This going to be a very brief post, but there are two things that I feel I must share with you.
Philip Morris, the tobacco giants, have launched a lawsuit against the Uruguayan government in an attempt to overthrow that country’s anti-smoking legislation. There is a petition up and running gaining support for Uruguay in this case, courtesy of the campaigning organisation Avaaz. Please sign and share widely.
The second thing I wish to draw your attention to is one of the best posts I have ever read regarding Autism. It uses a series of films which I have never actually watched to make its point. This post comes from Autism Mom.
A magpie on a branch of the same tree.Gulls perched on a severely pollarded tree.
If you enjoyed this post please take the opportunity to share it widely.
The meeting of the Nar and Ouse under a Walter Dexter sky.
Before I get into the main meat of this blog, here is an important and interesting piece from Tom Pride, political blogger and satirist.
Given that banknotes played a starring role in James and Sons last auction on March 26th, and that those notes were part of a very large collection, the second and third parts of which will be sold on April 29th and May 27th, it was inevitable that a press release focussing on banknotes would be required, and yesterday was the day I sent it out. The official post on the James and Sons website can be viewed by clicking here and has already been widely shared on twitter. Meantime, here is the press release itself in both word and jpg form…
Also yesterday I had to produce some images of a new donation for the Great Charity Centenary Auction, some of which I now share…
These five shots are of the same item, in two different settings and with various degrees of editing.
Also yesterday I dealt with some of the very few items for the April auction that have yet to be imaged. A full catalogue for this auction is available for viewing by clicking here. Here are the highlights from the lots I imaged yesterday…
This morning a letter was printed on the front of the Daily Telegraph. Appended to a few lines of body text about why they would be voting conservative were the names of 100 business leaders. Even if this had been entirely genuine, it would have been no more convincing than a letter to the Daily Mirror signed by 100 prominent trade unionists explaining why they were voting labour. However, it was not very long before it was discovered that the letter had been drafted in Tory HQ, and that a sizeable portion of the signatories were already known Tories, in some cases even Tory peers. As the day progressed, this was compounded by somebody noting the presence in that list of a 100 of a number of Mrs Cameron’s cronies (yes, they really are that stupid/ arrogant).
Various people made suggestions through the day about other selections of 100 people with a linked trait who could sign a letter about why they were voting labour (disabled people, and food bank users were two suggestions).
This letter was intended to boost the Tories and harm Labour, but I suspect that like the now legendary “Road to Recovery” poster that started the year its effect will be the reverse. The letter (unsurprisingly since it came from Tory HQ) was riddled with factual inaccuracies, as well as the problems already documented with the so-called signatories. It started out as a non-story given ridiculous air-time (“100 rich b**t**ds are going to vote Tory”) and un-ravelled from there.
Frankly, the use of this kind of tactic suggests desperation. To end this little section I have a couple more links to analyses of this story…
Spring is in the air (and I have plenty of photos to bear this out). Therefore, the King’s Lynn Asperger Support Society, of which I am Group Leader, is moving venues from our winter perch at the Lattice House to our summer venue on South Quay near Marriott’s Warehouse, with the option of ducking inside should the weather not co-operate. Our April meeting will be on the 13th, starting at 6PM, after which we will be reverting to our usual first Monday of the month.
Although it is not that long since my last post and I have been outside for much of that time, I have a handful of good links to share before displaying a few more pics…
This post is going to be in several parts. First off some good links for you to follow up, then a bit about yesterday’s auction, then an account of an evening’s bridge, then today, all interleaved with some pictures.
The first items under the hammer were the banknotes, the first part of a very large, very high quality collection which has come into our possession. This part of the sale was extremely lively, and there were some huge results. Here in pictorial form are five of the finest (four of the original images were scanned by my colleague Chris and have subsequently been edited by me)…
After the banknotes came some coins, then militaria, medals and badges. There was a brief lull when some postcards went under the hammer, and then after a break for lunch, it was time for the stamps. These fared respectably. The postal history and ephemera items brought up the rear of the auction, by which stage hardly anyone not helping to run the auction was still in the room, and they fared poorly.
Another feature of this auction was the presence of the latest advertising tool for the Great Centenary Charity Auction, which has already featured on twitter and facebook…
A close-upA panoramic view showing it alongside the auction lots.
