As well as my main piece this post will include some good links and some photos.
CRICKET AND THINGS
Thanks to two splendid innings (Cook, finally out this morning for 162 and Stokes, an 85-ball century yesterday) England have pulled off a remarkable turnaround putting themselves in a position from which they might actually win this match. Moeen Ali has just gone, leaving England 343 ahead with one second innings wicket standing. If New Zealand are minded to have a crack at the target we could have a superb finish.
The weather is nice enough, though cloudy, to be sitting outside.
Anderson has just been bowled meaning that New Zealand will need 345 to win in 77 overs. The highest ever total in the final innings to win at a test match at Lords is 344 by the West Indies in 1984, so if New Zealand get these they will make history.
On now to some links…
LINKS
To start with, a link to Charlotte Hoather’s latest post.
DWP LINKS
I have three links in this section, one to a post on johnnyvoid, one to a DPAC post and one to an official government:
Two links here, one to an article about the Catholic Church’s response to the Irish referendum on gay marriage and one to a piece from atheist republic about proof:
I have some excellent photographs from in and around King’s Lynn to share with you. Mentioning sharing, i hope that some of you will share some or all of this post…
This beer mat was given to me by a friend in Norwich.
An attempt to capture tadpoles swimming in the upper Purfleet.A close up showing a couple of tadpoles.
As well as a personal account of yesterday’s cricket I have my usual selection of links, infographics and photos to share with you. Enjoy the ride…
ENGLAND STARING DOWN BOTH BARRELS
England bowled reasonably well yesterday, taking the least eight Kiwi wickets for 220, the fly in the ointment being that this was from a starting position of 303-2 and therefore still left them facing a first innings deficit of 134. This was compounded by the loss of debutant opening batsman Lyth and the no 3 Ballance in the reply. To give themselves a chance of escaping England need to still be batting by lunch time tomorrow (and probably a while after as well).
This England team, with Moeen Ali batting at no 8 and therefore being considered a front-line bowler, bore all the hallmarks a team selected with avoidance of defeat in mind, rather than going for victory, and the lack of bowling depth told in the New Zealand innings. Just to make one thing clear: Moeen Ali is a fine cricketer, it is just that he is not by any stretch of the imagination a front-line spinner (and his county, Worcestershire, have never used him as such).
Struggling like this against New Zealand does not bode well for the main meat of the summer, the visit of the oldest enemy.
INFOGRAPHIC
Just the one infographic today, concerned with the Irish referendum on gay marriage:
LINKS
My first two links concern disability hate crimes, the main article having been shared widely on twitter (13 RTs and counting since I posted a link to it). The first of the two links is to the post on Vox Political that put me on to the story (although I must register a mild protest about VP’s current policy of putting out vast numbers of small posts – it seriously clogs the inbox) by way of acknowledging my source. Here then after that preamble are the key links:
The natural follow on from this is an article from Welfare Weekly about the scandalously high unemployment rate among disabled people.
My next two links both concern Autism. The first is a petition via 38 degrees which I urge everyone to sign and share. The second is a link to a post about a research project for which I have already signed up and I urge other autistic people to do likewise.
My last link is to a petition being run by change.org calling for 16 and 17 year-olds to be able vote in the EU referendum. Since I would extend all political votes to this age group I had no hesitation in signing and sharing, and I hope that others will follow my example.
PHOTOGRAPHS
Only a few pictures to share with you today (I take this opportunity to thank everyone who is still with me and urge you to share any or all of this post)…
As well as my main piece, I have some very interesting and important links to share, several infographics and of course lots og high quality pictures.
THE WEEKEND APPROACHES
The weekend is upon us. I am particularly looking forward to being able to actually listen to some of the test match, having not been able to do so either yesterday or today. England’s policy of stacking their team with batting paid off at first as they were able to recover from a disastrous beginning (30-4) to reach a respectanle 389, significant contributions coming from Stokes, Root, Buttler and Moeen Ali. The downside of the selection policy, a lack of serious bowling options (for all his position at no 8, and hence officially being selected as a front-line spinner I do not rate Ali a serious bowler) is being cruelly exposed by the Kiwis, who are currently 235-2.
