The Government thinks us over-70s are ‘vulnerable’ – but this is about attitude, not age 

The Government thinks us over-70s are ‘vulnerable’ – but this is about attitude, not age https://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/thinking-man/government-thinks-us-over-70s-vulnerable-attitude-not-age/

If we want to be free then it’s our responsibility to behave differently https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/04/27/want-free-responsibility-behave-differently/?WT.mc_id=tmg_share_tw via @telegraphnews

AND THANKS ALSO TO THE LATE NIGEL HAGUE for his inspiration … although for some reason or another he disliked the Welsh!

What Germany got right in the fight against coronavirus https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/04/22/germany-got-right-fight-against-coronavirus/

SOME TYPE OF COMPULSORY PUBLIC (HEALTH) INSURANCE MUST BECOME PART OF OUR BRITISH WAY OF LIFE AFTER THIS INITIAL HEALTH SCARE IS OVER.

2020 is our wake-up call.

Anni and I only listen to a brief mid-day summary nowadays and read a few good articles a week. The mainstream media is now totally over the top in its coverage – and largely irrelevant. For them it is ‘filling a slot.’

Thank goodness for Daniel Finkelstein in today’s TIMES.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/truth-about-virus-is-better-for-us-than-hope-gnnfhsdg5

And Allison Pearson writes in today’s Telegraph

We need to be brave and weigh up the risks in our fight against coronavirus https://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/life/need-brave-weigh-risks-fight-against-coronavirus/?WT.mc_id=tmg_share_tw via @TeleWonderWomen

OK Yes! Back now to business! A film to express what’s stirring deep inside me. Yes! Yes! Yes! It’s my raison d’etre.

Or, to echo the words of Martin Scorsese, I WON’T REST UNTIL I CAN TELL THE STORY THAT BURNS WITHIN ME!

Andrei Tarkovsky – Poetic Harmony | The Cinema Cartography https://youtu.be/ak6rI-j07QU via @YouTube

Love the letters in its name ‘aps!’

The “star stuff” that astronomer Carl Sagan famously said we are all made of was forged in the exploding supernova of dying stars.

The phrase isn’t just a pithy remark for a bumper sticker, it’s backed up by science. “All the silver, nickel, and copper in the Earth and even in our bodies came from the explosive death throes of stars,” said NASA scientist Steve Howell in a 2016 statement. “Life exists because of supernovae.”

The extraordinary brightness, energy and other unique qualities of SN2016aps suggest to scientists that it could be the result of an extremely rare event known as a pulsational pair-instability supernova. These rare events occur when two massive stars merge before exploding.

The beauty of nature: a nightingale, perched on the hand of a man in whom he clearly trusts, sings its best repertoire.

Alexander Verbeek on Twitter: ” The beauty of nature: a …twitter.com › KatyDuke › statuses

It was my father’s scout knife, which we think he may have been passed on by an older relative. He wrote on it: “IORWERTH (?) ROBERTS, WOLF PATROL 1ST GLANOGWEN 1932” (Bethesda, NW Wales)

Jesus was crucified and died because of The Wheel of Religion. Listen to Blake in ‘To the Christians’ from ‘Jerusalem.’

I STOOD among my valleys of the south,
And saw a flame of fire, even as a Wheel
Of fire surrounding all the heavens: it went
From west to east against the current of
Creation, and devour’d all things in its loud	5
Fury and thundering course round Heaven and Earth
By it the Sun was roll’d into an orb;
By it the Moon faded into a globe,
Travelling thro’ the night; for from its dire
And restless fury Man himself shrunk up	10
Into a little root a fathom long.
And I askèd a Watcher and a Holy One
Its name. He answer’d: ‘It is the Wheel of Religion.’
I wept and said: ‘Is this the law of Jesus,
This terrible devouring sword turning every way?’	15
He answer’d: ‘Jesus died because He strove
Against the current of this Wheel: its name
Is Caiaphas, the dark Preacher of Death,
Of sin, of sorrow, and of punishment,
Opposing Nature. It is Natural Religion.	20
But Jesus is the bright Preacher of Life,
Creating Nature from this fiery Law
By self-denial and Forgiveness of Sin.
Go, therefore, cast out devils in Christ’s name,
Heal thou the sick of spiritual disease,	25
Pity the evil; for thou art not sent
To smite with terror and with punishments
Those that are sick, like to the Pharisees,
Crucifying, and encompassing sea and land,
For proselytes to tyranny and wrath.	30
But to the Publicans and Harlots go:
Teach them true happiness, but let no curse
Go forth out of thy mouth to blight their peace.
For Hell is open’d to Heaven; thine eyes beheld
The dungeons burst, and the prisoners set free.’

We won’t be defeated (by Rev’d G ap Iorwerth)

(to the tune of Elgar’s ‘Land of Hope & Glory’ 1901 or ap Hefin’s ‘Rachie,’ written in 1921, and always sung in Welsh to the words to Henry Lloyd’s ‘I Bob un sy’n Ffyddlon’ (To the Faithful)

We won’t be defeated
C’rona’s on the run.
Soon the day of reckoning,
And the victory won.
It’s not rocket science,
Listen to the cry:
‘Keep your social distance’ and we’ll all be fine,
‘Keep your social distance’ and we’ll all be fine.
 
Wider still and wider
Spread our nation’s plea.
This may seem like bondage,
But it will set us free.
Six feet or two meters,
Follow the simple rule:
‘Keep at least that distance, don’t be a bloody fool!
‘Keep at least that distance, don’t be a bloody fool!
 
Whatever be your circumstance,
Just step back and pause.
There’s no need for parliament
To pass more draconian laws.
‘Distancing and Isolate,’
There is no other way.
Don’t act high and mighty, and take things day by day.
Don’t act high and mighty, and take things day by day.
 
We won’t be defeated,
Though the virus knows no bounds.
We’ll keep safe our key-workers
As they do their daily rounds.
And as for our health workers
We’ll do our very best,
They are our superheroes, ‘Protect the N.H.S.’
They are our superheroes, ‘Protect the N.H.S.’
 
6 April 2020 ‘Holy Monday.’