PBS Forum

Quote from: Judy Glattstein on March 24, 2023, 12:18:53 PMThis seems to express itself in book banning.

One of the UK's national treasures - Roger McGough - had a conversation on UK radio with an American lady who was responsible for having his books banned in at least part of the US. She admitted that she had never read any of his poetry and had no wish to as she knew what it contained. The conversation was both laughably funny and unfathomable.
I wish that I could remember the precise piece that had stirred her into action - it was harmless and had been completly misunderstood (not really a surprise - Roger is seen as part comic poet and part extremely wry observer and recorder of life in all its states).

Quote from: Bern on March 24, 2023, 01:02:15 PMBoy, was I wrong.

Oh? And so were, so are and so will be very many others. Oh for a perfect world.

I was basically against the Iraq war but for the comparatively trivial reason that I just cannot abide slime-ball Blair (often pronounced bluuurrrrr here, as in throwing-up). He has always struck me as one of the most duplicitous creatures ever to rise in UK politics.

Quote from: CG100 on March 25, 2023, 01:29:57 AMI wish that I could remember the precise piece that had stirred her into action

https://www.oatridge.co.uk/poems/r/story-of-love-roger-mcgough-at-lunchtime.php

She appears in episode 2 of "Things Fell Apart", "Dirty Books" by Jon Ronson, a discussion of the "Culture Wars", around the 8 minute mark. It is available on BBC Sounds:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0011ldn

Quote from: CG100 on March 25, 2023, 01:29:57 AMI was basically against the Iraq war

I recall being convinced by Alistair Cooke, BBC "Letter From America", saying there must be some highly secret and terrible piece of information the powers that be, knew to justify events. Colin Powell looked unbelievable at the UN. I  wrote an email to a colleague saying if it was true about WMD they would not be invading Iraq. Then there was the 'dodgy dossier' apparently Blair (Bliar) and co, did not know the humble folk had access to Google.

Nice to see the fading of the conspiracy theory thread, something I don't enjoy even though my father was born on a remote ranch near Roswell, New Mexico (UFO Central). I occasionally fling out an objection to social trends, such as the hotly, but eruditely, worded email send to my undergrad college's alumni office the other day in response to their asking whether I am an "alumnus, alumna, alumnx." Yet people my age (75, and I know some of you are in that range) have seen many annoying trends settle down, and we know new ones will arise continually. Someday nobody will be getting tattoos. Someday nobody will feel compelled to perform stereotypes from the past, though surely they will invent new ones, writing science fiction with their minds/bodies.

Quote from: David Pilling on March 25, 2023, 05:04:23 AMI recall being convinced by Alistair Cooke, BBC "Letter From America", saying there must be some highly secret and terrible piece of information the powers that be, knew to justify events.

How about " Seven Countries in Five Years?"  General Wesley Clark was once the Supreme Allied Commander of NATO and he was in that position during NATO's war with Serbia.  He retired from the military in the year 2000.  He relates that a mere two weeks after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorists attacks, during a visit to the Pentagon, a "senior general" told him, "We're going to attack Iraq. The decision has basically been made."  Six weeks later, Clark returned to Washington to see the same general and inquired whether the plan to strike Iraq was still under consideration. The general's response was stunning:"'Oh, it's worse than that,' he said, holding up a memo on his desk. 'Here's the paper from the Office of the Secretary of Defense [then Donald Rumsfeld] outlining the strategy. We're going to take out seven countries in five years.' And he named them, starting with Iraq and Syria and ending with Iran." While Clark doesn't name the other four countries at the time, he has mentioned in televised interviews that the hit list included Lebanon, Libya, Somalia and Sudan. (Nothing here about WMD.)

Here's a short YouTube video (about two minutes) of General Clark relating his experience at the Pentagon about the Iraq war and the other planned wars.  It's worth viewing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNt7s_Wed_4

And here's a more extensive article from Salon Magazine with more details.  It looks like the powers that be have succeeded so far with Iraq, Libya, and Syria (partially). There are ongoing conflicts in Somalia, Sudan, Yemen (not named), and now the big bonanza with Russia in Ukraine (also not named).  They also had to do an about face with Egypt when the Muslim Brotherhood did not work out as planned.

https://www.salon.com/2007/10/12/wesley_clark/

As Kurt Vonnegut wrote in Slaughterhouse Five, probably now a banned book: "So it goes...."

