President Barack Obama, spent hours in the West Wing every day, conferring with White House officials.

Secretary Jacob Lew, who had served as Obama’s chief of staff, had close relationships on Capitol Hill that helped him navigate the fiscal battles with Republicans that dominated the president’s second term. And Mnuchin, who had been Donald Trump’s presidential campaign finance chief, was one of the only people in that administration able to serve as an interlocutor between congressional Democrats and the president, helping to hammer out the early Covid-relief packages.

Yellen, who served as chair of President Bill Clinton’s Council of Economic Advisers, was well-known and highly regarded within the Biden administration, but didn’t have those same personal relationships when the president picked her to be Treasury secretary.

Some of the differences in her role in this administration are attributable to her preferences, people who know her say.

She likes to be thoroughly prepared for anything she’s involved in, which means focusing on a smaller set of issues and deferring to others elsewhere.

She goes home each night with a thick briefing book, which she prefers to an abbreviated memo. Her deliberate approach, honed over years working at the Fed, stands in contrast to the fast-break mentality in the West Wing, people close to the White House said.

“I think she has something that few in Washington have,” former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers said. “There’s no one in the world who doesn’t trust her. There’s no one who doesn’t think that she’s got huge and fundamental integrity, a lot of intelligence and a ton of decency. Those are very powerful assets and it would be a mistake for anyone to underestimate their staying power.”

Randal Quarles, a former Republican Treasury official who served as one of the Fed’s vice chairs from 2017 to 2021, suggested those assets could serve as a bridge to Republicans, who have slammed Biden’s handling of the economy.

“If you have somebody with that sort of mental horsepower, and the respect of a lot of people on my side of the aisle, you ought to use that,” he said.

To be certain, Yellen is forthright and forceful when it comes to expressing her policy views. And she has little interest in being the mouthpiece for political messaging on macroeconomic issues like inflation, hewing closely instead to what she believes to be true.

“It’s understood within the White House that Janet Yellen is going to say what she’s going to say,” one administration official said. “Good luck with making her say anything she’s not completely comfortable with.”

For example, she argued that the administration’s Build Back Better plan wouldn’t add to inflation pressures over the next decade. But she has avoided the administration talking point that the plan is a remedy for elevated inflation now — something many economists have disputed.

She has also defended the administration’s $1.9 trillion rescue plan, enacted in March 2021, and was among many officials — including Fed economists — who wrongly suggested that inflation would quickly abate by the end of last year. But people who know her say she was worried about more persistent price pressures sooner than other administration officials. And she hasn’t repeated Biden’s suggestion that the infusion of money has not contributed to inflation. Many Republicans — and even Democrats like Summers — have said they believe the funds have fueled price pressures.

Yellen has also said publicly that rolling back some of the tariffs imposed during the Trump administration would help ease inflation. But those efforts have run up against opposition from the agency that spearheads tariff policy — the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. Its chief, Katherine Tai, is one of the administration’s toughest trade skeptics, and she has pushed back on the idea that lifting tariffs will meaningfully bring down inflation, saying it would also cost her leverage at the negotiating table with Beijing.

Those dueling public comments are indicative of a behind-the-scenes disagreement between USTR, which wants tariffs retained, and Treasury and the Commerce Department, which want them lifted, said two former national security officials with knowledge of the dynamics.

Ultimately, Yellen is already at the apex of her career — she is the only person to have ever served as the president’s chief economist, Fed chair and Treasury secretary. That means she doesn’t feel the need to have as high a profile, administration officials and people who know her say.

“She knows about the importance of making sure that she’s working in collaboration and coordination with her colleagues and partners, and she’s made sure the rest of us are doing the same,” Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo said.

Yet her penchant for a more technocratic, less political style has rankled progressives who feel that it’s holding back important priorities. “I think they expected this above-the-fray-ness to help carry forward policy proposals,” one advocate for tougher financial regulations said of the administration. “Washington is a place where you need fighters.”

The former Treasury official laid some blame on Yellen’s team, saying they hadn’t done enough to help shore up relationships, inside and outside the administration, and assert her position as the leading voice on economic policy.