INFOGRAPHICS
I have three infographics to share with you today, two on the Human Rights Act and one on poverty…
As well as the title section I have some important links to share with you.
THE GREAT CENTENARY CHARITY AUCTION
The Great Centenary Charity Auction will be happening at Fakenham Racecourse on June 28th, with the first lot going under the hammer at noon. It looks like there will be something in the region of 700 lots in total at this auction, and another auction is intended for March next year. Official posts will be appearing on the greatcharity website, while the twitter and facebook pages also merit attention. I have been attending to the imaging of stuff for this auction and I have some splendid pictures to whet your appetite…
This lovely uniform (first three images) is lot 225
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It has been exhausting work doing all this imaging, but I am confident that the end result will be worth it.
LINKS
My last post, about the Hanse Festival was reblogged by mapsworldwide and here by way of reciprocation is a link to their own post about the same festival.
A mother and her children are facing homelessness because she understandably refuses to live in the same area as her violently abusive ex-partner and Barnet council indefensibly refuse to make her another offer. Read the full story courtesy of Sweets Way Resists and please take action.
A potentially good news story concerning Hale Library courtesy of Altrincham Today.
Finally, to end this post, a couple of curios from Cosmos Up:
For those who do not know the form with this blog, I will start with the bit that gives the post it’s title, I will also be sharing some good links and as part of the post there will be pictures…
THE HANSE FESTIVAL
I did not get to see much of the Hanse festival because of being busy with stuff for the Great Centenary Charity Auction, of which more in later posts. However, I got a few good pictures, and got to take part in a community breakfast outside the guildhall.
The first of many pictures featuring the Kamper Kogge or aspects thereof.
There was a very enjoyable concert in King’s Lynn Minster, featuring music from composers with Hanseatic associations (Handel, Telemann, Bach etc). As part of this, the group playing the music had been working with children at Whitefriars School, and had developed the catch line “Crazy composers making music for you and me” which added an extra element to the festivities. Here are some more photographs…
LINKS
Just a few links today. First of all, following on from a piece about a music performance, here is something from Charlotte Hoather. Having devoted this post to a community celebration, the Hanse Festival, here is a piece from a community coming together in the effort to save their library, the folk of Hale, Greater Manchester. The Independent occasionally provides good stuff, and this piece about cavemen and gender equality is an example. Last and in the chief place is a link to a wonderful open letter to Katie Hopkins written by Kevin Healey.
CLOSING REMARKS
I hope to have all enjoyed this, and that you wlll share either the whole post or this bits that you have particularly enjoyed. My final remark comes in pictorial form:
A brief account of Surrey’s successful run chase, two infographics, some interesting/ important links, some photos and a call for support for two very important petitions.
INTRODUCTION
The layout of my last post having attracted positive comment, this post will be on similar lines.
SURREY SECURE SPECTACULAR SUCCESS
Having already featured one jaw dropping display of stroke making, this amazing match which featured over 1,500 runs in the four days was settled by another. Surrey terminated the Leicestershire second innings on 480 leaving them 216 to get in 24 overs for victory. Back in they day such a chase would have been considered purely nominal and the openers would have settled for quietly polishing up their batting averages courtesy of an asterisk in the scorebook. One of the batsmen who opened this innings for Surrey did get his asterisk in the scorebook, but Stephen Davies achieved this in anything but quiet fashion – he finished with 117 not out as Surrey completed their first victory of the season with two and a half overs to spare.
KING’S LYNN LIBRARY 110TH BIRTHDAY PLANS
King’s Lynn Library, one of three to be regularly patronised by your correspondent (Fakenham, where I work, and Norwich are the others) will be celebrating its 110th birthday this coming Monday. I have a picture of the advertising poster and of the building itself for you…
INFOGRAPHICS ON HOMOPHOBIA IN SPORT AND
THE GENDER BALANCE IN PARLIAMENT
Two infographics for you, first this one, courtesy of Violetta Golding, on the gender balance of the House of Commons:
Our second infographic concerns Homophobia in sport:
Also, with the Human Rights Act under threat in this country, this is well worth a visit.