Or, as Roger Daltrey said: "Don't get fooled again!"

@janemcgary : no need to believe in theories, we all know the "Quark's Treasure" crashlanded near Roswell in 1947. I can't see no fading of other conspiracies here. as for the military thing: I think one has to differentiate between what the military wants and what is done in the end - at least the democracies have to try to get away with it in their own public's opinion - that Iraq-thing backfired gloriously and will make them think twice if their fake evidence is as water-prove as they think - then again, since George Michael died they are safe from having to endure that kind of criticism

The peregrine falcon hen at Salisbury Cathedral is now sitting on 4 eggs.  The eggs should begin to hatch toward the end of the third week or the beginning of the fourth week in April.  Last year, 4 peregrine chicks hatched and fledged from this nest. A newly hatched peregrine chick is about the size of a golf ball and is covered in pure white down. They are very cute.

Here's the webcam link.

Live Peregrine Nestbox Webcam | Salisbury Cathedral, UK

Here's the link to the Facebook Group for the Salisbury Cathedral peregrines.

Salisbury Cathedral: Peregrine Falcon Group | Facebook

Enjoy!

A pity the cameras at Salisbury don't have sound, one could listen to the clock chime.

Quote from: David Pilling on March 30, 2023, 01:44:46 PMA pity the cameras at Salisbury don't have sound, one could listen to the clock chime.

I sent an email today to the contact person for the peregrines at Salisbury Cathedral.  I asked if he would enable the sound on the cameras so people would be able to hear the chimes.  I'll let you know if I receive a reply.

The eggs should begin hatching very soon.  The babies will be about the size of a golf ball and covered with pure white down.  They are very cute.

Live Peregrine Nestbox Webcam | Salisbury Cathedral, UK

Quote from: Bern on April 13, 2023, 10:39:26 AMI asked if he would enable the sound on the cameras

That will be interesting.

"Salisbury is one of only three English cathedrals to lack a ring of bells, the others being Norwich Cathedral and Ely Cathedral. However, its clock does strike the time with bells every 15 minutes."

Seemingly it has a claim to house the world's oldest clock, but it is not the one that rings the bells.

Quote from: David Pilling on April 13, 2023, 04:47:40 PMThat will be interesting.

I received a prompt reply.  They are "working on it, but can't at the present moment."  Interesting for sure.

I hope they will enable sound.  I believe that there was sound on some of the cameras last year.

It would be nice to hear the chimes and see the falcons at the same time.

The sound on the peregrine webcams at Salisbury Cathedral has been enabled. You can now hear the chimes every 15 minutes.

Live Peregrine Nestbox Webcam | Salisbury Cathedral, UK

I have not yet seen any of the chicks yet.  They should be hatching shortly if they haven't yet hatched already.  It's a rainy and dreary day today in Salisbury.  The mother peregrine is sitting tightly on her eggs while getting rained on.  She's a very good Mom!

There is a surprising amount of traffic noise as well as police sirens as I listen to it right now. 

I just watched the shift change by the peregrine falcon parents incubating the eggs. There are no chicks yet to be seen, but there are still 4 eggs being incubated.

Here's a link about the chimes at Salisbury Cathedral.  They ring on the quarter and half hours.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Quarter_and_half-hour_bells,_Salisbury_Cathedral.JPG

Enjoy!

Hi Bern - the sound makes it more atmospheric - quite a surprise when the clock chimes.

Salisbury Cathedral welcomes season's first peregrine falcon to hatch.

https://www.salisburyjournal.co.uk/news/23479837.salisbury-cathedral-welcomes-seasons-first-peregrine-falcon-hatch/

As of today there are 3 peregrine falcon chicks that have hatched. The weather in Salisbury has been very rainy and the mother peregrine is hunkered down over her brood. She appeared soaking wet this afternoon. She's a good Mom!  Perhaps the weather will be better tomorrow.  The bell chimes are very nice on the hour.

https://www.salisburycathedral.org.uk/discover/peregrine-falcons/peregrine-live-webcam/