Said the official: “If you want the White House’s attention and you want a seat at the table and you want to maintain that profile and stature and influence, you have to work at it.”

Actor-artist Andrew Koenig's father, Walter, was part of a movement. As a member of the cast of the seminal 60s television series "Star Trek", Walter "Pavel Chekov" Koenig was part of a crew of explorers who had set aside their differences as they searched the universe for truth, knowledge and peace.

Tragically, Andrew Koenig's real-life search for the same things was not as successful. Late last month, the actor, known for his recurring role "Richard 'Boner' Stabone" in the sitcom "Growing Pains", was found dead in Vancouver, British Columbia. "My son took his own life," Andrew's father - with his wife and Andrew's mother Judith at his side - announced to the world.

Andrew was 41. He and I were just a few years apart in age, suffered from the same disease that is depression, have both caused tremendous pain to people who love us and have experienced tremendous pain ourselves. So the first thing I want you to see in the image I have posted (which shows you part of my support mechanism) is also represented in Walter's later words: If you need help, FIND AND GET HELP.

But that's not the end of the message. You see, that "movement" Walter joined didn't only exist on TV. It is OUR movement; it is something REAL. It even was Andrew's movement; and it is still a part of mine. Not everyone battles with a diagnosed mental illness each and every day. BUT WE ALL HAVE EXPERIENCED AND WILL CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE PAIN.

The question becomes what are we, as part of the movement, going to do about it? Just when you think you've run out, can you find ONE MORE WAY to ease your pain? Just because you can do so - because maybe you feel you've been wronged - can you AVOID THE TEMPTATION TO INFLICT PAIN ON SOMEONE ELSE?

The answer, at least every time you visit THIS stream, to both questions is YES. There are people on and off Flickr whom I love who are in pain; there are others whose pain I don't even know about. I live my life fighting against the belief that I am an abject FAILURE.

But THIS is a different stream now. It is Andrew and Mo's Place. It's a place where the talk may be brisk, salty, funny, serious and even controversial - but where the people are always GOOD. Check your pains at the door, if only for a few seconds. Bring your thick skin to protect those raw nerves and feelings. And speak the language of love and human decency. Speak your mind without doing the unspeakable. Exercise your right to disagree without being disagreeable.

Today, right here in this tiny corner of the Internet, I am building a memorial to my blood brother Andrew Koenig. And if you still want to be a part of this stream after this long and scary rant - and I hope you do - I want you to join me. Not in making this a place where fake kindness, fake love are on display. Instead, I want you to join me in making this a stream where respect abounds, where differing people all indulge in common courtesy, where the chips on our shoulders are placed together to form bridges that unite us.

Make this a stream where PEACEFUL WATERS FLOW - and each of us can abide by our movement's credo (as illustrated in the hand gesture in my photo) to "Live Long And Prosper".

For Brother Andrew and my fellow brothers and sisters throughout the world.

Where Peaceful Waters Flow

as performed by Gladys Knight And The Pips

[Come and walk with me]

[We can go where peaceful waters flow]

If loneliness surrounds you

And rain clouds always hang around you

And wakin up each day gets you down [Gets you down, gets you down]

And if the life that youre leading

Seems hollow, then maybe what youre needing

Is someone to turn your world around

[Take my hand] Come take my hand and walk with me [And walk awhile]

[Let me teach you how to smile] Let me teach you how to smile

[And Ill show you skies ] And Ill show you skies where gentle breezes blow

[Where breezes, gentle breezes blow] Yeah, hey

And Ill take you where peaceful waters flow [Peaceful waters flow]

If you let me Ill take you where peaceful waters flow

[Come and walk with me] Mmm, hmm

[We can go where peaceful waters flow]

Now if the sunshine hurts your eyes, boy

Then its time for you to realize, boy

Beyond this moment theres

A better day [Better day], mmm, hmm [Better day]

And if you let me

Ill guide you, mmm

Ill always be there, right there beside you

Reaching every step of your way

[Come take my hand and walk] Come take my hand and walk with me awhile

[And walk awhile] Yeah, hey, hey

[Let me teach you how to smile ] Let me teach you how to smile

And Ill show you skies [Ill show you skies ] where gentle breezes blow

[Where breezes, gentle breezes blow] Hey, yeah, hey, hey, hey

And Ill take you where peaceful waters flow [Peaceful waters flow]

Hey, hey, if you trust me, Ill take you there where peaceful waters flow

[Come and walk with me] Mmm...hmm...

