tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30104747750788863242024-03-17T20:03:40.188-07:00 Building for the Future BlogTwitter:@bftfblog <br>
FB:BuildingForTheFutureBlogUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger113125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3010474775078886324.post-26667224534182984052020-04-05T15:22:00.004-07:002020-04-05T15:22:30.598-07:00Notes from "The Knowledge" by Lewis Dartnell<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Some notes from "The Knowledge - How to rebuild our world after an apocalypse" by Lewis Dartnell.<br/><br/>
This book guides the reader through some of the key technologies that a society may want to rebuild after some catacysmic event (such as a new, highly contagious, high mortality, long incubation, avain flu) has quickly killed a large proportion of the worlds population but left the planets infrastructure largely intact, if inoperative. <br/><br/>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Knowledge by Lewis Dartnell</td></tr>
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Dartnell uses the book to conduct a thought experiment considering how a small surviving society could "reboot" itself to quickly recover key skills and technologies to improve food yields, reduce manual labour and increase health. THe book covers many areas ranging from medicine to electricity, communications, transport, mechanisation, explosives and power generation. <br/><br/>
But easily the most fascinating aspect of the book is the way it describes how, from first principles, a society can source the basic chemicals and processes to keep themselves healthy, fed and housed. The chemistries that seemed particularly interesting are briefly described below, with some added linkage: <br/><br/>
DISCLAIMER : For the love of God, do not use this post as an instruction manual. Many steps or details are omitted, many processes and chemicals are dangerous.<br/><br/>
Water Filtration : Bucket with small holes in the bottom and a layer of charcoal, covered with alternating layers fine sand and gravel<br/><br/>
Water Purification : Few drops of 5% bleach solution (sodium hypochlorite) will disinfect a litre of water in an hour. Or use a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_water_disinfection">SODIS</a> approach by placing 2litre pop bottles full of water in sunlight for 6hrs (if bright) to a couple of days (if overcast).<br/><br/>
Human Manure as a fertilizier for farming : If compost is kept in an airtight environment, anaerobid bacteria thrive and produce methane gas, which can be collected in a basic "gas tower". This technique was employed a lot in occupied Europe during WW2, when fuel supplies were disrupted.<br/><br/>
Productivity : In 1850, the UK had the most productive agriculture in the world, with just one person in five working the fields, by 1880 is was 1 in 7; by 1910 it was 1 in 11 and today industrialised nations typically have just 1 in 50 involved directly in agriculture, leaving the other 49 free to perform other tasks in science, medicine, engineering and other aspects of society.<br/><br/>
Yeast : Make a mix of 1:2 by volume mix of flour and water, cover and place in a warm location. Once it starts to froth throw half away and add more flour/water mix, repeating twice a day for a week. By the end you should have a culture of lactobacillus bacteria (who break down the flour) and yeast who live on the breakdown by products, releasing CO2 gas and lactic acid (which inhibits growth of competing organisms). <br/><br/>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sourdough starter (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sourdough#/media/File:Sourdough.jpg">source</a>)</td></tr>
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Ethanol : If a suitable yeast culture is in an air resticted environment, the yeast can only partially decompose the sugars, instead releasing ethanol, which can be purified by distillation (yeast by itself cat break down starch so instead of flour, whole grains need to be allowed to germinate and convert the starch to sugars.).<br/><br/>
Acetic Acid (Vinegar) : Expose ethanol to the air and bacteria will convert the ethanol to acetic acid.<br/><br/>
Canning : fill glass jars with food, seal and heat for a few hrs to kill bacteria.<br/><br/>
Cooling : <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pot-in-pot_refrigerator">Zeer pots</a> are used in Africa.<br/><br/>
Refrigeration : It is purely a historical accident that household fridges need electricity to drive a compressor. It is perectly possible to use the approach taken in an "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absorption_refrigerator">absorption refrigerator</a>", in which the refrigerating is dissolved into, and then evaporated from, a second fluid insted. Such refrigerators can work wiithout electricity if they can use the heat of the sun for the evaporation phase.<br/><br/>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_returned_on_energy_invested">EROEI</a> : The "Energy Return On Energy Investment", a measure of how much energy has to be used to get to a fuel source such as oil or coal. Early Texas oilfields had a EROEI of ~100 meaning that 100units of energy were extracted for every 1 unit used in drilling. Today, the EROEI is around 10, showing how all the easily accessbible sources have long gone. <br/><br/>
Charcoal : Almost completely seal an amount of wood then set it on fire so that it smoulders over a period of day, under careful monitoring (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charcoal_pile">link</a>) . This carbonises the wood and drives off moisture and and volatile compounds. Charcoal burns hotter and cleaner than coal. <br/><br/>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> 19th Century Charcoal Oven (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charcoal#/media/File:Meule_charbon_bois.jpg">Source</a>)</td></tr>
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Acetic Acid(Vinegar) , Acetone, Methanol : All of these can be distilled from the watery condensate of charcoal burning process.<br/><br/>
Creosote, Pitch, Turpentine : All of these can be distilled from the tarry condensate of the charcoal buning process. <br/><br/>
Coke: Carbonised coal, using a similar process to Charcoal, above.<br/><br/>
Candles : Boil animal fat in satly water and skim of the fatty floating layer into a container and then repeatedly dip the candle wick into it. <br/><br/>
Quicklime (Burnt Lime, Calcium Oxide) : Burn limestone (Calcium Carbonate) in a kiln at 900C.<br/><br/>
Slaked Lime (Hydrated Lime, Calcium Hydroxide) : Mix quicklime with some water, producing an exothermic reaction and giving a Calcium hydroxide precipitate putty. <br/><br/>
Potash (Potassium Carbonate) : Tthe dry white ashes of a wood fire and place in water. Disgard the material that floats or sediment and take the water (with its dissolved material from the ashes) and dry off. The resulting white powder material is Potash. You will get about 1g of potash for every 1kg of wood burnt.<br/><br/>
Soda Ash (Sodium Carbonate) : As for Potash, but using seaweed for the fire. <br/><br/>
Caustic Soda (Lye) : React Slaked Lime with Potash or Soda Ash to give Caustic Potash (Potassium Hydroide) or Caustic Soda (Sodium Hydroxide).<br/><br/>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Caustic Soda granules (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lye#/media/File:SodiumHydroxide.jpg">source</a>)</td></tr>
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Soap : Need to break the glycerol- fatty acid bonds in fat (saponification) with an alkali so that the fatty aids are free - these are the molecules that have the key ability to lock onto dirt and fat and yet stay dissolved in water. This can be done by putting some Potash or Soda Ash, or (preferably) Caustic Soda into a vat of boiling fat. <br/><br/>
Glycerol : If the soap is dissolved in water and salt added, the fatty acids with precipitate out, leaving the glycerol in solution.<br/><br/>
Chlorine gas : Electrolysis of brine.<br/><br/>
Sulphur Dioxide gas : Can be baked out of common pyrite (sulphide containing) rocks. <br/><br/>
Sulphuric Acid : React Chlorine and Sulphur Dioxide gases with activated (very porous) charcoal to produce sulphuryl chloride, which breaks down in water to form Sulphuric Acid and Hydrogen Chloride gas.<br/><br/>
Hydrochloric Acid : Collect the Hydrogen Chloride gas from the manufacture of Sulphuric Acid and dissolve in water. Or react Sulphuric Acid with Sodium Chloride (table salt).<br/><br/>
Nitric Acid : Reaction of Suphuric Acid with saltpetre(Potassium Nitrate), which can be mined or made from first principles.<br/><br/>
Bricks : Form and heat clay (mined from clay beds) to 900C so that the aluminosilicate particles fuse and a waterproof material.<br/><br/>
Lime Mortar : Slaked Lime (see above) mixed with sand and water.<br/><br/>
Concrete : Lime Mortar mixed with stones or other aggregates.<br/><br/>
Glass : Sodalime glass (which is what is often made today) is made of sand, soda ash (to reduce the melting temperature) and quicklime (which makes the glass insoluble in water), all heated to a high temperature in a kiln.<br/><br/>
Ammonia : Can be produced by fermenting urine.<br/><br/>
Nitrous Oxide : This pain reliever can be made by reacting ammonia and nitric acid to produce Ammonium Nitrate, which can then be heated to produce Nitrous Oxide.<br/><br/>
Ether (Diethyl ether) : This anaesthetic can be produced by reacting ethanol with sulphuric acid and then distilling off the ether. <br/><br/>
Dartnell also comments briefly on the other conditions required for industrialisation, suggesting the it was the combination of high wages, low interest rates and abundant energy that resulted in the wholesale industrialisation of the UK by encouraging labout to be substituted by machinery. In contrast, although China invented many of the technologies centuries earlier, there was not the same incentive to move away from labour intensive methods.<br/><br/>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3010474775078886324.post-22313004519511598002020-01-18T06:05:00.000-08:002020-01-18T06:05:23.331-08:00Notes from "Trolley Wars" by Judi Bevan<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A random visit to one of Nottingham's beloved libraries recently resulted in a read of "Trolley Wars : The Battle of the Supermarkets" by Judi Bevan. This post has a few notes from reading the book.<br/><br/>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trolley Wars by Judi Bevan</td></tr>
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Perhaps the most interesting part of the book is the intial section looking at the history of Supermarkets
Although stores were all served-at-the-counter style, there was some serious competition even in the Vicotrian age. The Co-op opened its first store in 1844, Home and Colonial opened in 1885 (and had a hundred outlets across the UK by 1915). The International Tea Company had a 200 stores while Thomas Lipton had around 100 branches. All of these chains focussed on suppling working class people with a limited range of products at low prices. <br/><br/>
Sainsburys opened their flagship Croydon store in 1882 and fitted it out to a very high quality, with tiling, marble tops and mosaic floors. All in the name of hygeine but with the benefit of giving a cool and pleasant environment in the store. The chain would grow to have 255 stores by 1939<br/><br/>
At the end of the nineteenth century, improvements in transport and the introduction of refrigeration made meat and other products from overseas much cheaper, an effect magnified by the fact that the British free trade policy at the time meant that there was little or no tariff on imported products.<br/><br/>
The first self-service store was opened in 1916 in Memphis USA by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarence_Saunders_(grocer)">Clarence Saunders</a> and called "Piggly Wiggly" which was so successful that Saunders was able to franchise the model to hundreds of grocery retailers. <br/><br/>
In the UK, the catalyst was a post WW2 trade visit by British firms to the US, which was attended by both Alan Sainsbury and Jack Cohen(Tesco's founder).<br/><br/>
A key enabler of supermarket growth in the UK was the removal, in 1964, of "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resale_price_maintenance">resale price maintenance</a>", a policy that allowed the manufacturer to define the selling price of, say, a packet of Tetley tea bags, and for that selling price to be manadatory in all stores, whether corner shops or supermarkets. Jack Cohen lobbied Edward Heath for removal of RPM and was supported by the right wing free market Institute of Economic Affairs, whose pamphlet "Resale Price Maintenance and Shoppers Choice" was Institur to deforced all stores to sell a particular product (e. at the same price. With this removed, larger chains were able to use their buying power and scale to negotiate better prices with suppliers, and combine this with efficiecy savings to give the consumer a lower price. <br/><br/>
Another factor was the rise of "own label" products in Supermarkets, which were given a reputation for quality by their promotion at chains such as Marks and Spencer.<br/><br/>
In the 1980s, planning regualtions in the UK were eased under the Conservatives, which resulted in many out-of-town developments being built.<br/><br/>
Together with the efficiencies brought about by the technologial changes such as bar coding, this allowed the big players such as Sainsburys, Asda, Tesco and Sainsburys to pull away from the others.<br/><br/>
Then, in 1994, the Conservatives unexpectedly clamped down on out-of-town developements, putting a stop of the plans of the biggest players and leaving Tesco, who had purchased land extensively in the previous years, in a commanding lead that allowed them to leverage even better prices from suppliers.<br/><br/>
Judi comments that, in response to newspaper campaigns in the 90s and 00s about "rip off supermarkets", the arrival of Aldi and other European chains to the market did more than any Government inquiry or legislation to focus the attention of the big players on their prices. Government inspectors found that prices had fallen, in real terms, by 9% between 1989 and 1998 and that, although still 12-16% higher than in France or Germany, this difference was mainly due to the strength of the pound in the late 90s.<br/><br/>
Another factor, according to Judi, was simply supply and demand - in 2002 whole lambs were fetching "as little as £12 a head" but by spring 2014 they had "jumped to £40 a head after the least efficient shepherds pulled out of the market".<br/><br/>
The rest of the book focusses on the personalities and battles between the large supermarkets, which is basically just a big (but interesting) soap opera.<br/><br/>