PART 3: JOLLY BRIDGE
Last night was another bridge evening at the Jolly Sailors. Although I finished up a few pence down on the evening, I had a good time. I pulled off a few good pieces of dummy play and played my part in more than one successful defence. The meal was excellent.
PART 4: TODAY
Today I have imaged some 50 lots for the April auction (Fakenham Racecourse, 29th), updated the client database with records of all the saleroom.com bidders at yesterday’s auction and created a press release, which I aim to put out early next week.
Building a Press Release
The text part of a press release is quick work. Creating and placing an image takes much longer. For the particular composite image I envisaged, going right at the heart of the piece I needed to create three half-way house composites and then assemble them into my final image…
This was to be the central panel of the final image.With this on one side of itAnd this on the other.And this was the final image.
With some carefully chosen text above and below you have your press release – but I will not share the full thing until I have actually released it.
Most of the imaging I did for the April sale today was not especially inspiring, but I have a handful of final pictures to share…
Some good links, including to a Tory candidate who showed who not to deal with the EDL – and a corresponding link to how to do so. A stack of splendid pictures from yesterday.
Another multi-part post – a links section, a section on King’s Lynn in the morning, a brief East Rudham section (I will be doing another post on the architectural features of a Norfolk village theme) and a section on King’s Lynn in the evening.
https://www.voteforbob.co.uk/ A campaign that I have been involved with since it began. I have contacted my Labour, Green and #FibDem candidates. Both the Green and Labour candidates are on side (the Green virtually had to be, and no one who knows Jo Rust would expect anything less of her) while the #FibDem has not responded as yet.
A somewhat late start meant that I missed the 9:25 bus so had to get the 11:55. In the interim I took a walk, divided by a stop at my aunt’s to water the plants and check that everything was OK. It was obviously going to be a splendid day for photography but I did not yet realise quite how splendid. Up to leaving my aunt’s house I had a few decent pictures…
The Great Ouse beyond my Aunt’s house provided the first clue as to how good the day would be, when “Cormorant Platform” provided some excellent pics…
Heading back towards the bus station I crossed the Nar, which provided these crackers…
Walking through the parklands to the town centre I collected some more fine pics…
Even the bus stations and the bus journey were not complete blanks…
Decorative brickwork is a regular feature of the houses on the way out to the hospital (yes that was shot through the window of a bus)
Although I am preserving many of my East Rudham pictures for another post, some belong here…
This rabbit was too far away to produce a really excellent picture but as the local landowner goes by the name of Mr McGregor I could not resist including it.
Because it was bright and sunny outside I got off the bus early, in Gaywood, and walked through the parkland to get home. This last little outdoors session provided a shot of Britain’s national bird to be, my best capture of flying aeroplane to date and some splendid shots of local landmarks…
Even after I got home there was one more classic moment – “red sky at night: shepherd’s delight”…
Some excellent links at the top os the post. Then some comment on the cricket world cup, then some cool pics, then the Six Nations and finally some more pics.
As with my last post I am going to start with a links section before moving to the main meat of the post…
The last of the quarter-finals of the cricket world cup ended earlier today UK time. New Zealand obliterated the West Indies in a match dominated by Martin Guptill’s amazing 237 not out (the last 137 off 51 balls if I remember rightly). The semi-final line up is thus India v Australia (head and heart both say India to win that one) and New Zealand vs South Africa, neither of whom have ever got further than the semis (impossible to predict, heart says NZ). South Africa’s potential bete noire is their lack of an all-rounder, which means either playing only four front-line bowlers as they have so far, or dropping a batsman to make way for a fifth bowler. For more details about the Guptill knock, and the records he rewrote in the process check out www.cricinfo.com. Before moving on to the rugby section, some pics…
This is the edited but not cropped version that now serves as the desktop background on my work computer!The Fakenham cinema viewed from top deck of an X8
Choppy water on the Great Ouse today.
