This year for our Advent Calendar we have a selection of my photographs from recent years. They may not be technically the best, or the most recent, but they’re ones which, for various reasons, I rather like.
Each month we’re posing six pub quiz style questions, with a different subject each month. As always, they’re designed to be difficult, but it is unlikely everyone will know all the answers – so have a bit of fun.
British History
Answers will be posted in 2 weeks time.
This year for our Advent Calendar we have a selection of my photographs from recent years. They may not be technically the best, or the most recent, but they’re ones which, for various reasons, I rather like.
This year for our Advent Calendar we have a selection of my photographs from recent years. They may not be technically the best, or the most recent, but they’re ones which, for various reasons, I rather like.
Our look at some of the significant happenings 100 years ago this month.
5. Peter Paul Rubens’ portrait of Saint Teresa of Ávila was found in Berlin after being hidden for 200 years.
8. Born. Sammy Davis Jr, American singer, dancer, musician and actor (d.1990)
10. The 1925 Nobel Prize recipients included George Bernard Shaw (Literature).
11. Pope Pius XI promulgated Quas primas, an encyclical introducing the Feast of Christ the King.
13. Born. Dick Van Dyke, entertainer, in West Plains, Missouri
28. Born. Milton Obote, 2nd President of Uganda, in Apac (d.2005)
30. The historical epic film Ben-Hur was released in the United States.
31. The first attempt at a worldwide New Year’s celebration was made via international radio. The United States sent out musical entertainment and New Year’s greetings from the consuls general of various foreign countries in New York. Evening listeners for participating stations across the United States heard a radio announcer in London say, “This is 2LO calling America and sending New Year’s greetings. We have received word that the American stations are broadcasting this program and we hope that it is being relayed successfully.”
This year for our Advent Calendar we have a selection of my photographs from recent years. They may not be technically the best, or the most recent, but they’re ones which, for various reasons, I rather like.
Being some notes on things (all too personal as usual) I haven’t otherwise written about this month.
Monday 3
Is anything happening out there? One way and another I just cannot keep up with anything, let alone what the world is doing. To the extent that I missed this evening’s Reading Group call, almost without realising it.
Wednesday 5
I was awake just after 04:00 this morning, to a very pretty moon veiled in some “lumpy” cloud. Difficult to photograph without crashing around to get my big camera, but here’s what I got with my phone through the bedroom window – the double glazing probably accounts for some of the refraction patterns. It was actually a lot more stunning than the photo gives the impression.
I also wasted five minutes playing around to see what my phone would make of a selfie in the dark – but that will make this month’s self-portrait!
Friday 7
Another trip to the osteopath. Back still isn’t right, but is improving very slowly.
Monday 10
And still the work piles up faster than I can clear it, which means this week is going to be a horror as I also have four medical appointments and an evening meeting over the next 3 days, and thus also 3 early mornings. I just feel swamped; totally submerged.
Wednesday 12
Phew! What a day – well morning really. First thing a check-up with the tooth surgeon; as predicted it took 5 minutes to say all OK, go home. After which I spent an hour sitting reading in the hospital before being picked up and whisked off to an osteopath appointment. Different, recommended, osteopath. Very efficient. In fact at one point I had two of them working on me! They do seem to have crunched my back and so far it feels much better. Another appointment next week, and then maybe regular massage. Home for lunch and went to sleep in the afternoon, while N went for an eye appointment. But hey! We’ve made some progress today, which feels good.
Thursday 13
And there’s more medical stuff! Excellent review of everything this morning with my GP. Never let it be said that most GPs won’t give you the time if you need it. I’d asked several weeks ago that we review everything, including starting to discuss care plans. My young lady GP scheduled us 30 minutes, and we actually had 45 minutes. And yes, we did cover everything. I’m going to get a couple of precautionary referrals (6 month waits, here we come); and I have a couple of things to action as well. So another day with a result!
Friday 14
Why is it that no-one can explain why there are days when everything conspires against one? Nothing is straightforward or easy; if something can screw up, fall apart, or drop on your toe, it does!
Wednesday 19
So I looked up at about 08:30 this morning to see large lumps of snow falling, which was rather unexpected. It was however disappearing as soon as it made contact with the ground. Within an hour it had turned to rain, which then stopped by lunchtime; and there was actually some sunshine during the afternoon.
Thursday 20
Blimey it’s been cold today. The cab driver earlier was complaining of the cold, and I struggled to get warm this afternoon. Although our postman said he thought it was warmer this morning, mainly as yesterday’s wind had died down. And it looks tonight we’re in for the first frost of the winter.
Friday 21
As predicted there was a good frost last night, around -2°C, followed by a clear sunny morning.
As often on a Friday evening the pussys got fresh cooked cod for tea. Boy Cat appeared in the kitchen about 17:00 singing for his cod – he only does it for cod – long before it was going to be cooked (we were getting our tea in the oven). How does he know there’s cod for tea this week? One can only think he must hear it arrive through the front door!
Monday 24
There’s something odd happening. I’m growing horns! Arrowed in the photo. (Click the image if you really want a larger view.)