[We can go where peaceful waters flow]

Sometimes I feel so low-down and disgusted

Can't help but wonder what's happenin' to my companions

Are they lost or are they found, have they counted the cost it'll take to bring down

All their earthly principles they're gonna have to abandon?

And there's a slow, slow train comin' up around the bend

I had a woman down in Alabama

She was a backwoods girl, but she sure was realistic

She said, "Boy, without a doubt have to quit your mess and straighten out

You could die down here be just another accident statistic"

All that foreign oil controlling American soil

Look around you, it's just bound to make you embarrassed

Sheiks walkin' around like kings, wearing fancy jewels and nose rings

Deciding America's future from Amsterdam and to Paris

Man's ego is inflated, his laws are outdated, they don't apply no more

You can't rely no more to be standin' around waitin'

In the home of the brave, Jefferson turnin' over in his grave

Fools glorifying themselves, trying to manipulate Satan

Big-time negotiators, false healers and woman haters

Masters of the bluff and masters of the proposition

But the enemy I see wears a cloak of decency

All non-believers and men stealers talkin' in the name of religion

People starving and thirsting, grain elevators are bursting

You know it costs more to store the food than it does to give it

They say lose your inhibitions, follow your own ambitions

They talk about a life of brotherly love, show me someone who knows how to live it

Well, my baby went to Illinois with some bad-talkin' boy she could destroy

A real suicide case, but there was nothin' I could do to stop it

I don't care about economy, I don't care about astronomy

But it's sure to bother me to see my loved ones turning into puppets

* Dylan

Train - New Orleans, Louisiana

(Please note there have been a few cast revisions in this episode).

Captain Tim: Right Sargent Willis, call the men around.

Chorus of suffragette voices: And the women.

Capt. Tim: Yes, yes let’s not go through all that again. Just get everyone around Willis.

Sarg. Willis: I say, it would be awfully nice if you could just all gather around the captain quick as you can, that’s right, nice and close, let’s all cosy together, thank you so much, that’s awfully nice of you.

Corporal Shepherd: Right you lot, you heard what the fine officer said, cosy round, cosy round get cosyed in, smartly does it now, smartly does it, that’s right, that’s right. Permission to speak sir, the men and women all are cosying around just like what you said sir. Shall I cosy with them?

Capt. Tim: Of course, I shouldn’t have to tell you that corporal.

Corp. Shepherd: Right sir, thank you sir, cosying in now sir. Permission to speak sir, we are all cosy together sir.

Capt. Tim: Where’s Sargent Willis?

Private McMercer: Aye he’s absent on parade, that’s a criminal offence, he should be shot, shot I tell ye.

Capt. Tim: Oh don’t be so melodramatic McMercer. Willis, Willis what are you doing? You’re supposed to be cosying, er gathering around, with the rest of the men.

Pte. Bevins: And women!

Sarg. Willis: I thought as it was such a nice morning I’d just have a wander around, you know Sir, just a little wander and look at all the lovely countryside. After all it’s not as if we’ve not heard what you’ve got to say before.

Capt. Tim: That’s not the sort of attitude I expect from my junior officers. You’re supposed to support me up to the hilt, the hilt. Do you understand? We’re not out here to enjoy the countryside, we’ve got a very important job of work to do. Just what do you think would happen if everyone went about enjoying the countryside? The country would be ruined in no time.

Sarg. Willis: Oh very well.

Capt. Tim: Right, now then..

Pte. Jones: Excuse me captain, I was wondering if I might be excused?

Capt. Tim: Not now Steven, I’m just about to explain what we’re going to do.

Pte. Jones: Oh dear.

Capt. Tim: Now today we’ve been appointed to do a very important task helping our brave farmers, reaping and gathering in the sheaves.

Corp. Shepherd: Permission to indegest Sir. I would like to be the person what does the reaping and gathering.

