A selection of writings, speeches, photographs and events as well as some of my favourite literary passages.
Friday 29 January 2010
Wednesday 27 January 2010
The Van Gogh Exhibition
Lucky enough to get early to the Van Gogh Exhibition at the Royal Academy. A very fine collection, accompanied by detailed interpretations of his work drawn from his letters - made the more fascinating by the brief trajectory of his life. Click the heading to see more paintings and drawings from the exhibition, taken necessarily surreptitiously.
Saturday 23 January 2010
Monday 11 January 2010
Britain in Winter
Wintery weather covers Britain. Click the photo for a more dramatic view. In the Deep Midwinter seems the most appropriate carol.
We seem to have forgotten that it was it was almost as snowy last year. Click here for a reminder and the Flanders and Swan song of the weather
Two Controversial Books
I have been reading two controversial books recently - Professor Ian Plimer's Heaven and Earth, which questions the science behind climate change, specifically charging that man-made CO2 emissions are not responsible for the present increase in CO2 in the atmosphere - it mainly comes from 'natural' causes - and that there have been periods of global warming in the past that clearly have nothing to do with CO2 derived from man's use of fossil fuels. That view seems now to be relegated the wild fringe but The Invention of the Jewish People by Shlomo Sand, another professor, this time of Jewish history at Tel Aviv University, argues that much of ancient Jewish history is a myth, including the exile, fostered in the name of nationalism, and in fact there is no such thing as the Jewish race, only a Jewish religion and tradition.
The world's scientists seem all to think that global warming is largely man0-made, and at the very least we must accept that we have to move past our rapacious use of the earth's non-renewable energy resources whatever climate change may be going on. So far as ancient Jewish history is concerned, to the extent that those myths are responsible for the present intransigence of Israel in the matter of sharing land with the Palestinians (who, on Sand's reading, are of the same blood and much the same ancient history as those that call themselves Jews), his work should be regarded as of seminal importance. However, I can't quite accept his premise that there is no binding Jewish blood. One has only to look at the arts - particularly music, to see the extent to which those with Jewish blood seem to have acquired a special mastery and sensitivity.
The world's scientists seem all to think that global warming is largely man0-made, and at the very least we must accept that we have to move past our rapacious use of the earth's non-renewable energy resources whatever climate change may be going on. So far as ancient Jewish history is concerned, to the extent that those myths are responsible for the present intransigence of Israel in the matter of sharing land with the Palestinians (who, on Sand's reading, are of the same blood and much the same ancient history as those that call themselves Jews), his work should be regarded as of seminal importance. However, I can't quite accept his premise that there is no binding Jewish blood. One has only to look at the arts - particularly music, to see the extent to which those with Jewish blood seem to have acquired a special mastery and sensitivity.
Friday 8 January 2010
The Drapers' City Service
The Drapers' traditional New Year's Service was held at St Michael's Cornhill on 8th January 2010, with lunch at the Hall afterwards. The service was enlivened by a splendid address by Professor The Reverend Edward Norman and the singing of Lux Aeterna by Sir Edward Elgar. Click the heading for a video of the choir practicising the anthem, being conducted by Jonathan Rennert.
Monday 4 January 2010
Elmore Abbey
I have to thank my friend Fr Frowin Reed, a Benedicine friar from Conception Abbey, Missouri, for the discovery that there are many abbeys still buried in the English countryside. Elmore is one of the smallest with only four monks, but it stands in a beautiful part of Berkshire and has a fine church next door. As one of my friends said, it's one of those marvellous places where 'the veil is very thin'.
Click the heading for more photos of the Abbey and our travels
Thursday 31 December 2009
Happy New Year
Wish I could have been in Sydney to see the fireworks at New Year. They looked to be more spectacular than ever, but London and particularly Edinburgh were terrific as well.
Tuesday 29 December 2009
Monday 28 December 2009
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