</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3010474775078886324.post-7165250393147116932019-11-16T19:30:00.000-08:002019-11-16T20:08:23.707-08:00Notes from "Led by Donkeys" by Led by Donkeys<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/may/25/led-by-donkeys-reveal-identities-brexit-billboards-posters">Led by Donkeys</a>, four activists who used billboard posters to highlight political hypocrisy, have published a book describing how they formed and their early campaigns. It's a great little book (<a href="https://www.hive.co.uk/Product/LedByDonkeys/Led-by-Donkeys--How-four-friends-with-a-ladder-took-on-Brexit/23979826">buy it at Hive</a>), recommended without reservation. This post mentions just a few of the points made which particularly caught BFTF's attention. <br/><br/>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Led By Donkeys : How four friends with a ladder took on Brexit</td></tr>
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Led by Donkeys formed late in 2018 when they decided to use billboards to highlight the "most offensive lies, lunacy and hypocrisy of our Brexit overlords", quickly finding examples such as these : <br/><br/>
"The day after we vote to leave we hold all the cards and can choose the path we want" - Michael Gove<br/><br/>
"The Free Trade Agreement that we will do with the European Union should be one of the easiest in human history" -Liam Fox<br/><br/>
"There will be no downside to Brexit, only a considerable upside" - David Davis<br/><br/>
"Getting out of the EU can be quick and easy - the UK holds most of the cards in any negotiation" - John Redwood<br/><br/>
Initially, Led by Donkeys ran a guerilla campaign, "borrowing" billboards and pasting the posters, nervously, and somewhat illegally, by night. As they had never done this before, they had a steep learning curve (protip, it turns out, is to make sure your paste isn't too runny). Incidentally, an actual physical poster (which comes in 12 sections) is quite cheap, around £40. It is the time on the hoarding that is expensive, unless you are stealing that, of course. <br/><br/>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the first posters. Credit : LBD / Twitter</td></tr>
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By February 2019, and with only a handful of posters having being put up, media attention was already resulting in politicians being asked to account for their quotes.<br/><br/>
Also, people were asking, via social media, for Led by Donkeys to put posters up in their part of the UK, and suggesting that the group should crowdfund to finance the effort. Realising that their guerilla posters were being taken down quickly, and that their family and work commitments mean they could not give the project as much time as there was demand for posters, the group decide to take the crowdfunding route. They aim for £10k and after 48hrs find that they have received over £56k! <br/><br/>
Led by Donkeys start calling up companies who own billboards. First up is market leader JCDecaux, who have previously had no problem plastering UKIP posters around the UK. Their response : "Absolutely no way. Sorry, this is all to political for us". <br/><br/>
Fortunately, two smaller outfits, <a href="https://airoutdoor.co.uk/">Airoutdoor</a> and Build, are interested in putting up Led by Donkeys posters. Well, all apart from one poster. It's non negotiable from the Led by Donkeys point of view, so the team post it up themselves as one final guerilla posting before going legitimate. <br/><br/>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF0QcamOHwNeDMd73VUVGtlsc_K0KM9N9aFYoQZnogbGiyyBO_bvYjqOq8LkrnZzSPWGuMVN8mrrMhMPWkqE_Dp2WZxveGLc1vSl4TE7-4K2vpRdnKD7E8Fd8KxEKWEp6rdiW8V0jP_jPn/s1600/f+b+boris.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="682" data-original-width="956" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF0QcamOHwNeDMd73VUVGtlsc_K0KM9N9aFYoQZnogbGiyyBO_bvYjqOq8LkrnZzSPWGuMVN8mrrMhMPWkqE_Dp2WZxveGLc1vSl4TE7-4K2vpRdnKD7E8Fd8KxEKWEp6rdiW8V0jP_jPn/s320/f+b+boris.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Last poster before going legit. Credit : LBD / Twitter</td></tr>
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<br />
But Led by Donkeys still need one of the big players to get the posters truly national. And after a "short but intense bollocking", Clear Channel (one of whose boards LBD has pasted over in the early days) agreed to take LBD's business.<br/><br/>
Clear channel owned a number of double sized boards, which allowed two tweets to be displayed side by side, emphasising the hypocrisy : <br/><br/>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj20mqxSGzIVc9V_JtwrPrDElXC-O2ZydZFwF7oyKzscsxP41MBhfWPYUXHk1F6WcHQnCm9CWYAN_MY5tfnfYNuaUnJXVOz2SkN_x2Azwj_dU2p7T2psoeAXF-2uLSEiVMoVGouKYgBVCRX/s1600/hannan2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1190" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj20mqxSGzIVc9V_JtwrPrDElXC-O2ZydZFwF7oyKzscsxP41MBhfWPYUXHk1F6WcHQnCm9CWYAN_MY5tfnfYNuaUnJXVOz2SkN_x2Azwj_dU2p7T2psoeAXF-2uLSEiVMoVGouKYgBVCRX/s320/hannan2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Side by side Tweets highlight hypocrisy. Credit : LDB/ Twitter</td></tr>
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<br />
By now, the group are on a roll and posters are appearing across the UK, many of which are pictured in the book, which also talks about how the group reacted to (justified) criticism of some of the posters; how the group trolled Nigel Farange on his march; and the last minute efforts to get a huge banner unfurled at the March 2019 People's Vote march. <br/><br/>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpR2OrMVZfPMsIIAiDSAvYr_epsyIOjyqi4BV5WibBy98XqsVWwmcYjd9tx-lIAwhb2q9vzGod39izQ-Jqf4bgVMGHHRB7hvJUfKMCw9E9PGRp92703Yha1tfrjY2YNBttqj8Wtu-4Gln0/s1600/banner.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="408" data-original-width="614" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpR2OrMVZfPMsIIAiDSAvYr_epsyIOjyqi4BV5WibBy98XqsVWwmcYjd9tx-lIAwhb2q9vzGod39izQ-Jqf4bgVMGHHRB7hvJUfKMCw9E9PGRp92703Yha1tfrjY2YNBttqj8Wtu-4Gln0/s320/banner.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Banner at the March 2019 People Vote March. Credit : Jiri Rezac/ Led By Donkeys</td></tr>
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<br />
It is also fascinating to see what is, or is not, acceptable to the ad companies and to local councils. In one project, LBD, ask local activists to spray paint their comments onto blank template of a Jeremy Corbyn tweet. The activists duly oblige - but the next day the local council (Islington) give orders for the poster to be covered up, saying its graffiti. So LBD use a press picture of the spray painted board, mock it up on a computer with an ornate frame and order that as a poster. Now, apparently, it is allowed to stay up!<br/><br/>
As mentioned earlier, this is a book that is recommended without reservation!<br/><br/>
</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3010474775078886324.post-77026240290726653362019-10-27T15:48:00.001-07:002019-10-27T15:48:18.664-07:00Talk : Baroness Helena Kennedy on Populism and the Assault on Law<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Timely and important <a href="https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/hrlc/eventsholding/events-2019/2019-annual-lecture-populism-and-the-assault-on-law.aspx">talk</a> recently by Baroness Helena Kennedy QC at the University of Nottingham on the subject of "Populism and the Assault on Law".<br/><br/>
This post covers some of the points raised by Baroness Kennedy, together with a little added linkage and comment. <br/><br/>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helena_Kennedy,_Baroness_Kennedy_of_The_Shaws#/media/File:Official_portrait_of_Baroness_Kennedy_of_The_Shaws_crop_2.jpg" target="_blank">Baroness Kennedy </a></td></tr>
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<br />
<u><b>Background</u></b><br/>
Looking back a couple of decades, Baroness Kennedy commented on the transformative effect of mobile phones and of how the EU single market increased freedom of movement, resulting in more dynamic markets, but lower wages in the destination counties. But open borders for business and labour also resulted in making it easier to move drugs, traffic people and perform acts of terrorism. These crimminal activities often took full advantage of the benefits of internet and mobile communication.<br/><br/>
The Baroness mentioned the book "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_Money_(book)">Dark Money</a>" which describes how a network of very rich Americans have set up a network of institutions to influence government for their own benefit, to reduce regulation and taxes.<br/><br/>
People in poor countries became more aware of how the "other half" lived and this, together with the effects of war, deprivation and climate change in their home countries, resulted in more movement of people. This, in turn, fed nationalism in the destination countries. <br/><br/>
In the view of Baroness Kennedy, First-past-the-post has had its day, and it is time for some form of proportional representation. Labour voters in strong Conservative areas feel (rightly) that they are disenranchised, and vice versa.<br/><br/>
Baroness Kennedy was chair (from 1992-97) of the electoral and constutional reform organisation <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charter_88">Charter 88</a>, who took their name from Charter 77 – the Czechoslovak dissident movement co-founded by Václav Havel. <br/><br/>
Baroness Kennedy described how, in 2006, she worked with the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, and others, to investigate why there has been a decline in participation in formal politics and to make proposals to reverse this trend. The project involved many meetings, interviews and consultations with members of the public across the country and resulted in the "<a href="https://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/SN03948">Power Report</a>", which made 30 recommendations, including the following: <br/><br/>
3. Limits should be placed on the power of the whips. <br/><br/>
12. A responsive electoral system – which offers voters a greater choice and diversity of parties and candidates – should be introduced for elections to the House of Commons, House of Lords and local councils in England and Wales to replace the first-past-the-post system. <br/><br/>
13. The closed party list system should have no place in modern elections. <br/><br/>
25. The rules on the plurality of media ownership should be re-formed. This is always a controversial issue but there should be special consideration given to this issue in light of the developments in digital broadcast and the internet.<br/><br/>
Baroness Kennedy pointed out that many people were now recognising that the neoliberal economic model (deregulate, lower taxes, remove welfare provision) has played a big part in our problems. In some places oligarchs have hugely enriched themselves at the price of the poor. CEO pay has skyrocketed, whilst that of ordinary people (and indeed of many entrepeneurs) has stagnated.<br/><br/>
Large companies like Amazon are not paying their way, and are instead living on the back of the infrastructure (roads, police, education, health) that the taxes of ordinary people pay for. <br/><br/>
The global financial crisis in 2007 should have led to a remodelled economy but instead led, in the UK to a policy of public service cuts and austerity. Meanwhile, easy movement of capital has meant that Governments are scared of raising taxes in case of capital flight.<br/><br/>
All this needs to be told to understand why populism is growing.<br/><br/>
<U><b>Populism</u></b><br/>
Populism challenges law because it suggests simple solutions to complex problems - tiny soundbites such as "Build The Wall", "Sink The Boats" etc. See, for example Priti Patel's approach of talking only about <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/oct/02/tories-tough-talk-crime-shameless-cynical-justice">harsh sentencing</a> whilst ignoring the many causes of criminal behaviour, including drug abuse, poverty and poor education.<br/><br/>
Populist governments often flout the law or try to capture courts. We should be concerned about this.<br/><br/>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judicial_review">Judicial review</a> is the process whereby Governmental actions that are an abuse of power, disproportionate or otherwise illegal can be challenged in the courts. It is a vital protection against the government abusing its power and an independent judiciary is a key part of protecting judicial review from being captured by government. <br/><br/>
This is why, in Baroness Kennedy's view, it was so dangerous for the Daily Mail to describe the judges who ruled that invoking Article 50 required a Parliamentary vote as "Enemies of the People". It was concerning also that the Lord Chancellor (Liz Truss at the time), who should have defended the judiciary, <a href="https://www.legalcheek.com/2018/11/ex-daily-mail-editor-defends-newspapers-decision-to-describe-judges-as-enemies-of-the-people/">did not</a> adequately do so. <br/><br/>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Enemies of the People" - Daily Mail Nov 4th 2016</td></tr>
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<br />
The attack by the Daily Mail (and others) is even more outrageous when one considers how widely respected the British process of judicial review is around the world. Baroness Kennedy described how, at a conference in the Far East, the entire audience applauded when the Baroness described how, in the UK, the Prime Minister could be held to account by the courts.<br/><br/>
Baroness Kennedy commmented that the law needs to be value based and procedural (i.e. with checks and balances such as appeals) and added that one reason why some countries such as China has a poor human rights record was that they viewed rights as belonging to only some people, ignoring the human, social international courts and other rights that were important to justice.<br/><br/>
Failing to have this broad, value based, system of law can result in inhumane system where judges are tasked with applying cruel laws, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judges%27_Trial">as was seen</a> in the Nazi regime. <br/><br/>
Some examples of judges who were working to ensure an independent judiciary and a fair justice system were mentioned : <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/features/the-rule-of-law-by-tom-bingham-5519968.html">Tom Bingham</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susanne_Baer">Susanne Baer</a>.<br/><br/>
The talk went on to describe how Populism was growin in Brazil, Poland and Hungary (where, under Victor Orban, there have been attacks on laywers who represent immigrants, and even on journalists who report on this. <br/><br/>
And populism in the west emboldens populism elsewhere, such as Modi in India and Erdogan in Turkey.<br/><br/>
The Rule of Law is important if we want a world of justice and fairness.<br/><br/>