Capt. Tim: We’re all in this together corporal, there’s plenty of work for all of us.

Pte. McMercer: Aside; Aye, and plenty for someone to order the rest of us about while he looks on.

Pte. Moffatt: Excuse me Mr. Spencer, what do we do when we’ve gathered in the sheaves?

Capt. Tim: It’s Captain, how many times do you have to be told?

Pte Moffatt: Sorry Mr. Spencer, what do we do with the sheaves Captain?

Capt. Tim: We burn them.

Pte. Miller: Ah, now then, it just so happens I know where to lay my hands on some firelighters they’re very hard to come by these days. I could let you have say half a dozen at five quid each.

Capt. Tim: Five pounds? Five pounds? Oh no, no, no. Thank you but we have our very own fire lighter in the form of private Breed.

Pte. Miller: Suit yourself.

Pte. Jones: I’ve just done a first aid course and we covered burns. You have to pour cold water on them for ten minutes. Oh dear, I’ve got a bottle of water in my first aid bag but I don’t think it will last for ten minutes.

Pte Miller: Funny you should mention bottled water, now I know where I can lay my hands on a crate..

Capt. Tim: We shall not be needing any water for the simple reason no one will get burnt. I won’t allow it. Now let’s get going, I need to unload the mowing machine and..

Pte. Moffatt: Please Mr. I mean Captain Tim, can I do the mowing, I know how to do it, I saw it in a film once with Cary Grant and Irene Dunne.

Capt. Tim: No it’s far too dangerous for an inexperienced person from the ranks. This takes leadership.

Pte. McMercer: Aye and it’s easier than raking.

Pte. Moffatt: Oh it’s not fair, he never lets me have any fun.

Capt. Tim: No talking in the ranks. Let’s to it, we haven’t got all day, looks like rain later on.

Pte. Jones: Talking of rain, I wonder if I might be excused for a moment?

Later that morning;

Capt. Tim: Now remember men,

Pte. Bevins: And women!

Capt. Tim: Careful near the ditch, it’s covered in reeds, so we don’t want anyone falling in.

Pte. Shepherd: Excuse me Capt. Tim, I’d like to volunteer to work by the ditch what isn’t there on account of it being covered in reeds then if anyone should fall in it will be me and not you or any of our other brave lads. I remember once when we was at...

Capt. Tim: Not now corporal, Not now.

Pte. McMercer: I was wondering how strong these wooden rakes are? I’ll just lean on one to see if it takes my weight.

Lunchtime;

Pte. McMercer: Aye, it seems to be holding up okay. Look Captain Tim, isn’t that captains Raven and Pratt coming over yonder Hill?

Capt. Tim: What? Oh yes, pay no attention to them, Captain Pratt has probably only come to show off the latest set of gaudy ribbons spread across her chest. No sense of decency, if I had any medals I wouldn’t go displaying them like that for all the world to see. She looks like a walking rainbow with all those decorations. Still better than the things she usually wears.

Sarg Willis: What did she get them for do you suppose?

Capt. Tim: Pond dipping I shouldn’t wonder, not proper work like we do.

Capts. Raven and Pratt: Greetings Captain Tim, just in time for a spot of lunch we see. Any cake?

Several pieces of bread pudding and tiffin later

Capts. Raven and Pratt: Well bye all.

Pte. Miller: Now before we get started again, I just happen to have some very nice calendars for sale. Going cheap, lovely pictures of birds on them. Get it, cheap, birds?

Suddenly everyone finishes lunch and starts working again.

Pte Miller: Please yourselves. Charmed I’m sure.

Early afternoon;

Capt. Tim: Well that’s another job well done. I think we can all be proud of ourselves, don’t you Sargent Willis?

Sarg. Willis: What? Oh yes, yes, very proud. I was just looking at those very pretty birds..

Capt. Tim: Not those damn calendars again?

Sarg. Willis: No Sir, those charming little birds on all that bare ground that we’ve laid to waste.

Capt. Tim: Oh we’ve no time for that now. We need to collect all our gear together before everybody slopes off. I’m still missing a rake!

