INTRODUCTION

The mesalliance of subjects indicated by my title is brought about by the fact that I only have time for a very quick blog post, and the two things I most want to share are pictures of some interestinfg railwayana that will be in our next auction and a number of superb pieces that whyevolutionistrue have produced recently.

RAILWAYANA

I have had a particularly busy time imaging autcuion lots over the last few days, because the other person who regualrly does imaging was involved in a car accident (the car accident stats for Norfolk make grim reading because the lack of a proper public transport infrastructure and the prevalence of poverty mean that people start driving at the first available opportunity and are often using cars that are not really road worthy) is consequently off sick. Thankfully, albeit with a rejigging of work days for next week, we are on track for completing the catalogue by the end of Tuesday, which means that by the back end of next week printed copies should be available, and an online listing should be ready to view.

The two lots that especially caught my eye in and amongst the vast quanrtity of stuff I have been imaging were numbers 51 and 52, and I conclude this section with full photo galleries for both lots…

A FANTASTIC FIVE FROM WHYEVOLUTIONISTRUE

This blog, the title of which comes from a marvellous book by Jerry A Coyne has been in tremendous form just lately, with the pieces I am sahring merely the cream of a spectacular crop…

• Our first offering concerns the discovery of a new species of hominin.
• As someone with an interest in evolution who works for an auctioneer this story about the sale at auction of a letter in which Charles Darwin confirmed his non-belief was particularly appealing.
• This piece, the chronologically most recent of the five, is about a new book on Christian apologetics.
• Next an absolute crackerjack titled “Religious Freedom In A Nutshell” and accompanied by Ambrose Bierce’s classic definition of a Christian:
  CHRISTIAN, n. One who believes that the New Testament is a divinely inspired book admirably suited to the spiritual needs of his neighbor.
• Finally, this one about a lawsuit alleging that evolution is a faith (?!) which got the treatment it deserved – being unceremoniously booted out.

A FEW FINAL LINKS

Just a few final links:

• thepoorsideoflife‘s latest horror story from Ashton-Under-Lyne jobcentre – a man doused himself with petrol inside this vile establishment.
• Developments regarding Chris Packham:
  The petition calling on the BBC not to sack him now has over 62,000 signatures
  This campaign has been featured in the Mirror.
• Finally, a thunderclap is up and running to tell the government to stop attacking disabled people.