<U><b>Brexit</u></b><br/>
In the view of Baroness Kennedy, Brexit is a neoliberal deregulation project whereas the EU has raised standards in consumer protection, environment legislation and family law - with much of the regulation being driven by UK lawyers and standards.<br/><br/>
And it clear that Russia was involved in attempts to influence the referendum vote, with both Trump and Yeltsin hating the EU, albeit for different reasons. <br/><br/>
After the referendum, instead of cross vote concensus building, we had redlines and factions capturing political parties.<br/><br/>
In Baroness Kennedy's view, Parliament is trying to do its best, with MP's trying to reconcile the views of leave voting constituents while recognising the damage that a "no-deal" outcome would cause.<br/><br/>
<U><b>The Justice System</u></b><br/>
Baroness Kennedy commmented on the catastrophic effect that severe cuts and poorly considered policy decisions had had on the justice system, with many of the worst decisions being taken by Chris Grayling (the ferry contract guy) during his short tenure as Justice Secretary (see <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jul/26/from-court-fees-to-a-books-ban-chris-grayling-short-lived-justice-policies">here</a>). Most notable among several poor decisions was the move to quickly, and disatrously, privatise the probation service (see here). <br/><br/>
Cuts in Legal Aid have made it much harder for people to get justice in the courts, and public perception that legal aid is often used by criminals to dodge the system means that it is difficult to reverse these cuts and implement the "National Legal Service" that was contemplated as being a partner to the NHS in 1945.<br/><br/>
</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3010474775078886324.post-30782952348495660242019-07-24T17:32:00.000-07:002019-07-24T17:40:04.599-07:00"The Cartoon Introduction to Economics" Vol1 Microeconomics<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><a href="#9"> </a><a name="9"></a>Recently read a very intersting "cartoon" style book on Microeconomics, written by <a href="https://us.macmillan.com/author/gradyklein">Grady Klein</a> (a cartoonist) and <a href="http://standupeconomist.com/about/">Yoram Bauman PhD </a>(an environmental economist). Here are some of the bits that particularly caught my attention.<br/><br/>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"The Cartoon Introduction to Economics" Vol1 Microeconomics by Grady Klein and Yoram Bauman</td></tr>
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<br />
<u><b>The Big Question</u></b><br/>
A recurring theme in the book is that the "Big Question" in economics is "Under what circumstances does INDIVIDUAL optimisation lead to outcomes that are GOOD FOR THE GROUP AS A WHOLE?"<br/><br/>
<u><b>Asymmetric Information and Adverse Selection</u></b><br/>
Much Economic theory works on the basis that buyers have sufficient information to allow them to make the best choice betweeen different sellers. Situations where that is not the case are known as having "asymmetric information" with a good example being private used car sales. <br/><br/>
In this case the sellers know whether the cars they are offering are lemons or genuinely good cars - but the buyers are often in the dark. This leads buyers to reduce how much they will pay for a car, which in turn leads to sellers with the best cars leaving the market as they cannot get the price their car is worth. So now the market has an even higher proportion of lemons, making it MORE likely that that is what the buyer will end up with. <br/><br/>
This effect is known as "Adverse Selection" and won <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Akerlof">George Akerlof</a> (and others) the Nobel Prize in 2001, for work looking at Adverse selection in the Individual Healthcare market. In this case, adverse selection occurs because Healthcare companies cannot tell the difference between insurance buyers who will get very ill and those who will stay healthy, so the Healthcare companies levy charges based on the average patient costs. This results in healthy people not buying insurance, and drives up the charges for other, relatively unhealthy, people. <br/><br/>
<u><b>Pareto Improvement</u></b><br/>
A Pareto Improvement is one that makes at least one person better off, and no-one worse off.<br/><br/>
The book gives the example of a parent who has two children and gives them a quarter of a cake each, it is a "pareto improvement" because both children are better off and neither is worse off.<br/><br/>
But it is not "pareto efficient" because there is a further improvement (giving each child another quarter of cake each) which makes the children better off, without making either worse off.<br/><br/>
Unfortunately, another pareto efficient example would have been if the parent had given ALL the cake to only one child - as one child is better off, and the other is no worse off than having no cake. So, it can be seen that pareto efficiency does not address fairness!<br/><br/>
<u><b>Dominant Strategy and the Prisoners Dilemma</u></b><br/>
A "dominant strategy" is one that is the best option irrespective of what other people chose and is well illustrated in the famous "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prisoner%27s_dilemma">prisoners dilemma</a>". <br/><br/>
The problem is that, in the prisoners dilemma, the dominant strategy for each prisoner (snitch on the other) results in a pareto inefficient outcome for both of them (i.e. if they had both kept quiet), they would have got shorter sentences.<br/><br/>
This is very relevant to many real world problems. The book gives the example of, in a city with buses but without bus lanes, the dominant strategy for commuter is to take the car as this will get them to their destination quicker than the bus if everyone else takes their car (as all will be stuck in traffid jams) and will DEFINITELY get them to their destination quicker than the bus if everyone else takes the bus (as the roads will be free of jams)<br/><br/>
Similarly, climate change, overfishing and other "tragedy of the commons" problems are related to the prisoners dilemma. <br/><br/>
On the plus side, if the two prisoners can negotiate, then there is a much better chance of them arriving at a pareto efficient outcome.<br/><br/>
<u><b>Taxes and Elasticity</u></b><br/>
The book explains how, while politics defines who directly pays taxes on goods, where the actual tax burden lies is defined by how "elastic" (sensitive to price) the supply and demand is. <br/><br/>
If supply is more elastic(sensitive to price) than demand then the sellers will be more responsive to price changes (such as the imposition of taxes) than sellers, so sellers will be the ones who shoulder most of the tax burden. And vice versa<br/><br/>
In short, the less elastic side bears more of the tax burden.<br/><br/>
Important to note that the elasticity of supply or demand may change with differing prices and with time (as new production comes on stream for example). <br/><br/>
<u><b>Other Stuff</u></b><br/>
Perhaps the most interesting parts of the book are towards the end, when the authors talk about the world view of economists, describing how they play great store by the idea that competitive markets are great but recognise that markets in the real world are imperfect and need some basic rules to keep markets working well: <br/><br/>
1) Understand the markets limitations (e.g. beware of markets that are pareto efficient but very unfair)<br/>
2) Protect competition (e.g. by regulating against cartels and monopolies)<br/>
3) Give the market second chances. (e.g. by implementing taxes or caps to combat market failures such as pollution)<br/>
When looking at unfair markets, economists often prefer to minmise intervention and maximise personal choice, so might favour giving starving people money instead of food (See <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amartya_Sen#Research_work">Amartya Sen's work</a> on famines where food was plentiful, but not affordable)<br/><br/>
The authors also provide a short history of microeconomics, describing how it focussed on competitive markets in the 18th and 19th century then, in the mid 20th century, investigations into game theory showed that individual self interest often does not lead to good outcomes for the group as a whole, for example in cases of asymetric information. This made economists like <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Stiglitz#Information_asymmetry">Joseph Stiglitz</a> nervous about economic theory.<br/><br/>
At the end of the 20th century microeconomists started wondering under what circumstances people even acted like optimising individuals. (see work by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Kahneman">Daniel Kahnman</a>)<br/><br/>
</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3010474775078886324.post-53591465551528661422019-07-21T15:45:00.001-07:002019-07-21T15:45:18.004-07:00UK's best feature<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
BFTF usually asked interviewees a "special question" at the end of an interview. The question is simply:<br /><br />
What do you think is the best thing about living in the UK?<br /><br />
The reason for asking it is an an antidote to the tendency that we all have to discuss what is wrong with the UK, rather the many things that are right.<br /><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF0CK1Xi_L1HJHIuTANmAzIpPPP8-SQjaLrmcLLBfQ8dc1Od503MBS-DFkW0kv_cAmAh6K82fmthQ_EaMA2wdjM9vXTKEiEvKFNU2OrqSIXXPFXYm8lf86IFz3me_Iqtg_boavpBlhneio/s1600/happy+jack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;">
<img border="0" height="99" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF0CK1Xi_L1HJHIuTANmAzIpPPP8-SQjaLrmcLLBfQ8dc1Od503MBS-DFkW0kv_cAmAh6K82fmthQ_EaMA2wdjM9vXTKEiEvKFNU2OrqSIXXPFXYm8lf86IFz3me_Iqtg_boavpBlhneio/s200/happy+jack.jpg" width="200"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A happy Union Jack, yesterday</td></tr>
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<br />
<b><a href="http://bftfblog.blogspot.com/2018/02/interview-jamahl-peterkin-from.html">Jamahl Peterkin from the Nottingham Peace Project</a></b><br/>
In all fairness regardless of the cuts, poverty and the state doing the best they can to keep people of JSA and benefits in the most repugnant manner - the welfare system, NHS and democracy of UK is most definitely what keeps us above the rest. Which is why it does not make sense for the government to want to cut these areas as this is what makes UK great. Taking care of its people in need, having a democracy and a welfare state. This is what makes a country great, a state that supports and cares for its citizens.<br/><br/>
<b><a href="http://bftfblog.blogspot.com/2016/01/interview-louise-cooke-from-sharewear.html">Louise Cooke from Sharewear</a></b><br />
"Based on my trip to Sao Paolo in 2012 to the favelas and based on some of my experiences now as someone who works for the charity CAFOD part time, I would say one of the best things about living in the UK is that no matter how poor we are; no matter how austerity kicks in there are always support networks around to help us and also, most importantly, we've always got access to clean safe water and sanitation."<br /><br />
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<b><a href="http://bftfblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/interview-dr-saqib-from-akhuwat.html">Dr Saqib from Ahkuwat</a></b><br />
"[Brtitish] people are extremely hard working, something that we as a nation in Pakistan lack, we don't work hard. Also [British] people are very, very honest, they don’t cheat anybody. I think these are two extremely important values. <br /><br />
This message I am taking from your country to Pakistan, to tell people that if you want to make a mark for yourself you must work hard and be honest with yourself and with others."<br /><br />
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<b><a href="http://bftfblog.blogspot.com/2013/12/interview-kamran-fazil-from-islamic-help.html">Kamran Fazil, Islamic Help - 2013</a></b><br />
I've travelled to many countries throughout the world. For me, my health is important, and in the media recently the NHS has taken a lot of stick – let me tell the listeners out there that the NHS is amongst one of the best services that you will receive anywhere in the world.<br /><br />
I could talk about this really quite passionately, its not where it was 10 years ago, or where it was 5 years ago….but in the way it is currently, the NHS is a godsend.<br /><br />
I have had to visit medical centres in other countries and, by God… if I had to live there, if my child suffered a terrible accident, then I would be on my knees begging Allah Almighty for something like the NHS where I can take my child straight away and take him to see a doctor and get him fixed up. I wouldn't mind being on a waiting list, waiting to pick up the phone because I know I will get something.<br /><br />
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<b><a href="http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/sociology/people/ian.shaw">Ian Shaw, Professor of Health Policy, Faculty of Social Sciences, Uni.of Nott'm</a> - 2012</b><br />
I think it’s two things. One is that there is a degree of security here, you can walk the streets and you can live fairly peaceably. I think the other thing is that there is a degree of social justice and I think that some of the institutions of social justice, like the NHS, help to frame that - but you see this, itcommunity spirit occasionally like if you are on a train that has broken down, it’s hot, there’s no water and people start sharing, start chatting and all of a sudden you know why people are doing visits, why they are on the train, that grandchild they are going to visit. You scratch the surface and there is a good community there and that’s what I like.<br /><br />
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<b><a href="http://nottinghamscience.blogspot.com/2012/03/interview-prof-alfonso-aragon-salamanca_05.html">Prof Alfonso Aragón-Salamanca Professor of Astronomy at the Uni. of Nott'm</a> - 2012</b><br />
I have been in the UK since 1988 and there are two things that I have found very welcoming and, for me, very important about this country. One is the very strong sense of fair-play. People value it and if something is not fair, people rebel against it immediately.<br />
And the other thing, on a much lighter note is that people value a sense of humour. A good sense of humour is something that I really like. I’m not saying something that my countrymen don’t know in Spain when I say that the British sense of humour is much better than the Spanish sense of humour because in the UK we laugh at ourselves, that is something that I always find very curious. If you look in the personal ads in a newspaper, one of the things that people look for is a good sense of humour and that is a very important quality because life is tough enough so let us laugh every now and then and we will all be a little happier.<br /><br />