Sarg. Willis: I think you’ll find private McMercer is still leaning on it.

(Any resemblance to the truth is purely accidental).

Enough already. Thanks to everyone and we missed those of you who weren’t able to join us on what was a very pleasant day. I’m sure Mr. Pitts photos will say it all.

Anon.

Financing the Rutenberg Plan, 11 August, #1922Live, The American Jewish World, Timeline of British Mandatory Palestine

By JUDGE JULIAN MACK, CHAIRMAN, PALESTINE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL

(The coming to the Twin Cities this month of Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver, chairman of the Central Committee Palestine Development League, on behalf of the financing of the Rutenberg Plan, makes timely the publication of the address of Judge Mack delivered before a group of a Jewish financiers last June in New York’s at the Hotel Pennsylvania in Mr Rutenberg’s Room. All interested in the upbuilding of Palestine will find it informative to give this address a careful reading – Editor’s Note.)

Jews from Eastern Europe and Jews from Central Europe and Jews from other parts of the world are going to Palestine. They are going to Palestine because they want to go in part; they are going to Palestine because they cannot with safety in life and limb, or to peace of soul stay at home; and they are going to Palestine partly because they prefer to go to Palestine rather than any other place and partly because there isn’t any other place on earth to which they can go. We have closed the doors in America. In the last ten months some 45,000 Jews have come to America. There have been times when a million immigrants came in a year. The probabilities of even lowering the present quota are great. Canada the same; Western Europe the same; South America doesn’t offer the opportunities. Some people are talking about Mexico , Cuba. That is in the distant future. And the nations of the world have said, the opportunity shall be given to the Jews in Palestine, under Great Britain’s mandate on behalf of the League of Nations. Now, it does not make any difference what the ultimate future in Palestine is to be so far as we are concerned. We, as an organization are concerned only with this – there is the land of our fathers; there are our brethren going and wanting to go there by the hundreds of thousands – there is land which, if developed, if fully developed so that it may be no only brought to its highest powers agriculturally, but also industrially, is capable, according to the best experts, of maintain in decency anywhere from three to six million people.

Let us assume that it is not the solution of the Jewish problem at all. Opinions differ. Let us assume that the minimum that I have given you is wrong; that it is only a million Jews that can go there. Even if there be only that many – it is the one ray of hope offered our brethren who are in the blackest of despair in Eastern Europe. And that is the basis of our activities. That is the reason why we believe there is a duty on the part of prosperous Jewry all over the world, but primarily in America, of course, to help lay the foundations on which that million or two million or five million Jews can build, and can build for themselves, a home and life and civilization and industry and agriculture, that will make them self-supporting, that will not bring fortunes to the individual, but what we trust will keep whatever million there may be there, from slum life or from overcrowded conditions that prevail in the Jewish centers of Easter Europe and even this country.

Charity Work

There is much that is to be done, and will continue to be necessary in the way of charity. For some time to come, assistance must be given both to the present population and those new immigrants. They have their orphans, widows and aged; they need some help in the schools and sanitation. But you cannot build up a land on charity. You cannot make the Jews over there self-sustaining or self-respecting on charity. And the finest thing about the generation of pioneers and they have been pioneers for forty odd years, both the present and new generation of pioneers, young men and women, university bred, trained to be physicians, engineers, lawyers, architects, and what not, who are tramping down through Eastern Europe seeking Palestine, and despite all hardships and suffering, rejoicing when they get there – these Chalazim – I say the finest thing about the old and new, is that they do not want charity. What they do want, what they ask the Jews of the world, is that we who can afford it, have some stake with them in Palestine, that we who are not going there, evidence our kinship and our feeling towards them and recognize our duty both to our ancestry and our descendants by doing something that will enable the Jews who go to Palestine to be the kind of Jews of whom we can all be proud. Because the world has decided – it is not open to question any more – they are going to be held up as the typical Jews, these Jews of Palestine, and we in a measure are going to be judged by them. We always are judges as a people seldom individually.

