Blackhorse Road was part of the original section of the Victoria line, from Walthamstow Central to Highbury and Islington that opened in 1968. It is also on a London Overground branch line that runs between Gospel Oak and Barking.
I cannot pretend that the station is an impressive building. Indeed it’s only real significance to me is that the quickest way from the venue of Marxism 2015 to my accommodation was to travel from Euston to this station and then catch a 123 bus (quick but not cheap – my Oyster card took at least £30 worth of punishment for a total of eight trips – albeit one affected by the tube strike and so being somewhat elongated). Incidentally, things went so well on the accommodation front that my host has offered me accommodation again for next year should I attend – and I have accepted.
Accounts of some elements of yesterday at work, some important petitions, a couple of autism related links and some cracking pictures.
INTRODUCTION
Apart from a substantial links section, this post focuses on yesterday at work. I hope that you will enjoy it and that some of you will be encouraged to share.
CATALOGUE OUT
The catalogue for James and Sons’ auction on Wednesday is now out in print form. It can also be viewed online at the-saleroom.com…
Our feature image!
The auction will taking place at the Maids Head Hotel in Norwich, and those who cannot be there but see something of interest can bid online via the-saleroom or Delcampe or leave bids with us either by emailing admin@jamesandsonsnorfolk.com or phoning 01328 855003.
RESOLVING A QUERY
One of the tasks I was given yesterday was answering a query about one of our lots in the next sale. The request was for some extra images, and here is how I resolved it…
This is the image that is available online.
And close-ups of eachThe selection I chose to serve as highlights.
LINKS
My selection of links divides into two subsections, a selection of important petitions and a couple of autism related pieces.
My next petition grew out of a Freedom of Information request submitted by Mike Sivier of Vox Political regarding deaths following the stopping of benefits. I have two links relating to this:
My next petition is one that has already achieved its original goal but is being used as a jumping off point for tackling similar behaviour by an authority in Kent:
An account of an autism related meeting in Norwich, loads of links, some quality dragon pictures, some infographics and some other pictures.
INTRODUCTION
Although this post is based around my attending a meeting to do with Autism at the Charing Cross Centre in Norwich I have lots of other stuff to share as well, in the form of photos, infographics from various sources and a plentiful supply of links.
THE MEETING
The purpose of the meeting was to contribute towards a wide scale report on improving Mental Health services across the board. The speaker, who has been travelling around the country listening to ideas from people emphasized that one of the things his report would contain was a statement that it must be shared with contributors.
One of the (many) disastrous things that has been happening over the last few years has been a removal of investment from preventative care in favour of crisis management.
One of the commissioners for the Norfolk and Suffolk PCT actually told the manager of Asperger East Anglia that she should tell staff “to stop working with people after three months”, which demonstrates a scandalous lack of understanding of Autistic Spectrum Conditions.
As the only person in attendance to be actually autistic rather than either a professional working in the field or a parent/ carer of someone with an Autistic Spectrum Condition I made several contributions.
The final report should be complete by the start of October, and if we have not heard anything by the start of November we have been given a green light to contact Jane Sayer at the Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust.
HERE BE DRAGONS: A PHOTOGRAPHIC INTERLUDE
I have already dedicated a whole blog post to the dragons that can be seen in and around Norwich at the moment, but yesterday I was in parts of Norwich not covered in that post, so I have some more dragons for you…
The first four pictures are of McFly, who sits just outside the City Hall
An educational dragon “The rise and demise of the dinosaurs”
This is Mr Wing, who resides just outside The Forum
“Dragofly”, one of two full size dragons (plus a clutch of babies) to be found inside The Forum
Luda, the other dragon to found inside the forum.
GoGo King Tut, the Egyptian dragon
Norwich Twilight, looking out over the marketplace.Morgan, in one of the streets that feeds into the marketplace.
“Eye Spy Cecil”, near Castle Mall.
Skipper, in the arcade.
Double Decker, Castle Meadow.