Finally for this section, a really quirky little piece about how the beak (bird) developed from the snout (dinosaur)
A PICTORIAL INTERLUDE
Some pictures taken today, going in here to break things up a bit (my next section after these pics is VERY IMPORTANT)…
TWO VITALLY IMPORTANT PETITIONS CONCERNED WITH WOMEN’S RIGHTS
I have saved this item for the end of the post. A while back we won a victory over Julien Blanc, preventing him from being invited to this country. It now looks like we will need to win this battle for a second time. The other matter is even more serious: Charlton Athletic Football Club are considering signing a man who took part in the gang rape of a fourteen year old girl. Although it comes close to making me physically sick that a football club could be thinking of offering a contract to such a person, the real problem is that football’s governing bodies have still not laid down rules about this. I have links to petitions relating to these issues, both of which I hope you will sign and share:
I encourage you to share this post or anything within this post that takes your fancy and end with my usual message for those who have reached this point:
I am going to start with the part of the blog that has given this post its title, before sharing some links and other stuff.
KP BRILLIANT, ECB RUBBISH
I had hoped that the appointment of Andrew Strauss as director would lead to some better decisions being taken. Sadly, that hope has been almost instantly dashed. Kevin Peter Pietersen, playing county cricket for Surrey in a bid to win back his England place, produced the sixth highest score in county championship history, 355 not out, against Leciestershire at the Oval. The last 200 or thereabouts of these runs were scored in the company of numbers 10 and 11 in the Surrey batting order. Surely then, having demonstrated that he still has the appetite and commitment to play big innings in the long form of the game it was time for the ECB to bring him back into the fold.
Instead Mr Strauss effectively slammed the door in Pietersen’s face citing issues of trust. In 30 years of being an avid cricket fan (and therefore including the dark days of the late 1980s and most of the 1990s) I have rarely if ever seen a pettier, more short-sighted decision Listening to the second day of this match (later today I will tune in for what is left) I was simply amazed by the quality of the batting. During the afternoon and evening sessions I was reminded of the line that Jemmy Shaw is alleged to have uttered when called up for another spell against an apparently immovable WG “Noa point boolin’ good uns now, it’s joost a case of ah puts where ah pleases an’ ‘ee puts it where ‘ee pleases”.
When after work yesterday I read the accounts of what had happened at the ECB I could barely believe it. If England, having turned their backs, apparently for good, on Kevin Pietersen do anything less this summer than beat both New Zealand and Australia then it is my belief that Strauss as the author of the final decision against Pietersen must go. It is after all, without a shadow of a doubt, the bowlers for those two countries who will be happiest about this announcement.
LINKS
While the Pietersen decision covered above rankles, it is as nothing compared to a decision that Charlton Athletic FC may be about to make. In the continuing absence of rules regarding the signing of convicted criminals, this football club may be about sign someone who was part of a gang that raped a 14 year-old girl. If, like me, you consider this an utter outrage,, here is a link to a petition for you to sign and share.
My second link is to another very important petition, this time against the repeal of the Human Rights Act.
My final link in the mini-section, before a pictorial interlude, is a to an interesting post from Faraday’s Candle
PICTORIAL INTERLUDE
The first two pictures you will see here are not mine, but come from other sources, however, I also have some of my own after that…
I am finishing this post with a few things that relate to autism, as I am on the autistic spectrum, and take a close interest in such matters. First of all, a call to keep the pressure on Katie Hopkins to apologise to the autistic community. Then I have two blog posts relating to autism to share with you:
1) A piece on parents of autistic children from Huffington Post.
2) A piece from a blog that I only discovered (via twitter) this morning, autisticglobetrotting.
I encourage everyone to share any or all of this blog post as widely as possible. I have one final message for those who have stayed with me to the end:
Some important links, notably about getting Katie Hopkins to apologise to the autistic community and about electoral reforms and some photographs.
INTRODUCTION
I have given my post this title because a large part of it is given over to sharing links, including to thunderclaps.I also have some good pictures from Kings Lynn today.
#katiehopkinssaysorry2autism
The above is a hashtag now being used in our campaign to get Katie Hopkins to apologise to the autistic community for some very offensive comments. There are two links connected to this:
2) Thunderclap, pooling social media reach for better effect.