The P.D.C

Now, there are organizations that are attending to the charity end of the work. We who started the Palestine Development Council, started it because we believed that in the nature of things, any charity work must be clearly and absolutely differentiated from constructive investment business – that the two cannot be intermingled in any sense whatever, that the differentiation ought to be marked as we have come to believe in the course of the last year, by an entirely different organization, that marks in itself more clearly than anything else the distinction between the two things, and between the two we believe the business upbuilding of that land is the more important. And because of that, a year ago, on the 4th of July, when some of us gathered together to make concrete these thoughts, we decided to create a business organization. We started a million dollar Delaware corporation for the purpose of giving credits in Palestine because that at the time, was thought by Sir Herbert Samuel and others to be the most essential thing, and to give credits first in the way of helping the Credit Unions, because we all believe that in a little land like that, it was more essential to foster the spirit of cooperation by cooperative enterprise than to do anything else. And then as a second business undertaking, the next most essential thing was credits for building of homes. When we set out on the first undertaking we found immediately that other organizations interested in Jewish work like the Reconstruction Committee of the Joint Distribution Committee and the I.C.A (Jewish Colonization Association) of Paris, which spends Baron Rothschild’s money in Palestine and composed primarily of non-Zionists, like the London Economic Board of which Sir Alfred Mond and Sir Robert Waley-Cohen are at the head, which has on its directorate some of the wealthiest Jews of Great Britain, and mostly non-Zionists – agreed with us on these fundamental questions and were ready to join hands with us in establishing this first Credit Union Bank. We have gotten together; we have selected a manager, and Mr Sol Rosenbloom who has been out there for the last 5 months in our interest, has cabled letting us know that the thing is going – work has begun.

The Rutenberg Concession

And now, in the last two months, Mr Rutenberg has come. And Mr Rutenberg has brought with him what you see on the walls here which is the concrete expression of his fundamental ideas. That fundamental idea is that Palestine, a land without coal and as yet without developed oil, has in the falls of the river Jordan and its tributary streams the power essential to build up industries in the land, the power essential to supply the light and heat necessary, to be developed from these waters. For two years he has been working out a great hydro-electric development scheme which has met with approval of the present government of Palestine, the High Commissioner, who submitted it to British engineers, the Colonial Office which is in the charge of Palestine, Baron Rothschild who submitted it to French engineers and ourselves, the Palestine Development Council, who have on our board of trustees an eminent hydro-electric engineer, one of the vice-presidents of great General Electric Company of America, who has personally gone over the whole matter and all the documents with Mr Rutenberg and called in the leading engineers of the General Electric. I refer, of course, to Dr Loewenstein.

Who is Pinchus Rutenberg?

Let me say a word or two about Mr Rutenberg. He is a romantic figure in Jewish life. He was a revolutionist in Russia. He had to get out in 1905 when the revolution failed. He then went to Milan and there he was a hydro-electric engineer, and when the war broke out he came to America. And he thought that the only way to help the Jews was to get the Jews of America united to speak to the nations of the world as to the way in which the Jews in Eastern Europe should be treated and what should be done in Palestine. And as a result of his efforts and others, there was created an American Jewish Congress which did send a delegation to Europe and did succeed in doing a good many things in behalf of the Jews of Eastern Europe for the securing of their rights and for the settlement of the Palestinian problem.

But then came the great revolution in Russia and with that he immediately went back. He saw liberty for the whole Russian people and he got there while Kerensky was still at the head of things. And he became assistant commander in chief under the command of Kerensky. And when the Bolsheviks came, they put him in the Peter and Paul prison for six months until he managed to get out. And then he got to Palestine. He had been dreaming all these things all these years and the moment he got to Palestine, with that tremendous energy which is characteristic of him and so many of the Russians, he set to work and he has been working day and night not only on the engineering scheme but on the practical business scheme because he has secured the concession from the government, approved by the Colonial Office, a concession which is broad, liberal, but which is fair and just. It is a 70-year concession. It gives him an option dependent upon his creation of a company within a limited time with a million pounds paid capital and 200,000 pounds paid in and the commencement of work within a limited time.