I did not get this one’s name, but s/he guards the castle itself
LINKS
My first two links are both related and come courtesy of Dr Marquis Grant. They are both to do with a survey for autistic people:
A petition that I have referred to several times previously in this blog is Fiona Paddon’s petition calling on the NHS to provide free tests from Group B Strep, which now has over 180,000 signatures. The next step is to pile on the pressure bby writing to MPs, to which end I have two links for you…
Finally in this subsection, a petition calling for the mayor of London to get dangerous lorries off the roads (so far this year lorries are responsible for the deaths of eight cyclists in the capital).
BLOGS AND BLOG POSTS
In this subsection are links to the some of the best blogs and blogposts I have found recently…
Having just mentioned the extraordinary Max Tegmark, this seemed a natural place to mention a book devoted to the strangest aspects of science, which it so happens that I read on the bus to Norwich yesterday.
Faraday’s Candle are regular producers of marvellous science and nature related stuff, and this piece on The Arches National Park is comfortably up to their usual high standard.
INFOGRAPHICS
Four infographics to share today. First, by way of Abby Tomlinson on twitter this on abstaining in the face of oppression:
Next up, this on Austerity:
This on energy is probably the most important of the four:
Finally, this on the Great Gathering for Voting Reform:
AFTERWORD AND SOME FINAL PHOTOS
I hope that you enjoy this blog post as much as I have enjoyed creating it, and that some at least of you will be inspired to share it. I finish with some non-dragon related photos from Norwich…
An account of England’s spinelessness at Lord’s, some pictures and links.
INTRODUCTION
As well as my title piece I have some photographs and links to share. I hope that you will enjoy this post and be inspired to share it.
A HORROR MATCH
Australia went in to the fourth day of the second ashes test match at Lord’s 362 runs to the good with all their second innings wickets still standing. The plan was obvious – lash up as many more runs as possible during the morning session and leave themselves five sessions to bowl England out. Part 1 of the plan was carried out in exemplary fashion, the eventual second innings tally of 254-2 declared leaving England a purely nominal target of 509.
England’s subsequent ‘effort’ to make a fight of it was so ludicrously inadequate that they failed even to take the match into the final day. A humiliating 103 all out left England beaten by 405 runs (their second largest ashes defeat by a runs margin). The actual extent of England’s failure in this match was even greater than the bald margin of defeat shows – Australia scored 820-10 in their two innings (82.00 per wicket), while England managed 415-20 (20.75 per wicket).
England did win the first match of the series and it is possible to turn things round straight after a huge win – England were monstered in the 4th match of the 2009 series at Headingley and bounced back to win at The Oval in the 5th, while in the 2010-11 series England were thumped at Perth and responded with innings victories in the last two matches of that series at Melbourne and Sydney. Not forgetting of course the 2005 side’s response to a humiliating defeat at Lord’s – 400 on the first day of the second match at Edgbaston and on from there to win the series.
A PICTORIAL INTERLUDE
The pictures in this section come from three different locations, because as well as Sunday lunch in East Rudham, there was an afternoon garden party elsewhere in the village that I also visited…
I have seen swans on the Nar and the Wensum before, but seeing them on the Great Ouse was a first!
Yes – a bee caught on camera!Back where we started – with the swans on the Great Ouse.
LINKS
My first link is to piece from Tax Research UK about the Labour Party leadership contest, and the bankruptcy of the position taken by The Observer in particular.
My next two links are to two related petitions both organised via change.org:
I hope that some of you will share this post. I was sufficiently inspired by one of the swan pictures that I have edited it to serve as a thank you message – my fourth such picture since I first decided to do something a bit special in that department for use on twitter:
This was my first pictorial thank you message.This was no 2No 3 was thisThis is number four, making its first public appearance.
The main text is Copperplate Gothic Bold, 58pt in the fourth thank you messgae, while the smiley face is a capital J in wingdings, 48pt.