Tuesday 25
Another of those days where anything that can be unobliging is so.
Thursday 27
So what we had yesterday was a budget was it? From a purely parochial point of view one is not impressed. We get shafted. Income tax thresholds not increasing until 2031! Well I shall get stung for higher rate next year, if not this year! Plus increased rates on share dividend income (although that’s scarcely even chicken feed for us) and savings income. OK, so state pension goes up, but I’ll lose all of that, and more, in tax. Alcohol will cost more, but (at least in theory) energy bills might come down marginally. I get the feeling (I’ve not had the wherewithal to calculate it yet) that from April my net annual take-home will go down fairly sharply; and certainly, given that bills keep escalating, disposable income will take a hit. Moreover I’m already having horrors at the thought of what my medical insurance is going to cost; it’s already astronomical! Yet I shouldn’t really be complaining (except maybe about the medical insurance); after all we can actually afford to pay a bit more tax. But not impressed. Bah! Humbug!
Saturday 29
I keep thinking of little snippets to write here – and then forgetting them!
One nice thing at sunset today was a gorgeous fiery pink layer of cloud making a line right along the eastern sky, with above it a misty quarter moon. Rather stunning.
Sunday 30
It’s the first Sunday in Advent. Just where has that year gone?
Christmas is creeping ever closer, but before then we must have this month’s collection of links to items you may have missed.
Science, Technology, Natural World
The first test image from the new Vera C Rubin telescope has found a tail on galaxy M61 (above). [££££]
Meanwhile a rather strange planetary system has been spotted with three planets circling a pair of stars.
The planet which crashed into Earth, thus creating the Moon, came from the Inner Solar System. [££££]
Recently a very tiny asteroid buzzed past very close to Earth.
Here’s a tribute to Betty Webster, the much ignored woman who discovered the first black hole.
Coming back to Earth … How did a medieval Oxford friar use light and colour to find the composition of stars and planets?
A recent scientific study has found that there are four key ages in your brain’s development – and they’re not quite when you think they are!
A curiosity … It seems we have an internal lunar clock (as well as the solar one) and it’s getting disrupted by light pollution.
Scientists now calculate that the first kiss dates back some 21 million years – so it wasn’t between humans! (Sculpture below is by Brancusi)
The diversity of our dog breeds can apparently be traced back to the Stone Age.
They seem to have memory, but what do trees remember? [LONG READ]
Environment & Ecology
In the UK, on the Isle of Wight, the “White-knuckled Wolf Spider” has been rediscovered.
Would you believe that London is home to a hairy snail (above), which is now subject to conservation efforts?
Meanwhile, an exceptionally rare pink grasshopper (below) has been found in New Zealand.
History, Archaeology, Anthropology
Archaeologists have discovered a massive ancient Egyptian fortress in the middle of the desert.
In the UK, the find of several Bronze and Iron Age log boats is revealing details of Fenland prehistory.
From
There’s a project which is mapping ancient Roman roads, and they’ve recently added 60,000 miles from right across the Roman Empire. [££££]
Here’s Going Medieval on the Dark Ages.
Well who would have thought it? Finds – including 25 shoes (one, below) – from ancient vulture nests are shedding light on 600 years of human history! [££££]
London
As so often our London section is mostly historical …
There’s a new book, The Boroughs of London by Mike Hall and Matt Brown. It’s getting lots of great reviews.
Meanwhile Londonist has an article by Matt Brown on the history of the London Plane Tree. [LONG READ]
Ongoing work under the Houses of Parliament has turned up evidence of prehistoric tools and a lost medieval hall.
In another Londonist post Matt Brown (again) continues his work revealing the detail in John Rocque’s 1746 map of London by colouring it in. He’s now got to Wapping, Rotherhithe and Shadwell (snippet below). [LONG READ]
Still with Matt Brown, and following on from the previous item, he appears to have found the lost island of Shadwell.
And coming right up to date, the 20-year old gates of City Road Lock on the Regent’s Canal are being replaced, allowing a quick peek at the workings of a lock.
Shock, Horror, Ha ha ha!
And finally, for your delectation, here’s a history of slang for virginity – and some links to similar articles from the same author.
This is the last of four posts addressing nudity and society. The first three in the series will stand alone. These three articles are not fully referenced, hence this fourth and last article contains a selection of useful links supporting aspects of the first three articles. In addition a Google search on “nudity society body acceptance” (or similar) will find many additional articles (academic and otherwise) relevant to the whole series.
Read Article I. Read Article II. Read Article III.
The links below are presented without commentary, in order for readers to make their own judgement of the arguments presented (as is indeed true for the previous three articles). Some of the linked items present academic research; while many are opinion pieces which appear to be grounded in verifiable fact. However, as with all such opinion pieces, caveat emptor applies.