Taking these concessions in his name, he takes them for the Jews of the world, takes them for this company in which he has no personal interest at all – no personal financial profit. This concession permits of a profit to the corporation of 10 per cent on all the invested capital. In addition to most liberal provisions for amortization, for depreciation, and for reserve, After 10 per cent is earned it can still earn up to 15 per cent, sharing half and half with the government. After 15 per cent, the government gets the profits, but the government is to devote all its profits towards the reduction of the price to consumers.

I won’t go into the details. Rutenberg is being attacked right now by the anti-Semites led by the Morning Post, for having obtained this concession. That fight illustrates the real value of the concession – the importance of it for the Jews, not as a money making thing but as a means of building up Palestine in the proper way.

Financing the Plan

Baron Rothschild and the Jewish Colonial Trust of England have been putting up the money necessary for all the preliminary work for the past two years and they are ready to put up not less than 100,000 pounds each towards the million pound corporation. The Economic Board for Palestine, this English body which is, as I said, composed primarily of non-Zionists – wealthy Jews – is going to put up 100,000 pounds. The J.D.C. the Reconstruction Committee, under certain conditions is ready to put up $200,000. Jewish communities all over the world will be appealed to to put up the rest, but, of course, the bulk will have to come from America, and the Palestine Development Council, which is a non-profit organization, a membership corporation of New York, which has a Board of Trustees whose sole purpose is to stimulate and to further projects that will be beneficial to Palestine, has undertaken to help raise this money primarily among Jews in America. It is starting out to raise one and a half million dollars, and starting out to raise it on a business basis, as an investment enterprise. Of course, there won’t be returns for some time to come. Of course, Palestine may be swallowed up by the sea and everything lost, but don’t count on that. Of course, Palestine may have all sorts of troubles, but we don’t believe that it will. Located as it is, between Asia, Africa and Europe, with the nations of the world pledged to assist in its growth and development and with England as the mandatory power keenly interested because of the Suez Canal and routes to India, there is no reason to fear that it has not a great future.

All experts have told us about the possibilities. It is a second California, one twentieth the size. And its topography, the climate and the conditions of climate are similar to California, only in a little area. It has the possibilities that California had 50 years ago and because of location even greater possibilities. We believe therefore in view of the experts’ report to us as to the present demand and the probable demand of the future as the country grows, that the Rutenberg plan is what the British Government believes it to be, what the engineers in Europe and here say in their judgement it is – a sound undertaking. We believe, but we offer no guarantee, that it is an investment where returns may be deferred, but a real investment. We know that they carrying out is absolutely essential to a real upbuilding of Palestine and for that reason, even though returns be deferred, even though we be disappointed in the getting of returns, we feel that we are offering an opportunity to the Jews of America to do a fundamental thing, vital in the life of the Jewish people.

As to the financial phase, our present plan is this; The Palestine Development Council, of which the trustees in addition to myself, are, Mr Sol Rosenbloom, multi-millionaire, now in Palestine, and our Treasurer, Mrs Mary Fels; Lewis Straus, Jr., of Kuhn Loeb & Company; F. Julius Fohs, geological expert; Dr Loewenstein, Leon Kamaiky and Senator Nathan Straus, Jr., is asking that subscriptions be made to it and trust certificates issues by it and that it be entrusted as trustee to determine when and how the thing should be done. We state in the document we are issuing that our idea is this; That the company to be formed shall have preferred stock and common stock and the common stock not less than 20 per cent of the whole., shall be taken out of the funds owned by the public bodies and controlled by them. And we ourselves, the P.D.C. have funds of that kind, because in all of our enterprises there are some people who, while they want to further investments, nevertheless want also to make a donation of their investment for the benefit of Palestinian Jewry.

And funds that come to us in that way are completely within our control, and we would invest those in common stock. We are saying in this prospectus that we are offering preferred and common stock, and the preferred stock is to be sold to private investors and that the preferred stock will bear interest up to 8 per cent, non-cumulative, with the right to share in the surplus profits up to 12 per cent, and the common stock shall be enabled to get up to 15 per cent. What we are offering now is the trust certificates of the P.D.C. as trustee.