<b><a href="http://nottinghamscience.blogspot.com/2012/02/interview-chris-lintott-and-zooniverse.html">Chris Lintott (Co-Presenter of "The Sky at Night")</a> - 2012</b><br />
I’m standing near New York, in out collaborators office so right now I could kill for a cup of tea! But more seriously, I think that the UK is still a place where ideas are taken seriously, where people are interested in the fact that we can discover planets around other stars and that people are willing to spend their spare time doing that. So that mass collaboration, that mass interest in some quite serious ideas is, I think, a huge strength. I think in the UK we are often portrayed as quite cynical, but actually, we know from the work we have done with the BBC, that there is a huge interest and desire to be part of understanding the universe and that is something that, whilst not uniquely British, we have managed to retain despite the crises of the last few years and the cynicism about money and politics and so on.<br /><br />
<b><a href="http://nottinghamscience.blogspot.com/2012/02/interview-eben-upton-at-raspberrypi.html">Eben Upton (Raspberry Pi)</a> - 2012</b><br />
What would I put at the top of my list of the best things about living in the UK? I’ve lived in a number of places. I’ve lived in France and I’ve lived in the US and the thing about the UK is that it feels like having been the UK for a very long time. It has a lot of institutions that have been around for a long time, like the University of Cambridge which has been around for an enormous amount of time. They’re not perfect, heaven knows that the University is not a perfect institution. You can stand in the middle of Cambridge and you are standing in the city that gave us Newton and a thousand scientists and a thousand philosophers. And there is just something about that sense of history about the place and the fact that that co-exists, certainly in Cambridge in any case, with an enoumous economic dynamism that we at Raspberrypi are trying to keep going. It makes it a very congenial place. I love it in the UK.<br /><br />
<b><a href="http://bftfblog.blogspot.com/2012/04/interview-morris-samuels.html">Morris Samuels (Unity Project)</a> - 2012</b><br />
I think it’s diversity. I think we have moved a long way, I can remember when I was a youngster that racism would be right in your face. People may argue that it is a bit covert now but the thing is you can go down streets now and go in houses and see dual heritage family with blacks and whites living together with, from previous relationships, a black child, a white child and then a dual heritage child that they have had together. We are going to have our setbacks, but it is getting better.<br /><br />
<b><a href="http://bftfblog.blogspot.com/2012/02/interview-citizensuk-and-himmah.html">Muhammed Suleiman (Citizens Milton Keynes)</a> - 2011</b><br />
Having been in Syria and in other Muslim countries in the Middle East, it is the freedom that we have here, without a doubt.<br /><br />
<b><a href="http://bftfblog.blogspot.com/2011/12/interview-jane-burd-from-greenpeace.html">Jane Burd (Greenpeace)</a> - 2011</b><br />
Tea, I’ve been to other countries around the world and in none of them was I able to get a cup of tea as good as it is made here.<br /><br />
<b><a href="http://www.myh.org.uk/">Rizwan Hussein (Muslim Youth Hotline</a>) - 2007</b><b></b><br />
The Weather. Everyone moans and complains about the weather, the weather being this and the weather being that. But at the end of the day, if the weather was always sunny and bright, we wouldn’t be living in the UK would we? Because that is what makes the UK what it is really, the mundane, raining all the time and cold weather<br />
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<u><b>Celia Stevens (Bramley Apples) - 2007</b></u><b></b><br />
Whether it is day or night you can walk out of your front door, look up and, in the night time you see the stars, in the daytime you see the blue sky. If you can’t open your eyes in the morning, open your window and listen to the birds. We live in a very beautiful country. Who could not just sit on a rock and watch the sea. What more wonderful thing can you do than to sit under an apple tree?<br />
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<u><b>Tazeen Shah (Engaging Faith) - 2007</b></u><b></b><br />
The social mobility aspect of the UK that really appeals to me. As a Muslim, if you don’t come from a priviledged family, if you come from a working class background – as long as you have a good education and you have a commitment, belief in yourself and dedication to try and succeed – you can succeed. You will be confronted by racism and everything else but it is up to you to try and combat that. So I would like to urge Muslim sisters and brothers out there that don’t give up, keep trying, set yourself a goal and go for it.<br />
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<u><b>Ade Williams (<a href="http://ecoteams.org.uk/">Eco Teams</a>) - 2007</b></u><b></b><br />
The diversity of the countryside we live in. My background is very much looking at the countryside in the earth sciences and it is just fascinating that you can just go to some parts of the UK that are very flat, very open and have a character all of their own – and then you can go to other parts that are very hilly and mountainous and have a completely different view point again. I like that diversity. That’s the real character, for me, of the green England and the dry stone walls and that sort of thing.<br />
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<u><b>Sajid Mohammed (<a href="http://www.himmah.org/">Himmah</a>)</b></u><b></b><br />
This country had offered so much to people. We should not look at ourselves as citizens, not immigrants, we were once also citizens of the commonwealth as well and we are only collecting what was duly ours in the first place. We were citizens, we were invited etc. There are some absolutely incredibly good things about this country – the sense of fair play, the sense of helping the underdog, we always supported Frank Bruno, even though we knew he didn’t have a good chance of winning anything! The sense of the rule of law, even though at times, I have to say, there have been some problems in this country, especially by some people with an agenda of deep racism – but that’s not everyone. And theres a welcoming sense of people here, there is the infrastructure here – if you get ill you can go to hospital, free schooling – which has always been a feature of traditional Islamic civilisation. And the sense of the rule of law, that no matter where you are, or who you are, you could get a fair trial. Now I know that, with the laws that have been passed recently, there has been a degrading of social liberty and social freedom. But it is for us to remind the people of this country, as well as being people of this country, that freedom is an intrinsic right for all humans and it is worth more when times are difficult than when times are easy. We should never, ever give up our freedoms<br />
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<u><b>Alisa Bashir (Asian Young Achiever of the Year) - 2007</b></u><b></b><br />
That it is a multicultural society. I love that , in comparison to other countries there are lots of different religions, different cultures and the fact that we can tolerate each other and get along.<br />
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<u><b>Professor Peter Usherwood (<a href="http://www.neighbourhoodwatch.net/">Neighbourhood Watch</a>) - 2007</b></u><b></b><br />
I was born in a very poor working class community and my father was a baker, a master baker. He worked for a company and he used to get up at 4.30 every single morning of his life until he retired. We weren’t well off, we were really quite poor, but through hard work I managed to get to University. And then I got married as soon as I graduated from University and I slipped back into a very poor environment. I went with my wife to Glasgow University and lived in a very poor part of Glasgow. We shared an apartment with drug addicts and with prostitutes. We had a small child at the time and it was extremely unpleasant and two murders took place in apartments nearby. Since that time, things have improved. I’m a research scientist an have been to most parts of the world, including many Islamic countries. I’ve had lots and lots of students – hundreds. Lots of people working with me and many of my friends come from Muslim parts of the world. So I have a very good knowledge of what goes on in many different parts of the world and the way people behave in those parts of the world and the character of those people. And I always come back to Great Britain with one thought in my mind, one word in my mind and that word is tolerance.<br />
This country is a tolerant country, believe me, and it is quite a remarkable country in this respect. <br />
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<u><b>Imran Akram (<a href="http://muslimwritersawards.org.uk/">Muslim Writers Award</a>) -2007</b></u><b></b><br />
I was born and bred in the UK. I absolutely love the United Kingdom. I know there are issues around government, politics, foreign policy and that kind of stuff but, you know, generally I think the UK is probably the best place to live in the world. You have more opportunity here to do things than you probably would in a lot of the Islamic countries. What I really like is, and I know this may sound sad, but the manners of people when it comes to things like queuing. You go to Pakistan or the middle East and there is no such thing as queues and the strongest will win. Here (in the UK) they have a system in place, they appreciate queuing, they know what’s going to happen and it all comes back down to respect. There are things, obviously, which upset people about the UK but overall the manners of people, they are the most tolerant people in the world. They don’t like complaining; they’ll sit in a restaurant and eat something awful but not complain. They just won’t go back there again. These are the kind of things that only Britain could do, I guess.<br />
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<u><b>Julia Hawkins (<a href="http://www.ethicaltrade.org/">Ethical Trading Initiative</a>) – 2007</b></u><b></b><br />
When my friends are complaining about things in this country, the commuting or the weather, I think that we are just so lucky to live in this country. Generally speaking, we have water, most of us have enough food, enough clothes. We are not in fear of our lives. We can vote, we can put governments in and we can kick them out – and that is actually quite rare in the world so I feel incredibly lucky to have been born in this country, to be living in this country - and I have lived in countries where you don’t necessarily have the same freedoms - and I think that (living in the UK) is something to be really happy about.<br />
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<u><b>Yashrib Shah (<a href="http://www.muslimhands.org/en/gb/">Muslim Hands</a>) – 2007</b></u><b></b><br />
I think it is a state of gratitude, do you see the glass as being half full or half empty. The Prophet (PBUH) was always optimistic<br />
I have been abroad and I have been into Muslim Lands and one thing that is extraordinary for those that have done that is the freedom you have to worship in the UK, which is bizarre because I have visited Muslim countries and I have felt oppressed actually and almost fearful of worshipping and being myself whilst here I can walk around wearing my prayer hat, having a beard and, I kid you not, if you have never experienced what I am talking about, maybe not so much in Pakistan, but if you go to parts of the Middle East as I have you will find there seems to be even an open opposition to Muslims studying, anything to do with Islam, they see you as a threat and I praise Allah that we have a country here (the UK) where there is a freedom to worship. I find it far easier to practice Islam in this country than in many of my travels to Muslim lands so I am very appreciative of that. I am also appreciative of the conservatism that we have in the UK, which is very different to that of mainland Europe, although many people may argue that that is being corroded and that it is maybe on the way out with the new generations which are coming possibly, I hope not, being a very conservative country which hold to high moral values. I am very well aware that they are deteriorating with the new generations but I really like talking to old English people because they have so much in common in terms of morality and they actually look at the newer generations like we do, from a very moral viewpoint. I agree with your comments in your email about queuing – In England people queue. I have not been on Hajj yet but I have heard stories about people just shoving past and, you know, the sabr(patience) is not even there and people are not having this good etiquette. You know, generally speaking, the British people are a fantastic bunch.<br />
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<u><b>Konnie Lloyd (<a href="http://www.nottsrefugeeforum.org.uk/">Notts Refugee Forum</a>) -2007</b></u><b></b><br />
I have to say that, when I am marching in London, protesting about the war in Iraq and saying some pretty rude things about our government – and I am a member of the Labour Party so I think I can do that with a great deal of force – I think we are able to protest here, we are surrounded by Police but they are there to protect us and to keep things in order, and are often quite pleasant about it. I think that in many other countries, to open your mouth and protest you will be beaten up by the Police and I am glad that we are still able to protest and are not beaten up for it, although I know that civil liberties have been impinged upon in the last few years. I think that is very important.<br />
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<u><b>Mohammed Patel (<a href="http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Governmentcitizensandrights/Consumerrights/index.htm">Consumer Direct</a> / <a href="http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/">Trading Standards</a>) - 2007</b></u><b></b><br />
The variety of food, in our family we do try to experiment with different types of food and we have just had a traditional English roast chicken meal with roast potatoes. To have that variety, that we may not have had in the subcontinent, is one of the things that I am very pleased with. <br />
<br />
<br />
</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3010474775078886324.post-59473216496250788662019-07-21T15:37:00.001-07:002019-07-21T15:37:58.688-07:00Positive Stories<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
A page of Positive Muslim Stories. <br /><br />
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<u><b>2018 : Ali Akbar Welfare Trust donate to Nottingham Hospitals Charity</u></b><br/>