A brief account of the state of play in the current test match, an account of the fly by and two concerts tthat were part of the 65th King’s Lynn Festival, some cool links and some impressive and imortant infographics.
INTRODUCTION
As well as my subject matter as indicated above including photographs, I also have some links and infographics to share with you.
ENGLAND STRUGGLING AT LORDS
Yesterday was the third days play in the second test match between England and Australia at Lords. It was England’s least bad day of the match so far, but they were so far adrift going into it that they needed rather more than a decent day. Australia at 108-0 in their second innings lead by 362 and the obvious plan for them is to lash up as many runs as they can in the morning session and then leave England a mountain of Olympus Mons proportions to climb in the final five sessions of the game.
A FLY BY AT VERY CLOSE RANGE
My outside space was an ideal position from which to view the advertised fly by happening as part of the King’s Lynn festival. It was on the aeroplane’s third pass that I was finally able to get some pictures (six in total)…
All the publicity about this event referred to a spitfire, but apparently, according to some who have already seen my pictures on twitter it is actually a Dakota.
TWO CLASSICAL CONCERTS
Once the day’s action had finished in the cricket it was off to King’s Lynn Minster for the first of two concerts taking place yesterday evening. There was a blanket ban on photography at the event, so I have few pictures…
Some detail about the first concert.The one internal pic I got before being told about the no photography rule.
This concert was splendid. The Vivaldi and Manfredini pieces were particularly impressive, while the Vejvanovsky was a splendid introduction to a composer that few of us had previously heard of. The lead violinist, Bojan Cicic by name, proved to be a quite superb performer.
At the end of this concert we just had time to visit my aunt’s house before the start of the second concert, a violin and harpsichord duet playing works by Telemann (the most prolific of all composers), Buxtehude and J S Bach (who as young man walked 200 miles each way for the privelege of witnessing Buxtehude in action – no recordings in them thar days!).
This mini concert was every bit as good as the first one had been – no evening of two halves this time. I got some photographs of the Minster’s light show (one of several dotted around the town)…
LINKS
My first two links both come courtesy of Vox Political:
A personal account of the two meetings I attended on the Monday morning at Marxism 2015, with some photographs and a link to an old blog post.
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to the latest installment in my series of posts about Marxism 2015, the five-day political festival in central London, organised by the Socialist Workers Party. In this post, which I hope some of you will enjoy enough to share, I shall be covering the last two regular meetings before the final rally.
TWO SPLENDID MEETINGS
HOW BIG PHARMA STOPS US MAKING PROGRESS
This meeting, in Nunn Hall, where a lot of the meetings that appealed to me seemed to be taking place, was an excellent start to the final day of this great event.
Speaker Camilla Royle and the chair before the meeting started.The book being advertised at this meeting – and having borrowed it from the library a while back I can confirm that it is a splendid read.Camilla giving her opening speech.The timetable for Monday.
I will limit myself to one story from that meeting – a tale of how 73 trials of which 37 gave the right result and 36 the wrong were spun by a combination of suppression and deceit into 48 successful trials and 3 failures – this is how the pharmaceutical industry chooses to conduct itself.
PEGIDA AND THE FIGHT AGAINST RACISM, FASCISM AND ISLAMAPHOBIA IN GERMANY
This was the last of the regular meetings I attended at the event, and it was superb. The main speaker, Christine Buchholz, a member of Die Linke talked about the rapid rise of Pegida and then the counter to them – appearing everywhere they did in bigger numbers. This of course is the way the Anti-Nazi League in this country dealt with the National Front and then in the 1990s with the first rise of the BNP, also how Unite Against Fascism dealt with the EDL and the second rise of the BNP – confront them, never let them have a moment’s peace and make it abundantly clear that there are more of us than there are of them. Check out this early blog post of mine on the matter.
A membership form for Unite Against Fascism.
Mention was also made of the brief and spectacularly ill-starred Pegida UK, which was really the absolute rump of the EDL and BNP, and never gathered any momentum. For examples of what happens of you do not take these people head on Holland and Austria where there are very major fascist organizations were cited (France with Front National being too well known to need much of a mention).