If you decide to tweet about this campaign don’t forget the hashtag, and if you wish to retweet something someone else has posted about the campaign append a comment of your own and the hashtag (“quote tweet”)
ELECTORAL REFORM
One of the things the recent election demonstrated to everyone with eyes to see it was how badly flawed ‘first past the post’ is as a system. I have three links connected to this to share with you:
1) A blog post which makes the case superbly, from Dan Keeling.
2) A petition that I hope you will sign and/or share from change.org
4) Last and in the chief place, this from Caroline Lucas.
A PICTORIAL INTERLUDE
This picture can be seen at The Crown Inn, East Rudham
A LOCAL DERBY MATCH
The first days play has just finished in the county championship match between neighbours Worcestershire and Warwickshire. Worcestershire would seem to be having the better of things, having bowled well, but one really needs to see both sides bat before attempting to form strong opinions.
MORE PICTURES
Can you spot the bee? Given it’s size it did a fine job of hiding.Preparing for the ascent
SHARING
I hope that you have enjoyed this post. I encourage you to share any or all of it. A final message for those who have made it to the end:
Some good links to various interesting and important items, an important infographic in among them, a couple of classic recipes and some excellent images.
Before I get into my own stuff, I have some links to share…
LINKS
I start with a series of posts about the general election that has just happened:
First up, the ever reliable Mike Sivier of Vox Political. It was also Mr Sivier who provided the introduction to the my next post, written by David Hencke. Another frequent source of good material is John P Ointon who blogs as notesfromthenorth and who provided a fine response to the general election. My final piece of election related material, given that the Tories have an absolute majority in the house on 36% of the votes cast, is a petition calling for a change in the system of parliamentary representation courtesy of change.org, accompanied by a graphic showing what the the break down of MPs would be under PR…
A combination of two busy and eventful days and a sleepless night in between (following the election) has meant that I have not posted recently. I revisited a classic recipe of mine this week, my own customised version of Madhur Jaffrey’s Lemony Chicken and Coriander, although rather than using thighs I used a half chicken cut into managable size pieces with the aid of ‘the world’s sharpest knife’. This recipe featured, along with another that I have not used in a very long time in my first ever blog post. Here are both recipes in a graphic…
The ‘PR’ graphic I put up earlier of course is based on actual votes and not on how people would have voted had PR been in force (e.g. I voted labour in the general election for a combination of reasons which would not have applied under PR – the question would have been whether to vote Green – as I did in the local elections – or for the Trade Union and Socialist Coalition, TUSC). In view of the number of people who clearly did not vote the way they had told pollsters they would, here is photographic proof that I did precisely what I said I would…
I have done some interesting imaging at work this week, finishing off the May stuff and imaging one piece of stock for the June sale that needed to be protected from damage…
These five images are of the medals that feature in lot 424A in our May auction. There were two pics, one taken with flash and one without, the latter of which was treated in three different ways and the former in two.
These date from Thursday, now some stuff from yesterday…
The documents that accompany the medals pictured earlier.The next six images are of lot 653 in the June sale (It was mighty hard to capture every detail of something so intricate as this, hence so many pics)
ON SHARING
At the start of this post I shared various things from other sources, because they had made an impact on me. If you enjoyed this post I would be very grateful for you to share it, and I also encourage you to share individual items from within it if they particularly appeal to you. My final words, once rendered by the estimable Mr Bilbo Baggins as “thag you very buch” are embodied in the image with which this post concludes and apply to all who read it through to the end:
Having been very successful at the Custom House, there are now six different light shows available around King’s Lynn at night, and here in the form of four pictures is the official publicity…
HANSE FESTIVAL
Coming up on the 16th and 17th of May is the Hanse Festival in King’s Lynn, and I will again let a picture (just the one this time) do most of the talking…
A FEW FINAL WORDS
For my British followers don;t forget that tomorrow is the General Election – your chance to kick out the worst government of my lifetime. In King’s Lynn we also have Borough Council elections to vote in. In the nick of time (last day before polling) I picked up a delivery which enabled me to enhance my window display looking out on to the High Street…
I encourage everyone to continue the sharing process.
aspiblog 