Via <a href="https://www.facebook.com/nottinghamhospitalscharity/">Nottingham Hospitals Charity Facebook page</a>: "Mr Ali Asghar and The Ali Akbar Welfare Trust have been ongoing fundraisers for Nottingham Hospitals Charity since 2012. The Trust has raised an incredible £3, 802.24 for all different areas of the hospitals, including the Children’s Hospital Big Appeal, Teenage Cancer Ward and The ENT Gardens Appeal. The money is raised through multiple football tournaments, in memory of Ali’s son Ali Akbar, who was treated at the City Hospital's Hogarth Ward between January and 22nd September 2013..."<br/><br/>
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<u><b>2017 : Muslim school pupils deliver presents to local Hospital</u></b><br/>
<a href="http://www.asianimage.co.uk/news/education/15782424.Pupils_from_Muslim_boys__school_deliver_gifts_to_hospital_patients/">Asian Image</a>:<br/>
<i><blockquote>"Pupils from a Muslim boys' school puts smiles on the faces of patients as they delivered Christmas gifts. A group of Year 10 pupils from Tauheedul Islam Boys’ High School (TIBHS) made visits to children’s wards and older people’s wards at Blackburn Royal Hospital.The pupils, accompanied by TIBHS staff and representatives of Brookhouse Development Group, took gifts of toys and games to boys and girls staying on children’s wards, and gifts of blankets, toiletries and treats to older people..."</blockquote></i><br/>
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<u><b>2017 : The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on British Muslims</u></b><br/>
Very interested to read about this <a href="https://appgbritishmuslims.org/about/">new group</a> and their first publication "<a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/599c3d2febbd1a90cffdd8a9/t/5a38feee53450a36410e66c8/1513684791406/Report+I%3A+A+Very+Merry+Christmas+">A Very Merry Muslim Christmas</a>" which looks at the contribution of Muslim charities in helping people in the UK.<br/><br/>
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<u><b>2017 :Taxi drivers raise thousands for children's ward at Queen's Medical Centres</u></b><br/>
Nottingham Post <a href="http://www.nottinghampost.com/news/nottingham-news/taxi-drivers-donate-nearly-3000-953401">reports</a> on how Notts Hackney Cabbies raised £2,750 to support Nottingham Children's Hospital "The Big Appeal" campaign which has raised £700,000 towards a 2021 target of £4million which will be spent on highly specialised diagnostic equipment that can accurately identifies illness and disease earlier.<br/><br/>
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<u><b>Dec 2016:Lancashire mosques donate £13,600 to assist stroke patients</u></b><br />
Article <a href="http://www.asianimage.co.uk/news/14965545.Mosques_and_Muslim_charity_donate___13_600_to_assist_stroke_patients_in_Lancashire/">here</a><br/>
"Four mosques and a Lancashire charity have donated £13,600 to assist stroke patients at Royal Blackburn and Pendle Community hospitals. The donations..will provide eight specialist chairs for patients...Fundraising for the eight stroke chairs was the idea of Imam Fazal Hassan from the hospital chaplaincy department, working in partnership with Blackburn community organisations."<br/><br/>
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<u><b>Dec2016: Nigerian Muslim provides 50 Christian widows with food.</u></b><br />
Article <a href="http://www.premierchristianradio.com/News/World/Nigerian-Muslim-woman-provides-50-Christian-widows-with-food-for-Christmas">here</a><br/>
"A Nigerian Muslim woman has given more than 50 Christian widows the gift of food this Christmas....Hajiya Ramatu Tijjani donated bags of rice to women at the Christ Evangelical Church Ministry in the state of Kaduna.Tijjani, who has been described as a peace ambassador, said she was inspired by the kindness of the church's Pastor Yohanna Buru who gives out food and water to refugees."<br /><br />
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<u><b>London Muslims tonnes of food for homeless at Christmas</u></b><br />
Article <a href="http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/london-muslims-donate-ten-tonnes-of-food-for-homeless-at-christmas-a3422611.html">here</a><br/>
"Muslims have donated 10 tonnes of food to feed the homeless across London at Christmas, religious and charity leaders said...Hundreds of Muslims flocked to the East London Mosque on Friday in a drive to feed London's homeless during the festive period...More than 90 per cent of the food, which will be given to homeless charity Crisis, will go to non-Muslims, with Christian Reverend Gary Bradley describing the drive as “all faiths working together for a common humanity.” "<br /><br />
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<u><b>Muslims raise money for Wakefield Hospice</u></b><br />
"As part of our Love thy Neighbour campaign, Penny Appeal are delighted to have presented a donation of £2,000 to Wakefield Hospice to help fund a new cooking unit and support ongoing hospice costs. The <a href="https://www.pennyappeal.org/appeal/love-thy-neighbour">Love Thy Neighbour</a> appeal helps locally here in the UK supporting communities who need help at home."<br /><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAnPpxid2uERHy3_vK6Uc4OZ4qlmNgQSja9xGznUdQFny9I9MJmKXu89r8WpRzBYtKCykZoEGEesC00jdG1rQCwKxu9HktghYmUUSayY-vRfhFBEIGfC_-2EYiHylfYjSo599_LrCQSKer/s1600/penny+hospice.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAnPpxid2uERHy3_vK6Uc4OZ4qlmNgQSja9xGznUdQFny9I9MJmKXu89r8WpRzBYtKCykZoEGEesC00jdG1rQCwKxu9HktghYmUUSayY-vRfhFBEIGfC_-2EYiHylfYjSo599_LrCQSKer/s320/penny+hospice.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Penny Appeal donating £2,000 to Wakefield Hospice</td></tr>
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<u><b>Muslims in Blackburn raise money for a local Hospice</u></b><br />
Article <a href="http://www.burytimes.co.uk/news/14354294.Hospice_thanks_mosque_for_donating___3_000/">here</a><br /><br />
"The Masjide Noorul Islam raised £3,000 of much needed funds for the East Lancashire Hospice. he donation will go towards community group Connect UK’s efforts to raise funds for the Hospice."<br /><br />
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<u><b>Jan 2016 : Muslims in Newham raise £10k to help flood victims in York</b></u><br />
Article <a href="https://www.newham.gov.uk/Pages/News/Muslims-from-Newham-donate-10000-to-flood-victims-in-York.aspx">here</a><br/><br />
"Collections at Friday prayers in nine east London mosques, including six in Newham, resulted in a staggering £10,000 raised and more than 100 volunteers signing up to provide assistance for the massive clean-up operation"<br /><br />
"Last Saturday (9 January) 30 volunteers left London at 5am to clean up local parks and power-washing the silt off balconies at sheltered accommodation schemes. The group also distributed 500 meals to flood-affected residents and a local homeless project.A further 60 volunteers...are expected to make the journey north again this weekend to present the £10,000 cheque to the York Disaster Appeal and provide further assistance to the city."<br />
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<u><b>Jan 2016 : Muslim group in Preston invite EDL to have a talk and some food instead of marching</b></u><br />
Article <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2016/01/15/edl-march-muslim-dinner-chat_n_8990952.html">here</a>, but the title pretty much says it all.<br /><br />
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<u><b>Dec 2015 : Karimia and YMCA help homeless at Christmas</b></u><br />
<a href="http://karimia.com/">Karimia Institute</a> in Nottingham have teamed up with Nottingham YMCA to provide a Christmas meal and present to some of Nottinghams homeless people. All round good-egg <a href="https://www.facebook.com/mazher.hussain.923?fref=photo">Mazher Hussein</a> was at YMCA on the 25th to help them with the event.<br /><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB8IlIORWvs9QbiXX3a6AAOXvgENcgNRRvRgO1LLzZPrA4iLQfqv7vOf-exUSPTNUAmrVqnkwZ36XBVdZC0H4J5Gjq8RJGD9xT5URVAL5Og3zPYhK10momyQcz6FoKKNaYr_YUDSxs6Zhu/s1600/ymca.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB8IlIORWvs9QbiXX3a6AAOXvgENcgNRRvRgO1LLzZPrA4iLQfqv7vOf-exUSPTNUAmrVqnkwZ36XBVdZC0H4J5Gjq8RJGD9xT5URVAL5Og3zPYhK10momyQcz6FoKKNaYr_YUDSxs6Zhu/s320/ymca.jpg" width="240"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Karimia Institute worked with Nottingham YMCA<br /> to provide these Christmas meals and presents for some<br /> of the homeless in Nottingham</td></tr>
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<u><b>Dec 2015 : The Himmah Foodbank has been supplying Dunkirk and Lenton Partnership with foodparcels</b></u><br />
At the time of writing <a href="http://www.himmah.org/">Himmah</a> are supplying about 20 foodpacks per week to the awesome "Tasty Tuesday" project run by the Dunkirk and Lenton partnership at Thomas Helwys Baptist Church, Lenton.<br /><br />
According to the partnership <a href="http://dunkirklenton.weebly.com/tasty-tuesdays.html">website</a>, Tasty Tuesdays "...is a weekly free meal for everyone and has been running since summer 2014. It aims to bring people together across the different communities. For people in financial difficulties it offers a filling, nutritious, meal, food parcels, and signposting to support agencies and services. For people experiencing loneliness or social isolation it can provide company, the chance to make friends, and a weekly social event to look forward to, in a welcoming and relaxed environment."<br /><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Himmah Foodpacks at Tasty Tuesdays</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fi Corbett from the Dunkirk and Lenton Partnership Forum with Himmah Foodpacks</td></tr>
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You can read more about the Himmah Foodbank <a href="http://bftfblog.blogspot.com/2016/12/himmah-2016.html">here</a><br /><br />
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<u><b>Dec 2015 : Helping an elderly neighbour at Christmas</b></u><br />
Saw this post from a Muslim FB friend and felt it was important to share : <br /><br />
"2 days ago, hubby went to check up on the elderly couple living next door. He asked them how they will celebrate xmas. They sounded really upset as they said, they are too old to go out now and their only son is going away for xmas with his fam. Hubby was really upset when he came home and told me. Today, he took a a box of chocolates, a xmas card, plate of pilow rice and sweet dish (kheer) for them and sat with them for a good 10/15 min and came back and said, they were so excited today as their son and family changed plans and decided to come and spend xmas with their mum and dad instead. He said, they were ecstatic!! Sat and joked with hubby and were just so glad to have him around. Quite frankly, don't know who was more excited and at peace, our neighbours Charlie and Selby or My hubby. Wherever you are or however busy you are, take time out for your neighbours , especially your elderly neighbours as a few min of your time really does make a huge difference to them!!"<br /><br />
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<u><b>Preston Mosques raise over £38,000 for local hospital</b></u><br />
<a href="http://www.asianimage.co.uk/news/north_of_england/11733573.Mosques_raise___38_340_86_to_help_buy_life_saving_equipment_for_local_hospital/"> Article here</a><br />
In just over six weeks, eight Preston mosques managed to raise over £38,000 for the Rosemere Cancer Foundation's project to purchase state-of-the-art lung cancer diagnosis equipment for the Royal Preston Hospital. The donation included £5,000 donated by madrassah children and £8,000 from women in the community. The money was collected at Masjid-e-Falah, Jamea Masjid, Quwwat Islam, Masjid Shuhada Deepdale, Masjid-E-Saliheen, Masjid e Salaam, Madina Masjid and Masjid-e-Quba.<br /><br />
Iqbal Adam from the Preston Muslim Society commented that “The Imams played a very huge part in the fundraising effort by announcing the appeal at Friday prayers. We would like to thank everyone who donated." and that “We are part of the community and we felt it was important for mosques to take a lead in this."<br /><br />
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<u><b>Luton "Feed your Neighbour" Campaign</b></u><br />
BFTF was chuffed to hear that the Luton Central Mosque has undertaken a "Feed Your Neighbour" campaign to support local people in dire economic need.<br /><br />
The campaign was run by volunteers at the mosque who, together with help from the Imam, encouraged the congregation to donate am impressive amount of tinned and other non-perishable food.<br /><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Food collected by the good people of Luton Central Mosque</td></tr>
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This was then given to the <a href="http://lutonfoodbank.org.uk/">Luton Foodbank</a>, a coalition of some 50 local organisations and many more volunteers committed to ensuring no-one goes hungry in Luton. And, make no mistake, people DO go hungry in Luton, often through no fault of their own. Here are two examples from the Luton Foodbank website :<br />
<blockquote><i>"Anne-Marie and Danny were hit by benefits delays at the same time as Danny was off work with flu. With no sick pay finances got tight very quickly and they were faced with eviction as well as having no money for food. They resorted to borrowing a tin of soup from their neighbours to stop little Tia going hungry until they heard about the Foodbank. ‘I don’t know what we would have done next if it wasn’t for the foodbank’, says Danny."</i></blockquote><br />
<blockquote><i>"Ryan regularly skipped school because he could not face the embarrassment of having no money for lunch. On visiting his home to deliver a foodbank parcel, the school’s liaison officer discovered there was no food, except a little oats and milk. The mother’s purse was empty. The mother of two explained that her husband had left her and that the benefits were in his name. He had not been contributing towards child care since leaving and when she informed the Benefits Agency all benefits were stopped, including child benefit, because of her ‘change in circumstances’. The support worker estimated that it would take two to four months for the benefits to be re-assessed. "</i></blockquote><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Donated Food being given to the Luton Foodbank <br />
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Thr food was given to the Luton Foodbank at the Town Hall. Amongst other speakers, the Imam of the Luton Central Mosque thanked the volunteers for undertakng this action, adding people should be wary of being well-fed while their "neighbour to the side is hungry"<br /><br />