Here are some final photos…
Displays in the foyer area between the Logan and Jeffrey halls (the Drama Studio is also in this area).
Speaker and Chair before the meetingChristine Buchholz during her opening speech.
Welcome to the latest piece in my series about my experiences at Marxism 2015, the five day political festival in central London organised by the Socialist Workers Party. This post will focus on the latter stages of Sunday. I hope that some of you will enjoy it enough to share it.
TWO HEAVILY CONTRASTING MEETINGS
IS THERE A THEORY OF EVERYTHING?
I was delighted when I saw this meeting in the timetable, although room 642 was uncomfortably hot. Incidentally, the Institute of Education level numbers have no connection with street level, which is actually between Levels 3 and 4 – there are entrances at both levels.
Speaker Paul McGarr and chair Camilla Royle before the meeting.
Paul McGarr during his opening speech.
Our speaker, Paul McGarr argued that there will be no Theory of Everything and pointed out some of the occasions when people thought they had one and were proved wrong. While accepting this, as most of the contributors from the floor did during the discussion, I would go further still: not only is a Theory of Everything impossible, it is undesirable – it would mean that there was nothing new left to discover.
FROM SOYLENT GREEN TO HUNGER GAMES – WHY IS THE FUTURE ON FILM ALWAYS SO GRIM?
After the long break between 5 and 7PM, which I used to edit photos and put up a blog post, I went to the Drama Studio, one of four venues in the bowels of the earth (a.k.a level one), for the meeting whose title heads this subsection…
Sasha Simic (in the blue top) in position for his opening speech.
Rather than attempt to write about this meeting, I will do it all with pictures…
The chair introducing the meeting.
Utopia – the reverse of the Dystopias talked about in this meeting.
An account of the last couple of days work at James and Sons, with the latest on Fiona Paddon’s petition about Group B Strep, a link to a Mike Sivier piece and a final coin pic.
INTRODUCTION
I have had a couple of richly varied days at work, and the body of this post will be covering some of that variation. I also have some links to share.
TWO RICHLY VARIED DAYS
THE JULY AUCTION
James and Sons’ auction for July is now ready to go, and a full catalogue can be viewed online. Here are some of the more recent images…
These four pics are of lot 66
Two images for lot 434
Two images for lot 436
PRESS RELEASES AND BULK EMAILS
I have put out an email to everyone who bought online at The Great Centenary Charity Auction and have created draft press releases for collector’s fairs at Stowmarket, Diss and Newmarket. As these have not been approved yet I will share only a couple of composite images I created in connection with this…
This one, which went out with the bulk email is a combined pic of lots 2 and 76This one combines 5 different items, all new in stock – note that the arrow/ axeheads are obsidian which is a much less common material for such than flint.
AUGUST IMAGING
I have already imaged some lots for our August auction (takes place on the 26th of that month). Although there is little so far that is truly eye-catching, I have som pictures that are worth sharing…
This is lot 319 in the August sale.These four ornamental plates constitute lot 328Lot 310
LINKS
My first two links are related, both being connected with Fiona Paddon’s change.org petition “Provide tests for Group B Strep to prevent any more avoidable deaths of newborn babies”:
I hope that you have all enjoyed this post and that some at least of you will be encouraged to share it. Also do check out my twitter feed and of course enjoy my closing image…
I spotted that this £2 coin was a special one and took a picture of it before using it for it’s appointed purpose. The only problem given that it commemorates 150 years of London Underground (2013 was the anniversary year) is that the train is obviously of deep-level tube stock – a train of “surface” stock would have been more appropriate.
An account of the first part of Sunday at Marxism 2015 and a fistful of important links.
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to the latest installment in my series of posts about my experiences at Marxism 2015, the five day political festival in central London organised by the Socialist Workers Party. Check out the previous posts in the series. As well as the post itself I have some important links to share – and on the subject of sharing I hope you will be inspired to share this post!