SIX NATIONS
Today has been an amazing day in the Six Nations. First of all Wales thrashed Italy to become favourites for the trophy. Then Ireland won by a sufficient margin at Murrayfield to move into pole position to retain their title. England who had the toughest assignment of the three contenders need to beat France by 26 or more to take the title on points difference. At the moment it is not looking good for England. France have just scored and converted a try to move within five points of England – looking more and more like the trophy is staying in the emerald isle. England nine points to the good (34-25) – another 17 needed to take the trophy. Another try for England – moves them within 12 with possibly two more to come. Conversion successful – England need 10 unanswered points for the trophy. James Haskell in the sin bin – not looking good for England. France have just scored the try that surely ends England’s hopes of the trophy – England 41 France 30 with a French conversion to come. Conversion missed – England need 15 unanswered points. Another try – England 46 France 30. A successful conversion for England and it is 48-30 – eight more points for England and they win. France have just scored again – England now need 13 points – conversion to come. The equation is now that England need to find 13 more points and they have 13 minutes in which to do it. Jack Nowell has scored another try – reducing the ask to eight points. Conversion by George Ford – England 55 France 35 – a converted try will win them the Six Nations. The whistle has gone and an amazing final day at the Six Nations is over – Ireland retain the title and England are runners-up for the fourth time in succession. Wales in spite of scoring 61 points in Rome earlier today finish third. I will now finish this post with a few more pics…
This post is going to be in three parts. First of all some links to other blog posts and online bits that have particularly impressed me today, then a bit about today at work and finally some other bits.
LINKS
These links are to the pick of the things I have encountered online today…
Although much of today was taken up with heavy lifting I did get to create a couple of pieces of PR material which I hope to be able to use on Tuesday, the second of which involved some imaging (I used an already created image in the first – it must be pretty good since it already has a confirmed bid of £500 on it)
The first piece was a press release about James and Sons being at an antiques and collectables fair at Newmarket Racecourse…
A JPG of the completed document.
NewmarketThe second piece was rather more intriguing. It centred on a couple of African cultural artifacts, a Kuba mask and a witchdoctor’s stick. The latter has some serious history – it was once the personal property of no less an individual than Sir Henry Rider Haggard (of King Solomon’s Mines fame). A full gallery follows…
The full poster (as I intend it) – top and bottom the whole stick, around the sides details from various parts of the stick and in the centre the mask.Stick and mask in one shotThe mask.
I have a few non-work related pics to share as well, including an opportunistic pair of eclipse shots. It was vey overcast in Norfolk today, but between getting off the bus at Oak Street and arriving at James and Sons I did get one half decent shot which I turned into two pictures…
The original holder that these Liebig cards came in split, so I mounted them on card instead (it being the pics I am interested in)
This is a close up of the eclipseThis is the edited but not cropped version that now serves as the desktop background on my work computer!
For those interested in birds, a vote is being taken to decide which will be Britain’s national bird. There is a shortlist of ten, from which I have voted for the Blackbird. For more details and/or to vote visit www.votenationalbird.com. Below is how I introduced this to my twitter followers…
Yesterday afternoon I felt like varying things a bit, so I decided I would follow Bawsey Drain as far as possible, and did so until it hit the Gaywood River, at which point I followed that waterway until I reached Wootton Road, whence I headed back into town, via the Gaywood Clock. I finished up by walking through the parkland to Seven Sisters, past the South Gate and down to the Great Ouse via Hardings Pits, following the river as close as is permitted until reaching Devil’s Alley, which I diverged down as it was necessary to check in on my Aunt’s house and make sure all was OK. Having finished there I returned home by going down St Margaret’s Lane to the river and heading along the bank to the Lower Purfleet, which I followed into the heart of the town before crossing the bridge into Baker Lane car park and arriving back at my flat almosgt exactly three hours after departure.
My candidate for Britain’s national bird was much in evidence, as these pictures show…
There were many other birds in evidence as well, some of which I did justice to…
Of course, I also spotted some interesting architectural features…
For my penultimate set of pictures I am going to focus on the Great Ouse…
To end this post, although it came in the middle of the walk I will feature Gaywood’s principal landmark, a clock that is also a war memorial…
After the banknotes came some coins, then militaria, medals and badges. There was a brief lull when some postcards went under the hammer, and then after a break for lunch, it was time for the stamps. These fared respectably. The postal history and ephemera items brought up the rear of the auction, by which stage hardly anyone not helping to run the auction was still in the room, and they fared poorly.
The second piece was rather more intriguing. It centred on a couple of African cultural artifacts, a Kuba mask and a witchdoctor’s stick. The latter has some serious history – it was once the personal property of no less an individual than Sir Henry Rider Haggard (of King Solomon’s Mines fame). A full gallery follows…
I have a few non-work related pics to share as well, including an opportunistic pair of eclipse shots. It was vey overcast in Norfolk today, but between getting off the bus at Oak Street and arriving at James and Sons I did get one half decent shot which I turned into two pictures…
aspiblog 