As to the expenses for all this work of getting in subscriptions, in the declaration of trust we say that out of the funds subscribed there shall be used for these expenses not exceeding 4 per cent. We want the investor to feel that he is getting a real investment and that not more than that is being taken, and we have to rely on private donations to meet administration fund in order to meet our additional expenses. In our million dollar corporation, not one penny has been taken for expenses and we got up among ourselves a private administration fund to pay for our work, so that every penny that is given to us as trustee, with the deduction of not exceeding 4 per cent for the general expense of doing this work, will be used for the purpose of the corporation itself when it is formed.

A Newlec Hand drier in the Friary Hall, Crawley. It may not look like much, but it's reasonably quiet, moderately powerful, and actually dries your hands without fuss before switching off. A friendly - if somewhat highly principled - hand dryer.

Not strictly a Finsec event, but here's a few photos of the Service and Food Workers' Union Nga Ringa Tota rally in Wellington on International Cleaners Day.

The 'Fair Deal for Cleaners' campaign that this rally is part of aims to provide a voice to the low-waged largely immigrant female workforce, in cities across Australia and New Zealand, who are calling on big property owners to support decency in their workplaces.

Statue of K'ung Fu-Tse on the campus of Shanghai University. Confucius (the Latinized name that westerners use), was born in the year 551 B.C. and was a conservator of ancient Chinese truth and ceremonial propriety. He did not address theology or metaphysics, but his teachings and exemplary personal conduct led to a moral and cultural renaissance among the people of China. Despite the many foreign influences and internal political conflicts, his influence on Chinese civilization has been more or less permanent. A great figure of Asian philosophy, he was a contemporary of Pythagoras. Confucius taught his students through conversational lessons about propriety in moral and political conduct. He promulgated an ideal conduct of life, the basis of which was learning, wisdom, moral perfection, and decency in behavior.

Early16th century stained glass in a north nave aisle window at St Maria im Kapitol, Cologne. The window is complete ecept for the tops of the main lights and traceries, presumably left in place during the war when the rest was removed and thus destroyed.

The Crucifixion is spread across the full extent of the window, allowing the artist full reign to include as many secondary players as he wished (contrast this with the previous window, where only the prinicipla three figures are squeezed solely, and somewhat claustrophobically into the central light!)

The donors appear at first sight to be more discreet, being woven into the main scene rather than the usual seperate compartments, but this is no act of modesty, since they now take centre stage alongside the main dramatis personae (though at least had the decency to be shown on a reduced scale!) Certain saints are also added to the scene in the flanking lights.

Not strictly a Finsec event, but here's a few photos of the Service and Food Workers' Union Nga Ringa Tota rally in Wellington on International Cleaners Day.

The 'Fair Deal for Cleaners' campaign that this rally is part of aims to provide a voice to the low-waged largely immigrant female workforce, in cities across Australia and New Zealand, who are calling on big property owners to support decency in their workplaces.

Ten (yes, ten more) things.

1. My hat cost $1.99 and it took all the energy I had not to buy one in every colour they had available. I did get one more though. ;)

2. Yes, I wear hats inside as well.

3. I often have cold hands. But they say "cold hands, warm heart" so... :)

4. I cannot stand the sound of snoring. I always sleep alone or with earplugs if I must. I'm the same way with loud ticking clocks.

5. If I find things I like, I tend to send them to people in the mail. So if you get a variety of items....I probably enjoy the same ones as well. :)

6. The funniest things in the world to me are not typical jokes but the completely perfect timing when something outrageously random is said or done. It may not even be all that funny but it's the timing that does it. I'm still laughing years later at things that mean nothing to anyone else but the people involved in those moments.

7. I'm not a fan of sticky small children. I tend to go after them with massive wash cloths of soapy warm water.

8. Other than music, I don't like loud noise. As evidence with fact #4.

9. I hate the terms "just like a man" or "just like a woman" to describe something negative. If a person does something stupid then that single person is the idiot not the entire gender. My parents taught me to treat people (male or female) with respect and decency. So the quickest way to lose my attention is to used those expressions around me.

10. I'm currently in love with "Stella" perfume and Pacfica's Egyptian Bergamot Rose perfume. I smell like a rose garden. :)

I'm just not going to tag anyone. Play if you want to. :)