They shall grow not old as we that are left grow old

Age shall not weary them,
Nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun
And in the morning
We will remember them.

The Queue for the Jobs Fair

Hope it’s better than the one at the University.

Autumn Bonus – a Surprise Marrow!

Went out to feed the birds, and noticed that something had been hiding under the bush.

Happy Jack

Trick or Treat!

Winter tomatoes

These grew spontaneously – I think they must be from seeds in the compost. I dug some compost in here to dilute it before using it for the potatoes; a few months later, these sprouted. I wonder if we’ll get to eat them before the frost gets them?

Papercraft Astrolabe

My new papercraft astrolabe, courtesy of Keith, at http://www.autodidacts.f2s.com/astro/index.html. This was before I reassembled it correctly – the sights on the alidade should be on the other side of the instrument.

Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?

Finally got round to posting the pictures from half-term:
Musicroom in Lincoln have Spongebob Flying-V ukeleles!

A System for Describing Relationships

This is modelled on the Scandinavian or Dwarvish systems, with extra modifiers to allow for modern relationships styles.
Method : the most direct route from the subject to the relative is traced, and the appropriate term is appended in order. Modifiers are used for previous relationships, depending whether they were ended by death or by the breakup of the relationship. An s may optionally be included to make the word scan better.

People:
Mar Mother
Far Father
Sor Sister
Bror Brother
Dottir Daughter
Sen Son
In Wife / female civil partner
En Husband / male civil partner
Ux Girlfriend / female partner / common law wife
Ex Boyfriend / male partner / common law husband

Modifiers for past relationships:
For Relationship broke up
Ter Partner died

Examples:
Farbror Paternal uncle
Marbrorsdottir Female first cousin by maternal uncle
Farmarsorsensdottir Female second cousin, by paternal grandmother’s sister
Terinsen Stepson, through deceased wife
Uxdottir Stepdaughter, through current common law wife
Marenforin Stepfather’s former wife
Foreninsen Ex husband’s stepson
Marfarmarbrorsensen Cousin Bill (3rd cousin once removed)
Farfarsorsensdottirsen Me to Cousin Bill

Police Attack and Murder Innocent Civillan

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/video/2009/apr/07/g20-police-assault-video

Yet again, police on duty at a protest act like occupying forces, attacking and killing an uninvolved passer-by.

Why is it that, with the overwhelming majority of police officers being decent, law-abiding men and women, thugs like this are so confident that they will pull a stunt like this in broad daylight, and then lie in the face of clear evidence of their guilt?

This is why the “lower classes” hate and fear the police, instead of respecting them and the principles of law and justice which they are meant to represent and espouse. With the increasing use of the police to suppress dissent, and the abandonment by the executive of the rule of law, resentment and alienation can only grow. Is this, perhaps, the government’s intention, to provoke greater and greater civil unrest, to give them an excuse for greater and greater intrusiveness and oppression?

Robert A Heinlein wrote “when a society is crowded enough to require ID cards then it’s time to leave”. The UK is now a global byword for surveillance and oppression of it’s “citizens”.

Time to go?