GETTING THERE
The journey in had two variations on previous days – firstly my host was able to give me a lift to Walthamstow Central, saving some money on the Oyster Card, and secondly I decided to change to the Piccadilly line at Finsbury Park because Russell Square is actually the closest station to the Institute of Education. My dislike of lifts reduced the theoretical benefits of saving distance because the only other method of access to street level is via the stairs, of which there are 175.
These balloon pictures are from the southbound Piccadilly line platform at Finsbury Park.
The Piccadilly line is currently constituted.A new style of schematic diagram now on display at many stations.
AT THE EVENT
Here is my program of meetings for the day…
You might not expect a theoretical meeting first thing on a Sunday morning to be lively, but it was. However I will settle for sharing a few photographs…
Speaker Sue Caldwell and chair (and SWP student organiser) Lewis Nielsen before the first meeting of the day.
Sue during her opening speech.A contributor from the floor during the discussionA close up shot of picture on his t-shirtWhen they contributed from the floor……I was able to get a picture of the front showing which union it was.This was the back of someone’ shirt
From this meeting I ascended two floors to Nunn Hall for my next meeting, Amy Leather (organiser of the whole event) on fracking. Here are some lowlights associated with fracking…
Uses vast quantities of water – millions of gallons per site
2 – 2,500 lorry trips per well required
Tap water near fracking sites so polluted that folk can set fire to it
and 15 million Americans live within one mile of a fracking site – and it would be worse in this country because we are more densely populated.
We are still talking FOSSIL FUELS – every part of the process increases emissions
Process leaks methane – which is a much more powerful greenhouse gas than methane
Instead of supporting this means of generating power we should be looking more deeply in renewables (for which Cameron and his cronies have cut funding while they are pushing fracking like billy-ho).
I will end this section with a few more photos…
Amy and chair Dave Gilchrist before the meeting.Amy during her opening speech.
LINKS
TWO PETITIONS
Each of these petitions comes with two links, the petition itself and a related article. First up, a petition calling on SeaWorld to release Tillikum the orca:
A personal account of the meeting “Marxism and Mental Health”, which was in the Saturday evening slot of Marxism 2015 and had been given a large venue (which was packed).
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to another post about my experiences at Marxism 2015, the five-day political festival in central London organised by the Socialist Workers Party. Previous posts can be viewed here. This post focuses on one meeting, one which I believe fully deserves to be thus privileged.
MARXISM AND MENTAL HEALTH
This meeting was important for me in many different ways, not least in that by its mere presence it meant two meetings on the subject of mental health (along with earlier one featuring Susan Rosenthal).
TREATING MENTAL HEALTH WITH DUE SERIOUSNESS
Not only was this meeting given the prominence of a Saturday evening slot, it was given one of the biggest venues to be used during the event, the Elvin Hall (and btw was packed to the rafters). To see one genuinely good slide presentation is unusual, to encounter two in one day is (for me at least) unprecedented good fortune – but it happened here.
Beth Greenhill set up and ready for action.This picture was on display before the meeting started.Beth and chair Pete Jackson ready for action.A book display (my finances do not permit more than looking!)
THE MEETING ITSELF
To give you an idea of Beth’s talk I will share those of the slides I managed to capture…
The sign off screen, and our featured image.
Beth giving her talk.
Not a separate slide – a sneaky close up by me.
There were some excellent contributions from the floor, most notable east London social worker Monica and south London mental health activist Jeremy.
Monica, opening the discussion section of the meeting.Jeremy making his contribution.
Being present at this meeting was an amazing experience, and apart from the opening and final rallies it was without doubt the best meeting I attended on any of the five days. I finish with another couple of photographs…
Beth giving her summing up speech.A stylised rendering of the Euston Arch on the Victoria line platform (the original was destroyed in the 1960s so I cannot comment on the closeness of the resemblance).
aspiblog 