This is not the first time the Muslim community in Luton has acted to provide help for the most vulnerable in their town. The <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-19285267">"Discover Islam"</a> information centre in the town centre has been a designated drop-off point for the Luton Foodbank since 2012 and has donated a significant amount of food in its own right.<br /><br />
Nor is it the only issue on which the Muslim community in Luton has acted for the benefit of others, in 2010 the Medina Mosque became only the second <a href="http://www.lutonfaiths.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=84:launch-of-2nd-fairtrade-mosque-in-the-uk&catid=36:news">Fairtrade mosque </a>in the UK.<br /><br />
Nor is this kind of thing unique to Luton. Muslim organisations are helping foodbanks in <a href="http://www.iengage.org.uk/news/2047-birmingham-central-mosque-sets-up-food-bank-for-those-in-need">Birmingham</a>, <a href="http://www.pendletoday.co.uk/what-s-on/reviews/nelson-mosques-unite-to-help-food-bank-1-4786326">Nelson</a>,<a href="http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/back_our_foodbanks/10636354.Mosques_in_Blackburn_to_continue_to_back_foodbank_drive/"> Blackburn</a>, <a href="http://m.harrowtimes.co.uk/news/10565483.Muslims_use_fasting_festival_to_donate_food_to_poor/">Harrow</a>, <a href="http://thehimmahblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/himmah-foodbank-news.html">Nottingham</a> and , no doubt, many other locations.<br /><br />
It's all good stuff, and really needs to be publicised widely - both as a counter to the arguemnt of the far right that Muslims do not help wider society and also as an encouragement to the younger Muslim population to help and volunteer for this kind of social action.<br /><br />
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<u><b>Liberties</u></b><br />
Inspirational letter from "Fozia Wani" in the Luton Herald and Post on Jul 11th 2013, responding to a previous letter asking the liberties enjoyed by Muslim women. In the letter, Fozia comments on how she had been encouraged by her parents to become a lecturer at the age of 20, living 200miles away from home. Fozia adds that her grandmothers sister was sufficiently empowered to leave her husband the day after she was married, how her grandmother and mother were university graduates, how her mothers sisters all work and some are breadwinners in their hourseholds, how one sister used to be a BBC broadcaster, another is a food writer and the third a teacher - and how her father taught her to be fearless and treated her the same as her brothers.<br /><br />
Wow.<br /><br />
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<u><b>Aberdeen church opens doors to Muslims</b></u><br />
<a href="http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2013/mar/18/aberdeen-muslims-christians-share-church">Article here</a><br />
"A Scottish reverend has invited Muslims to pray alongside Christians in an Aberdeen church because the nearby mosque is so small that some worshippers were forced to pray outside...The rector of St John's church, Rev Isaac Poobalan, has made parts of the building available to the congregation of the mosque. Up to 100 Muslims now pray in the main chapel five times every Friday."<br /><br />
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<u><b>Jeweller Ashraf Ahmed replaces brides stolen ring</u></b><br />
<a href="http://www.scotsman.com/news/uk/kind-hearted-jeweller-replaces-bride-s-stolen-ring-1-3625682#">Article here</a><br />
"Caroline Granshaw was left “heartbroken” when a callous thief swiped her handbag containing the sapphire and diamond-encrusted platinum band from a secluded church at her nuptials in June. Despite a £1,000 reward the stolen ring has still not been tracked down, but jeweller Ashraf Ahmed was so moved by the couple’s plight he has given them an identical ring."<br /><br />
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<u><b>Oct2014:Five year old British boy becomes youngest ever qualified computer specialist</u></b><br />
<a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/five-year-old-british-boy-becomes-youngest-ever-qualified-computer-specialist-9825387.html">Article here</a><br /><br />
"... Ayan Qureshi last month became the youngest-ever certified Microsoft Computer Specialist. Ayan was five when he took the exam at Birmingham University, toppling Pakistani Mehroz Yawar who passed the exam at the practically ancient age of six and a half."<br /><br />
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<u><b>Sep2014:Wollaton Mums and Tots raise £456 for MacMillan Cancer Support</U></b><br />
Latest of a number of charity fundraisers by the group....<br /><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cakes on sale at Wollaton Mums and Tots<br />fundraiser for MacMillan</td></tr>
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<a name="cardiff"></a>
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<u><b>Muslims in Cardiff donate and prepare meals for local homeless people</U></b><br />
<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-28100303">http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-28100303</a><br />
Muslims in Cardiff are working together in a project called "We Feed" to provide fresh, hot meals to homeless people in the city. Zishan Hassan, owner of one of the restaurants who provide the food comments that "It feeds into what we believe because it's a duty, as Muslims, to give to the poor and the needy".<br /><br />
Mohammed Yacoub is co-ordinating the food distribution in the project "We Feed" a joint venture between Muslim businesses (ranging from grocery stores to fast food outlets) and volunteers across Cardiff. The project provides food for those who need it most, irrespective of faith or nationality. All the food if taken to a homeless hostel in the city centre, where it is given out to those who need it.<br /><br />
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<u><b>Muslim kids in Blackburn raise £1000 for kidney machine campaign.</U></b><br />
<a href="http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/11277727.1_000_thanks_to_school___s_charity_champs/?ref=la">http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/11277727.1_000_thanks_to_school___s_charity_champs/?ref=la</a><br />
The lovely children at the Olive Primary School in Blackburn have raised a remarkable £1000 to support the Blackburn and Darwen Kidney Care Appeal, which is currently being supported as the Mayors Charity. The School has a Muslim character and the Head, Julie Bradley, commented that "Once again, our children have demonstated a their commitment to excellence and community service, and campaigned hard for local causes". See also <a href="http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/blackburn/11262455.Blackburn_Mayor_cheers_for_his_record_breaking_charity_campaign/?action=complain&cid=12834527">this article</a> on the record breaking amount that the Mayors Charity has raised.<br /><br />
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The Deen Riders are riding to Cornwall in June 2014 to fundraise for <a href="http://www.caudwellchildren.com/">Caudwell Children</a>", a national charity who "provide family support services, equipment, treatment and therapies for disabled children and their families across the UK"<br /><br />
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Hero bus driver rushes pregnant woman to hospital after she waited over an hour for an ambulance which failed to arrive<br />
<a href="http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/hero-bus-driver-rushes-pregnant-woman-to-hospital-after-she-waited-over-an-hour-for-an-ambulance-which-failed-to-arrive-9014718.html">http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/hero-bus-driver-rushes-pregnant-woman-to-hospital-after-she-waited-over-an-hour-for-an-ambulance-which-failed-to-arrive-9014718.html</a><br />
Sajjad Shariff, 41, was flagged down by heavily pregnant driving Fatim Faye who could not wait any longer for an ambulance. After calling in a "Code Red", he looked after Faye until he felt he could wait no longer and took her in the bus to the local maternity unit.<br /><br />
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Muslim orgs buy cooker for local Salvation Army branch<br />
<a href="http://www.ilfordrecorder.co.uk/news/news/clements_road_salvation_army_says_prayers_were_answered_after_new_cooker_was_installed_1_3202676">http://www.ilfordrecorder.co.uk/news/news/clements_road_salvation_army_says_prayers_were_answered_after_new_cooker_was_installed_1_3202676</a><br />
A Salvation Army night shelter in Ilford was facing a difficult Chrismas when it's cooker broke down just before the festive season...until the local federation of Muslim organisations stepped up and raised funds to buy a replacement!<br /><br />
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<b>Mosque "Mum and Tot" group raises over £1000 for Save The Children:</b><br />
<a href="http://bftfblog.blogspot.com/2013/12/mosque-raises-over-1000-for-save.html
">http://bftfblog.blogspot.com/2013/12/mosque-raises-over-1000-for-save.html</a><br />
"Reflecting on the event, Saema commented that "it gives me an incalculable amounts of satisfaction to see the community coming together for a good cause. It really is amazing what we can achieve when we come together""<br /><br />
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<b>Volunteers at a London Mosque train as archaeologists to investigate site of mosque extension:</b><br />
<a href="http://www.london-se1.co.uk/news/7298">http://www.london-se1.co.uk/news/7298</a><br />
Expensive archaeological work was a condition of expansion for the Bait-ul-Aziz Islamic Cultural Centre in London. As a means of reducing costs, and to improve engagement with wider society, the mosque formed a partnership with PreConstructionArchaeology in which a number of volunteers from the mosque agreed to be trained in dig techniques and to help with the archaeological excavations. So far items ranging from 18th century cattle skeltons to Roman era burials. The mosques hopes to use this opportunity to host an open day offering local residents to learn more about the mosque and the dig. Check out their blog here: <br />
<a href="http://preconstruct.wordpress.com/journal-account/ ">http://preconstruct.wordpress.com/journal-account/ </a>
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<b>Muslims in Bradford fund roof repairs of Synagogue:</b><br />
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/03/19/bradford-synagogue-muslims_n_2908254.html">http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/03/19/bradford-synagogue-muslims_n_2908254.html</a><br />
Chance encounters started a chain of events which culminated in local businessman Kahlid Pervaiz donating £2,000 to fix leaks in the synagogues roof, and a number of local mosques supporting funding applications to further renovate the building.<br /><br />
Zulfi Karim, the secretary of the Bradford Council of Mosques comments that "I was so impressed by the architecture and the history of the synagogue, we couldn't let this go to waste," adding in <a href="http://www.hopenothate.org.uk/news/article/3074/bradford-synagogue-saved-by-citys-muslims">another article</a> that, in terms of building tolerance in the Muslim community "I really, really deeply, strongly feel that the way forward is interfaith dialogue – perhaps through food, perhaps through visiting a synagogue or other places of worship<br /><br />
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<b>Manchester Mosque feed hundreds of needy local people at Christmas:</b><br />
<a href="http://mancunianmatters.co.uk/content/171213897-curry-christmas-old-trafford-mosque-offers-alternative-turkey-dinner-those-living-">http://mancunianmatters.co.uk/content/171213897-curry-christmas-old-trafford-mosque-offers-alternative-turkey-dinner-those-living-</a><br />
According to the report, the The Faizan-e-Islam mosque undertakes an annual Christmas effort to provide meals for local people who are unable to eat at home. One of the volunteers, Shabir Abdul, commented that <i>"We talked about how we could reach out to help them and felt that offering meals was a great way to give people the chance to have a great curry and also to enjoy a bit of conversation – everyone will be welcome.”</i><br /><br />
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Muslim Cultural Centre Wollaton raises over £500 for MacMillan :<br />
<a href="http://bftfblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/mosque-raises-over-500-for-macmillan-in.html">http://bftfblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/mosque-raises-over-500-for-macmillan-in.html</a><br /><br />
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Luton Central Mosque donates to Luton Foodbank:<br />
<a href="http://bftfblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/luton-central-mosque-donates-to-luton.html">http://bftfblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/luton-central-mosque-donates-to-luton.html</a><br /><br />
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The "Deen Riders" visit Nottingham on a trip to raise funds to help civilians in Syria:<br />
<a href="http://bftfblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/the-deen-riders-visit-nottingham.html
">http://bftfblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/the-deen-riders-visit-nottingham.html
</a><br /><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAmzAaQsUYhYoqa00-bymn9oe0bvow8krxwA6j-vJmEJgCOfbzCcv3FG00mwf7ax0VvWQAAXxDrfCC4549hbh29BlhjoGvPuah13pYdWSG-RHQIcM8BaHfIZkwdKNrABABtIEEUDABba0y/s1600/DSCN2926.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAmzAaQsUYhYoqa00-bymn9oe0bvow8krxwA6j-vJmEJgCOfbzCcv3FG00mwf7ax0VvWQAAXxDrfCC4549hbh29BlhjoGvPuah13pYdWSG-RHQIcM8BaHfIZkwdKNrABABtIEEUDABba0y/s1600/DSCN2926.JPG" height="184" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Deen Riders in Nottingham in 2013</td></tr>
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Did the Ottomans give food aid during the Irish Potato Famine?<br />
<a href="http://bftfblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/did-ottomans-give-food-aid-during-irish.html">http://bftfblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/did-ottomans-give-food-aid-during-irish.html</a><br /><br />
**********************************************<br /><br />
Muslim WW2 SOE operative Noor Inayat Khan<br />
<a href="http://bftfblog.blogspot.com/2012/10/noor-inayat-khan.html">http://bftfblog.blogspot.com/2012/10/noor-inayat-khan.html</a><br /><br />
**********************************************<br /><br />
Report on Jubilee Celebration by Himmah, showing how Muslims can find common ground with wider society:<br />
<a href="http://bftfblog.blogspot.com/2012/06/himmah-jubilee-celebration-at-asda.html">http://bftfblog.blogspot.com/2012/06/himmah-jubilee-celebration-at-asda.html</a><br /><br />
**********************************************<br /><br />
Report on Family Festival by Himmah:<br />