British Naturism, https://www.bn.org.uk
International Naturist Federation (INF), https://inf-fni.org
British Naturism Written Evidence to Parliament, 2020, https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/16087/pdf/
Why is Nudity Such a Big Deal?, https://kamilamurko.substack.com/p/why-is-nudity-such-a-big-deal
Why has nudity been a strong taboo in most societies for so long?, https://naturistplace.substack.com/p/why-has-nudity-been-a-strong-taboo
Benefits of social nudity: stress reduction, general health, https://naturistphilosopher.wordpress.com/2015/03/12/benefits-of-social-nudity-stress-reduction-general-health/
Beyond Hypocrisy and Fear, https://kamilamurko.substack.com/p/beyond-hypocrisy-and-fear
We Left Shame Behind… and We’re Not Going Back!, https://ournaturistlife.substack.com/p/we-left-shame-behind-and-were-not
The naked truth – research finds nudism makes us happier, https://www.gold.ac.uk/news/naked-and-unashamed/
I Feel Better Naked: Communal Naked Activity Increases Body Appreciation by Reducing Social Physique Anxiety, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32500740/
On Nudity and Naturism, https://zenmischief.com/on-nudity-and-naturism/
Naked and Unashamed: Investigations and Applications of the Effects of Naturist Activities on Body Image, Self-Esteem, and Life Satisfaction, https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10902-017-9846-1
The Naked Truth About the Sauna, https://kamilamurko.substack.com/p/the-naked-truth-about-the-sauna
Hate Your Body? Public Nakedness Might Change That, https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/all-about-sex/202211/hate-your-body-public-nakedness-might-change
How to Normalize Naturism in Modern Society, https://justnaturism.com/how-to-normalize-naturism-in-modern-society/
The Naked Truth: How Desexualizing Nudity Builds a More Civilized Society, https://medium.com/@LazySith/the-naked-truth-how-desexualizing-nudity-builds-a-more-civilized-society-31ac0c574b64
Naturism, Sex, and All the Messy Bits We’re Not Supposed to Say Out Loud, ttps://ournaturistlife.substack.com/p/naturism-sex-and-all-the-messy-bits
When “Nudity Equals Sex” Stops Working: What Sparks Desire Instead, https://ournaturistlife.substack.com/p/when-nudity-equals-sex-stops-working
How a Lack of Healthy Nudity Exacerbates Body Dysmorphia and the Hypersexulisation of Society, https://www.beaconssaministry.org/musings-of-a-queer-saint/lack-of-healthy-nudity-effects
Desire Isn’t a Committee Decision, https://kamilamurko.substack.com/p/desire-isnt-a-committee-decision
The Difference Between Skin and Performance, https://kamilamurko.substack.com/p/the-difference-between-skin-and-performance
Beyond Hypocrisy and Fear, https://kamilamurko.substack.com/p/beyond-hypocrisy-and-fear
A History of the Nude in 10 Works, https://www.sothebys.com/en/articles/a-history-of-the-nude-in-10-works
BN Children Deserve Better Report 2016, https://www.bn.org.uk/files/file/740-bn-children-deserve-better-report-2016/
Does nudity harm children?, https://www.planetnude.co/p/does-nudity-harm-children
Think of the children!: Relationships between nudity-related experiences in childhood, body image, self-esteem and adjustment, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/chso.12743
Naturism and religion, https://naturistplace.substack.com/p/naturism-and-religion
Naturism needs YOU to fight groundless nudity taboos, https://naturistplace.substack.com/p/naturism-needs-you-to-fight-groundless
Nudity and Naturism Quotes, https://zenmischief.com/nudity-and-naturism-quotes/
So here’s our last instalment of things that happened in ..25 years of yore.
Some Notable Events in 1825
9 February. After no presidential candidate receives a majority of United States Electoral College votes following the 1824 election, the House of Representatives elects John Quincy Adams as President.
24 February. Died. Thomas Bowdler, English physician responsible for the Family Shakespeare and other emasculated works (b.1754).
4 March. John Quincy Adams is sworn in as the sixth President of the United States.
May. The Australian city of Brisbane is founded.
4 May. Born. Thomas Henry Huxley, English biologist (d.1895).
7 May. Died. Antonio Salieri, Italian composer (b.1750).
26 May. Two Unitarian Christian bodies, the American Unitarian Association, and the British and Foreign Unitarian Association are founded, coincidentally, on the same date.
6 July. A new Combinations of Workmen Act in the UK makes trades unions legal according to narrowly defined principles.
6 August. Bolivia gains its independence from Spain as a replublic at the instigation of Simón Bolivar.
18 August. Scottish adventurer Gregor MacGregor issues a £300,000 loan with 2.5% interest, through the London bank of Thomas Jenkins & Company, for the fictitious Central American republic of Poyais. His actions lead to the Panic of 1825, the first modern stock market crash, in England.
27 September. The world’s first modern railway, the Stockton and Darlington Railway, opens in England.
25 October. Born. Johann Strauss, Junior, Austrian composer (d.1899).
26 October. The Erie Canal opens, providing passage from Albany, New York to Buffalo and Lake Erie.
Unknown Date. Hans Christian Ørsted reduces aluminium chloride to produce metallic aluminium.
Unknown Date. The first horse-drawn omnibuses established in London.
Unknown Date. London becomes the largest city in the world, taking the lead from Beijing.
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