<a href="http://bftfblog.blogspot.com/2012/05/himmah-family-festival-may2012.html
">http://bftfblog.blogspot.com/2012/05/himmah-family-festival-may2012.html
</a><br /><br />
**********************************************<br /><br />
Report on Scouts visit to the Theatre Royal:<br />
<a href="http://bftfblog.blogspot.com/2012/04/tour-of-theatre-royal-nottingham.html
">http://bftfblog.blogspot.com/2012/04/tour-of-theatre-royal-nottingham.html
</a><br /><br />
**********************************************<br /><br />
Report on Scouts visit to a Syangogue<br />
<a href="http://bftfblog.blogspot.com/2012/03/scouts-visit-to-notts-jewish.html
">http://bftfblog.blogspot.com/2012/03/scouts-visit-to-notts-jewish.html
</a><br /><br />
**********************************************<br /><br />
Interview with Yaseen - showing how Muslims can work to help the communities around them:<br />
<a href="http://bftfblog.blogspot.com/2012/01/interview-yaseen-and-emmanuel-house.html">http://bftfblog.blogspot.com/2012/01/interview-yaseen-and-emmanuel-house.html</a><br /><br />
**********************************************<br /><br />
Report on how Muslims in 1905 celebrated Christmas and kept good relations with their neighbours:<br />
<a href="http://bftfblog.blogspot.com/2012/01/british-muslim-christmas-in-1905.html">http://bftfblog.blogspot.com/2012/01/british-muslim-christmas-in-1905.html</a><br /><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9H0I_zvqNqWchSKvYE7SkBeqZg8v76K4XjBB9owI96UZxIryVyNQhPYnXAmbZtzIwTxBt6iQCtTpKR0nf3MgbFnGTU0sHEZK5klD7MgCDFqIEmkZxgD6MGcmK0_WjsKTRtu7e4iCd1u7F/s1600/mediatweets.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9H0I_zvqNqWchSKvYE7SkBeqZg8v76K4XjBB9owI96UZxIryVyNQhPYnXAmbZtzIwTxBt6iQCtTpKR0nf3MgbFnGTU0sHEZK5klD7MgCDFqIEmkZxgD6MGcmK0_WjsKTRtu7e4iCd1u7F/s1600/mediatweets.JPG" height="317" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Took the message to the media. <br />
Because they are the ones who need to hear it</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF0CK1Xi_L1HJHIuTANmAzIpPPP8-SQjaLrmcLLBfQ8dc1Od503MBS-DFkW0kv_cAmAh6K82fmthQ_EaMA2wdjM9vXTKEiEvKFNU2OrqSIXXPFXYm8lf86IFz3me_Iqtg_boavpBlhneio/s1600/happy+jack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="99" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF0CK1Xi_L1HJHIuTANmAzIpPPP8-SQjaLrmcLLBfQ8dc1Od503MBS-DFkW0kv_cAmAh6K82fmthQ_EaMA2wdjM9vXTKEiEvKFNU2OrqSIXXPFXYm8lf86IFz3me_Iqtg_boavpBlhneio/s200/happy+jack.jpg" width="200"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "Helvetica", sans-serif;">A happy Union Jack, yesterday</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3010474775078886324.post-13508457325409552632019-06-17T14:59:00.000-07:002024-03-16T18:12:22.321-07:00Cycling Infrastructure<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><a href="#9"> </a><a name="9"></a>Post to hold various items related to cycling infrastructure in Nottingham.<br/><br/>
<center>*******************************</center><br/><br/>
Jan 2024. Potholes, Nuthall Road Outbound. 9 reported, Feedback from Council that all were cases were “COMPLETED” or, in one case “CLOSED”
The implication being that a repair had been performed.But, in reality, only 3 had been fully repaired, 2 had been partly repaired and the rest had not been repaired at all. </br></br>
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<center>*******************************</center><br/><br/>
Dec 2019. Do not usually have cause to come inbound on the A610 / Alfreton Road into Nottingham, but did have cause on 24th Dec, (having just bought an extraordinarily hi-vis pair of waterproof trousers from ScrewFix at Giltbrook. Was shocked at the state of the road surface at a number of locations so reported via the Nottingham Council website. The areas were vVery dangerous for cyclists, especially at night or after rain. There is little point in Nottingham Council encouraging people to commute by bike if this is what they find when they do so. <br/><br/>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibV6PET2Vuv0gWgv5WBHJHlM_re-bioLJG5fX4AbeouBBPQ-6xfjJ1cNzBXBY3GIgNcq_zfvXcjdthjM0ii4U9OleYKst1CQDsmRTYbWKDdJEaJffKM7N5PEcf4WwRyWhXRCPyLl_1Hvhn/s1600/7+Potholes+graphic.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="524" data-original-width="541" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibV6PET2Vuv0gWgv5WBHJHlM_re-bioLJG5fX4AbeouBBPQ-6xfjJ1cNzBXBY3GIgNcq_zfvXcjdthjM0ii4U9OleYKst1CQDsmRTYbWKDdJEaJffKM7N5PEcf4WwRyWhXRCPyLl_1Hvhn/s400/7+Potholes+graphic.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Council reference numbers and submitted descriptions below (starting from the top image)<br/><br/>
FS-Case-164007837 : Severe defects to road surface to the extent that cycling along this road (inbound), especially at night or after rain) is extremely dangerous.<br/><br/>
FS-Case-164011795 : Broken and sunken road surface. Dangerous for cyclists, especially at night or after rain.<br/><br/>
FS-Case-164010707 : Very broken and sunken road surface. Dangerous for cyclists, especially at night or after rain.<br/><br/>
FS-Case-164008419 : Nasty pothole, loose gravel, general surface cracking, all combining to make cycling here, especially at night or after rain, very dangerous <br/><br/>
FS-Case-164009265 : Broken surface, loose gravel, potholes. To the extent that cycling here (inbound), especially at night or after rain is very dangerous (e.g. is that waterfilled pothole 2mm deep or 30mm deep - a cyclist has only seconds to decide, or should they veer out into traffic?)<br/><br/>
FS-Case-164009933 : Broken and sunken road surface for an extended length of highway. Dangerous for cyclists, especially at night or after rain.<br/><br/>
FS-Case-164011293 : Nasty pothole at drain (this has clearly been repaired recently) and sunken road surface a few metres on. Both dangerous for cyclists, especially at night or after rain.<br/><br/>
<center>*******************************</center><br/><br/>
Jul 2019 : "I know you're trying hard, @Transport_Nottm, @EMTrains, but the free ride-up-and-use cycling provision at Nottingham train station is dire. What is the plan to sort this out? Station staff want to help but have not been given accurate info."<br/><br/>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqraaXdnhVKIzQoMXqx_HqNuMpSWPNRpdR1mQAbdJeK7GLGjl_hhkn_KfzXzykjbmvEQcZcRlypsyGiLHa9PGzKm6zNyPpHZCGHhtzqcVOzOXheAVjvXUMzAgUo0GOLli_6rpXQ6Mj4Y_g/s1600/racks1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="632" data-original-width="631" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqraaXdnhVKIzQoMXqx_HqNuMpSWPNRpdR1mQAbdJeK7GLGjl_hhkn_KfzXzykjbmvEQcZcRlypsyGiLHa9PGzKm6zNyPpHZCGHhtzqcVOzOXheAVjvXUMzAgUo0GOLli_6rpXQ6Mj4Y_g/s400/racks1.JPG" width="398" /></a></div>
<br /><br/>
Response from Transport Nottingham : "When the changes were made to the Station, both the @EMTrains cycle hub and the citycard cycle hub were expanded. The intention was to move away from "toast racks" as there had historically been a high number of bike thefts in the area. So more secure bike parking was needed. As the racks under the tram stairs are well used there is clearly demand for more ad-hoc parking. We are looking at how we can accomodate this while ensuring a level of security for bikes left in the area."<br/><br/>
<center>*******************************</center><br/><br/>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAowzmDKinBiXHQmIrNglsTFKicIu3N572dMcfniN8MIqZR5ixW3bsBSsyobtD4eLkVDWmSpUKuOeR__4CuShfH4xrT7oaqLSNOjmp_6A_WmJq8RJAk4ym11vyiOcCqvP1C3HFYiTjtyZW/s1600/arch+cycle+rack.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="465" data-original-width="823" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAowzmDKinBiXHQmIrNglsTFKicIu3N572dMcfniN8MIqZR5ixW3bsBSsyobtD4eLkVDWmSpUKuOeR__4CuShfH4xrT7oaqLSNOjmp_6A_WmJq8RJAk4ym11vyiOcCqvP1C3HFYiTjtyZW/s400/arch+cycle+rack.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From Norfolk, not Nottingham, but love these cycle racks in the grounds of an Abbey.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNTLMhhILq2T8vLNzu4_m9sZz5HCaAfCqqoCPf18TuinfmySvD4wD8NzknlW56k9YPd0uoKeBEKAOMyxK6_V5pyShOotSwcVZZpm-F2Kz5xsOye41Ym0bj-QUgFhtF1x29P629JXaN4hm8/s1600/parent+and+child+cycling.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="526" data-original-width="768" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNTLMhhILq2T8vLNzu4_m9sZz5HCaAfCqqoCPf18TuinfmySvD4wD8NzknlW56k9YPd0uoKeBEKAOMyxK6_V5pyShOotSwcVZZpm-F2Kz5xsOye41Ym0bj-QUgFhtF1x29P629JXaN4hm8/s400/parent+and+child+cycling.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you build it, they will come.</td></tr>
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Interesting data on cycle journeys on some roads in Nottingham. Noticeable how the numbers for Alfreton Rd (which is a major artery) are so low. Council comment that this may be due to a number of factors including good bus/tram services and and unpleasant experience on the road. As an aside, journey numbers on the new Castle Boulevard cycle path are often over 1000 per day.<br/><br/>
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Tail end of a FB conversation with Transport Nottingham on cycling through Jubilee Island:<br/><br/>
TN : A member of cycle team has been out to have a look at this and thinks that more could be done to improve viability for cyclists re-joining the road on Wollaton Road after using the toucan crossings across Western Boulevard....we’re drawing up plans to add in a drop curb further along so cyclists joining the road will have a better view of traffic coming off the roundabout. <br/><br/>
Ash : Thanks for this positive response, I really apppreciate the dept taking the time to actually go and look at the junction, and to propose improvements. That said, I think you might be missing a major hazard. If I understand correctly, the Councils recommended route is shown in Green in the image below - but this takes cyclists through a narrow, blind choke point with a pedestrian crossing immediately after it...This must already be causing conflict with pedestrians, resulting in resentment and anti-cycle attitudes. I'm not sure safety through this choke point can be maintained in the future if the number of cyclists increases significantly.<br/><br/>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaZfQrBzSl09C6F3KU3AmVvLzkRY0e5QbNTAj-RuOzOHsRTm8PMuk5GABKZrcqzGMCL98owrt1ghUPUtbFz9b08W0fFmC2VrLrVPMmwDP4x4kpHfnDBnbYqC7eNTmGZ_GW84odAAyL_zOh/s1600/Jubilee+II.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="478" data-original-width="946" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaZfQrBzSl09C6F3KU3AmVvLzkRY0e5QbNTAj-RuOzOHsRTm8PMuk5GABKZrcqzGMCL98owrt1ghUPUtbFz9b08W0fFmC2VrLrVPMmwDP4x4kpHfnDBnbYqC7eNTmGZ_GW84odAAyL_zOh/s640/Jubilee+II.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Comments on cycling through Jubilee Island - Jul 2019</td></tr>
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TN: Thanks your comments which we would agree with. If we are successful in getting funding to improve the Ring Road we will be working with design engineers from Sustrans to look at options as well as our own engineers, traffic signal engineers and road safety team. Our team has been compiling a list of potential schemes and issues that we want to address as part of a work package to improve the Ring Road. This has been added to that package.<br/><br/>
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Really love this little piece of cycling infrastructure in Nottingham. This little gap in the barrier allows cyclists to avoid having to cross two lanes of heavy traffic on Jubilee Island. Instead cyclists can use the safe pedestrian crossing and then nip through this gap and rejoin the carriageway and continue their journey. Every time I use it (which is every working day) I smile and say thank you to whoever thought to create the gap. <br/><br/>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvcIIL7AtDekbPA9tMvWGztWkVHA4t2WTVI8HbvDBdDLLLe7N05qQmWBf7TUElNbreQBocEheyNT1tDL1QkilW-5fEoGRkVXAK1b86eVl3sO9-9X-6daMMEBzyZQaFDVT6v5H55eVzc9QQ/s1600/barrier+space.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="571" data-original-width="1016" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvcIIL7AtDekbPA9tMvWGztWkVHA4t2WTVI8HbvDBdDLLLe7N05qQmWBf7TUElNbreQBocEheyNT1tDL1QkilW-5fEoGRkVXAK1b86eVl3sO9-9X-6daMMEBzyZQaFDVT6v5H55eVzc9QQ/s320/barrier+space.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Barrier Space on Jubilee Island</td></tr>
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You can let Nottingham Council know about potholes and other road defects at:
<a href="https://nottinghamcity.gov.uk/report-it/">www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/report-it</a>. <br/><br/>
And you can email the cycling dept at cycle.city@nottinghamcity.gov.uk<br/><br/>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIzv7bR_Gxim9R4EBcV85ghT0fww4kB-IHvyPkf4ljAU6cX4c1ZBf1Zi774TbVEwTcJFguNs6m03UZ4qdO80U6IEJxhXcLsWVTLk7A2FWgeZVB-OyWvLxHzsyX3XOwFgVoBfZ5preGK-Kn/s1600/A609+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIzv7bR_Gxim9R4EBcV85ghT0fww4kB-IHvyPkf4ljAU6cX4c1ZBf1Zi774TbVEwTcJFguNs6m03UZ4qdO80U6IEJxhXcLsWVTLk7A2FWgeZVB-OyWvLxHzsyX3XOwFgVoBfZ5preGK-Kn/s200/A609+1.JPG" width="100" /></a><br/>A609 around Russell Ave, many ruts and other defects, Jun 2019</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi74LrCBtvH2o8YoSWk_gRKeAudmbYgWW41_9j-LI_Gny3ApKasf-L_rUVt3rXzkazcftP5v5OSoPcJfhsklhESL_D-yPXlhVb-QNgxinc6LHPfzF-G_3onPm9c-ssjN2n4HAujoayBMsry/s1600/Bobbers+Mill+Repair.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="252" data-original-width="561" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi74LrCBtvH2o8YoSWk_gRKeAudmbYgWW41_9j-LI_Gny3ApKasf-L_rUVt3rXzkazcftP5v5OSoPcJfhsklhESL_D-yPXlhVb-QNgxinc6LHPfzF-G_3onPm9c-ssjN2n4HAujoayBMsry/s320/Bobbers+Mill+Repair.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXs8nofsF3_nNZ1LqNx-iL0UV2AjWBDCV1s7E3LD11oWGUHqv32kqLzCVcPyXENqR8zhMtRV5scCT6tT4HZQzWkB2yAl0yyntGKW4RMaC_Co2uk_50tHquMxbGKYOwjV_lcb_1Oylq1eoK/s1600/Inbound+near+340+Trowell+Road+Jun+2019inked.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXs8nofsF3_nNZ1LqNx-iL0UV2AjWBDCV1s7E3LD11oWGUHqv32kqLzCVcPyXENqR8zhMtRV5scCT6tT4HZQzWkB2yAl0yyntGKW4RMaC_Co2uk_50tHquMxbGKYOwjV_lcb_1Oylq1eoK/s320/Inbound+near+340+Trowell+Road+Jun+2019inked.JPG" width="100" /></a><br/>Inbound ~340 Trowell Rd, Jun 2019</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkEcB5di3IHheoefKTRy09EwaGrveTCaFfJADFL03w2mCCtQbIBOVnz3GKyyg0hKP06BU2MzbdY86X1gnYiLFcgwN0kp0mRBbxL5bqw19PjAWKjhqNwV4t4KfmSFW1powsIsp88xgGoZ1E/s1600/cinderhill+both.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="224" data-original-width="714" height="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkEcB5di3IHheoefKTRy09EwaGrveTCaFfJADFL03w2mCCtQbIBOVnz3GKyyg0hKP06BU2MzbdY86X1gnYiLFcgwN0kp0mRBbxL5bqw19PjAWKjhqNwV4t4KfmSFW1powsIsp88xgGoZ1E/s320/cinderhill+both.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5FdbDWXmjxRf-_BycLZ9qOHrTjVdUT3xnrWybalrt0IYmEpmae7_09v0ggNHfOznBrohXj-CqBnGsIntzE4exmQ1kCuxAcADU-YPDwfQGCwiWm_9hD49DaSf_XBU1Q5pYDbnYb2uvDW5-/s1600/before+after.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="303" data-original-width="509" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5FdbDWXmjxRf-_BycLZ9qOHrTjVdUT3xnrWybalrt0IYmEpmae7_09v0ggNHfOznBrohXj-CqBnGsIntzE4exmQ1kCuxAcADU-YPDwfQGCwiWm_9hD49DaSf_XBU1Q5pYDbnYb2uvDW5-/s400/before+after.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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May 2019 : Posters from @Pedals regarding cycle barriers:<br/><br/>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6p_AtPkMQnQJY-OrhyphenhyphenRSwwDLvc9cNgYXlLaXr5942B5qNvnwxHxTCxaCQajJNJonYBCku06q8nrVEA9gUJ1PKM43CiLHWa2IwULtrZTk7VxMuYwmA2Jaa4QMStDJJ1QhhNxgzspSNXwe0/s1600/barrier1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="1200" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6p_AtPkMQnQJY-OrhyphenhyphenRSwwDLvc9cNgYXlLaXr5942B5qNvnwxHxTCxaCQajJNJonYBCku06q8nrVEA9gUJ1PKM43CiLHWa2IwULtrZTk7VxMuYwmA2Jaa4QMStDJJ1QhhNxgzspSNXwe0/s320/barrier1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Update Jul 2019 : A cycle campaigner updated that "Woke up to a nice email today from Rushcliffe council. After the pedals demonstration and the meeting I had with the council afterwards, we got the barriers changed so that people with disabilities, cargo/child trailers and tandems can all use this worth while shared asset"<br/><br/>
The email from the council also comments that "The Council is looking at creating a Public Space Protection Order to give greater enforcement action against motorcyclists, but we can only do this if we can prove there is "persistent and continuing use" and this will require us to monitor the issue going forward before we can take further action"<br/><br/>
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Dec 2018 : Respect to Derbyshire County Council for the job the roads team have done resurfacing the Ilkeston A609 / A6007 roundabout (top of dual carriageway). REALLY SMOOOTH. No drops at the drains. Makes cycling much safer. Colleague comments that they could "cycle round it all day"! <br/><br/>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtLPZ2X6hi1JkQ_V_bRuoKhnPVsR4e2YNc8P6ETNxyTiKlAfYDGLbgDVFhyphenhyphengN18JHAPi7HtrxF7xQz3oFNknYIwHPlMP3CeFec0PGklM9FYcXoOw885NRQC8HnqXdU7ND1JCGT8-Zjt9op/s1600/roundabout.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="446" data-original-width="477" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtLPZ2X6hi1JkQ_V_bRuoKhnPVsR4e2YNc8P6ETNxyTiKlAfYDGLbgDVFhyphenhyphengN18JHAPi7HtrxF7xQz3oFNknYIwHPlMP3CeFec0PGklM9FYcXoOw885NRQC8HnqXdU7ND1JCGT8-Zjt9op/s320/roundabout.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Resurfaced A609 / A6007 roundabout in Ilkeston. Smooth!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPYPv9ZTa3Z68U5XlvOif8Gfi93_u3RjUOnl8z75sC2QuQGptnss7egb-1o1dkZeM85itoRY7gyYETzmQVUMes3_WBvvktx4MhC3UxE1Yd8VbvBRdBOzoq1Rj-TGhHzZD6aqp43l02_ZTi/s1600/surface.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="441" data-original-width="301" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPYPv9ZTa3Z68U5XlvOif8Gfi93_u3RjUOnl8z75sC2QuQGptnss7egb-1o1dkZeM85itoRY7gyYETzmQVUMes3_WBvvktx4MhC3UxE1Yd8VbvBRdBOzoq1Rj-TGhHzZD6aqp43l02_ZTi/s400/surface.JPG" width="272" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tweet to Say "Good Job!" to Derbyshire Roads</td></tr>
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<center>*********************************************************</center><br/><br/>
Lots of stuff on the Nottingham Council Website about cycling: <br/>
<a href="https://www.transportnottingham.com/cycling/">https://www.transportnottingham.com/cycling/</a><br/><br/>
<center>*********************************************************</center><br/><br/>
Resurfaced Birdcage Walk makes cycling along this route much easier than the previous lumpy surface. <br/><br/>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinaw0AcY3_auCLpQA5nYz5iZjX3T2TgGf7vfYLrirv7H2l9etgbnqYMpKZDPWo49bJzBBxX1Ingndrh8t9_3HcXfMbNgbawhWZQ8VO4aQdMu9TeGlWfZkXQbgqTVYHT43orXcEqE0jQqOE/s1600/leen+cycle+path.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="658" data-original-width="649" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinaw0AcY3_auCLpQA5nYz5iZjX3T2TgGf7vfYLrirv7H2l9etgbnqYMpKZDPWo49bJzBBxX1Ingndrh8t9_3HcXfMbNgbawhWZQ8VO4aQdMu9TeGlWfZkXQbgqTVYHT43orXcEqE0jQqOE/s320/leen+cycle+path.JPG" width="315" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Resurfaced Birdcage Walk, Dec 2018</td></tr>
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<br />
More on this project here : <a href="https://www.transportnottingham.com/projects/river-leen-multi-user-path-improvements/">https://www.transportnottingham.com/projects/river-leen-multi-user-path-improvements/</a><br/><br/>
<center>*********************************************************</center><br/><br/>
Link to : <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/cycling-and-walking-investment-strategy-cwis-safety-review?">Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy (CWIS) Consultation</a><br/><br/>
<blockquote>
<i>"Detail of outcome<br/>
The main outcomes are that [the Government] will:<br/>
i) review the existing guidance in the Highway Code to improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians<br/>
ii) invest £100,000 to support police enforcement by developing a national back office function to handle dash-cam footage<br/>
iii) improve enforcement against parking in cycle lanes<br/>
iv)appoint a cycle and walking champion<br/>
v) encourage local authorities to increase investment in cycling and walking infrastructure to 15% of total transport infrastructure spending<br/>
vi) engage with cycling and walking bodies to develop a behaviour change campaign<br/><br/>"</i></blockquote>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMpYBV4R4OZ5b6pUVztHFz-jEAom3hmfVPRsUa3j8_f0y2KGoJDuOQBwuyoc27ChQs83XlPryiyscuK9HQJqxTuS01bnFM49J6dZYAcBq5ZD6_Nl1PPbKxagdBPx4_oaWHC1oZLI2yaSy7/s1600/big+track.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMpYBV4R4OZ5b6pUVztHFz-jEAom3hmfVPRsUa3j8_f0y2KGoJDuOQBwuyoc27ChQs83XlPryiyscuK9HQJqxTuS01bnFM49J6dZYAcBq5ZD6_Nl1PPbKxagdBPx4_oaWHC1oZLI2yaSy7/s400/big+track.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love that Nottingham Council trim the foliage by the Big Track<br />
sent an email to Council to say thanks!</td></tr>
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<u><b>Jul : Tending Cycle Paths</b></u><br />
Sent a Tweet to Notts Council to say thank you for this...<br /><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7hqBupBjHyB2c06uTCHC9v8tTMx_-xGjik1gen8F1BKbwPRCszcHyaRp1VmxJi5Z0GU5IJr1l0FC1F7ukzKIyWK_g97wDHIXFkap-tYnJYYXcA7fH6ae8ylpsudYk1KLThu1D52UGg_nC/s1600/before.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7hqBupBjHyB2c06uTCHC9v8tTMx_-xGjik1gen8F1BKbwPRCszcHyaRp1VmxJi5Z0GU5IJr1l0FC1F7ukzKIyWK_g97wDHIXFkap-tYnJYYXcA7fH6ae8ylpsudYk1KLThu1D52UGg_nC/s1600/before.JPG" height="240" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Was intending to complain to council about poor tending of foliage<br />alongside cycle paths near the Trent...</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB2lSV2TiC3D8_ML_z8vRON9oqqOqJsqzp0C2fXX8Mjdv4PLgVmEkcmvxmy8xy-knhYW9Nu7DawNUaIiQL9ggMY-7te6zncv-BYljG7GPvyu6v0iY0P5z14hmqpblaHyyDFasz-addnWkP/s1600/after.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB2lSV2TiC3D8_ML_z8vRON9oqqOqJsqzp0C2fXX8Mjdv4PLgVmEkcmvxmy8xy-knhYW9Nu7DawNUaIiQL9ggMY-7te6zncv-BYljG7GPvyu6v0iY0P5z14hmqpblaHyyDFasz-addnWkP/s1600/after.JPG" height="240" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">.... but they appear to have read my mind and this is how it looked <br />a few days later.</td></tr>
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<a name="l"></a>
<i><blockquote>Dear Cllr Urquhart,<br / ><br / >
I'm hoping you can reassure me that Nottingham Council would never be so insane as to install "Killer Armadillos" on the roads of our fair city.<br / ><br / >
Because that it what they have done in Salford and, as an occasional cyclist, they scare the living daylights out of me!<br / ><br / >
Details here : <br / ><br / >
<a href="http://salfordstar.com/article.asp?id=2471">http://salfordstar.com/article.asp?id=2471</a><br /><br /></blockquote></i>
They are manufactured by <a href="http://www.cyclehoop.com/">Cyclehoop</a>, whose range of products is otherwise <a href="http://www.cyclehoop.com/product/bike-racks-and-cycle-stands/car-bike-port/">awesome</a> - so its a bit odd that they have had such a brain-fail with the <a href="http://www.cyclehoop.com/product/cycle-lane-safety/armadillos/">Armadillo</a>.<br /><br />
Beezodogsplace talks about them <a href="http://www.beezodogsplace.com/2014/04/10/armadillos-the-emperors-new-infrastructure/">here</a>.<br /><br />
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<u><b>Ride along parts of the Nutbrook Trail and Erewash Valley Trails (Sep 2016)</b></u></span></div>
<br />
<br />
By pure chance it turned out that BFTF was cycling to work on <a href="https://www.cycletoworkday.org/">National Cycle to Work Day</a>, so took the opportunity to ride home the scenic way, via the Nutbrook Trail and Erewash Valley Trails. Some pics and bloggage below!<br />
<br />
BFTF joined the <a href="https://www.derbyshire.gov.uk/images/Nutbrook%202011_tcm44-194922.pdf">Nutbrook trail</a> at Shipley Country Park. The Nutbrook Trail follows the route of the dismantled Stanton railway branch line, which no doubt explains is gentle gradients...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUENbYpYryVKXLO9D3W6rvBuudJsVTDtwB1idimiPZPqY3g2x6PE4nKn0aRFwC8W5-f7oSdBHcA-CNpHuO_4D46YQZga0-Htj_PtJt785rH5HbKrhLmapdrNvRhrvJOS8E9W6vew37NhAA/s1600/1+nutbrook+path.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUENbYpYryVKXLO9D3W6rvBuudJsVTDtwB1idimiPZPqY3g2x6PE4nKn0aRFwC8W5-f7oSdBHcA-CNpHuO_4D46YQZga0-Htj_PtJt785rH5HbKrhLmapdrNvRhrvJOS8E9W6vew37NhAA/s320/1+nutbrook+path.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Nutbrook Trail takes you away from the traffic and into the countryside</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The <a href="http://www.thebigwheel.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Erewash-leaflet.pdf">Erewash Valley Trail</a> is the result of funding and development by a range of <a href="http://www.broxtowe.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=7415">partners</a>, including : <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO8SV9RQUWIWItMwXje6zC9-RvFPZrtLjur6awVCry0YPSspofzxCc_9f6Lydv5Fk3aaYib4_uBVPoFvsRdwsRFBo1I45vS-8L9w0zwMqDMv0bBfnck4R2LLKhaNWoLXNm1akrtHQCKD06/s1600/Erewash+Trail+Development+Partners.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO8SV9RQUWIWItMwXje6zC9-RvFPZrtLjur6awVCry0YPSspofzxCc_9f6Lydv5Fk3aaYib4_uBVPoFvsRdwsRFBo1I45vS-8L9w0zwMqDMv0bBfnck4R2LLKhaNWoLXNm1akrtHQCKD06/s320/Erewash+Trail+Development+Partners.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Erewash Trail Development Partners</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
BFTF is very grateful for their foresight and perseverance in making this wonderful trail a reality.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtS4FRnbo-ubx9yMRZvzQBu-E2lgZWd6mGT5vuNJtFou4wCdg9sLD3ZlLkLc68ERVjHNnO0rY4AeLpJwGWun9nENRXwcz_WocZsyxZqb93zUz2us3IJsXyrNhR8Q9XPQZPQtSftD21g4o-/s1600/9+erewash+sun.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtS4FRnbo-ubx9yMRZvzQBu-E2lgZWd6mGT5vuNJtFou4wCdg9sLD3ZlLkLc68ERVjHNnO0rY4AeLpJwGWun9nENRXwcz_WocZsyxZqb93zUz2us3IJsXyrNhR8Q9XPQZPQtSftD21g4o-/s320/9+erewash+sun.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sometimes the scenery is too pretty for words</td></tr>
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmfR3pSCm02wPl7H4j3xljv0tiSkdrAh8AmVyAxT94rjWBgS6SmlSPukNrb2Ym_84KXFchXN8WugT_mqwNdg5xoNc6sOZfvITkFuhNywdrLupPEsLpVGHw5UE3KTd1AjFGQeksDUa8b4mL/s1600/14+erewash+swan.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmfR3pSCm02wPl7H4j3xljv0tiSkdrAh8AmVyAxT94rjWBgS6SmlSPukNrb2Ym_84KXFchXN8WugT_mqwNdg5xoNc6sOZfvITkFuhNywdrLupPEsLpVGHw5UE3KTd1AjFGQeksDUa8b4mL/s320/14+erewash+swan.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Well, hello there Mr Teenager Swan!</td></tr>
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPEBSR3WQG_7RzQW65zDWyZ6lJ6QKLY7-B6oDFZkI75RnyHiXk8_stoncsJ6fbZOwB_Zpm4bjp1ewipZEx9GpoWkqnMh3eVKPpOejsEYRLkF_PB3ckSQZNvogPJrh2hinHPJZPsG8CP-jJ/s1600/18+erewash+trent+sunset.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPEBSR3WQG_7RzQW65zDWyZ6lJ6QKLY7-B6oDFZkI75RnyHiXk8_stoncsJ6fbZOwB_Zpm4bjp1ewipZEx9GpoWkqnMh3eVKPpOejsEYRLkF_PB3ckSQZNvogPJrh2hinHPJZPsG8CP-jJ/s320/18+erewash+trent+sunset.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Setting sun at Trent Lock - better get a move on if want to get home before dark!</td></tr>
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTYXub3_Q39caLftIkwTLEbuYJAV2j8y9c8WmsBwGucCZCopb9Xn08y3oW_4TKAxlPlhf1anzY7OMa0RfxfUqBvxRiexNehyuu9YWwivTCIcRokhz0TccyrPN2JWbBhjtYO26GdqH8CpHQ/s1600/19+erewash+dog+sign.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTYXub3_Q39caLftIkwTLEbuYJAV2j8y9c8WmsBwGucCZCopb9Xn08y3oW_4TKAxlPlhf1anzY7OMa0RfxfUqBvxRiexNehyuu9YWwivTCIcRokhz0TccyrPN2JWbBhjtYO26GdqH8CpHQ/s320/19+erewash+dog+sign.JPG" width="267" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cracks me up every time!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3010474775078886324.post-85903653384142642402019-06-16T08:25:00.004-07:002019-06-16T08:46:10.116-07:00Talk : Nottingham's role in discovering the structure of DNA<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Interesting British Science Association talk recently by Prof Stephen Harding at the University of Nottingham on Nottingham's role in the discovery of the structure of DNA. A video of the talk, with a great deal more information than is in these partial notes, can be found on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQHYSixvKVY">Youtube</a>. <br/><br/>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ok9ZuEEPPq-4X7G4L0vmgsFm45RGaK6X5MAK8UlJxr5qgHECuHE6igDw1Fixes19Z6sSqneTkMq9Vf8U1szGEUVMjuLejhYVmDaRrtO5rmvSzU4gcGwFeIr83Lr-vs-IaL-mdxC3EibC/s1600/speaker.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="529" data-original-width="306" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ok9ZuEEPPq-4X7G4L0vmgsFm45RGaK6X5MAK8UlJxr5qgHECuHE6igDw1Fixes19Z6sSqneTkMq9Vf8U1szGEUVMjuLejhYVmDaRrtO5rmvSzU4gcGwFeIr83Lr-vs-IaL-mdxC3EibC/s320/speaker.JPG" width="185" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prof Harding</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCn_r-a_at7TQcqoL4tgJwsN6UbPDG4RYD4mA9sHNXYZXMsf1mfWTdS2BSGzoUX_2ahN0TQXLMF0mvupdYBsk9Li9o09T0XBqiq6HzvbCtTaH5eRa8dSLroK8IUz2DQPki8d9SJDbGkMBQ/s1600/Eukaryote_DNA-en.svg.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="632" data-original-width="1024" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCn_r-a_at7TQcqoL4tgJwsN6UbPDG4RYD4mA9sHNXYZXMsf1mfWTdS2BSGzoUX_2ahN0TQXLMF0mvupdYBsk9Li9o09T0XBqiq6HzvbCtTaH5eRa8dSLroK8IUz2DQPki8d9SJDbGkMBQ/s320/Eukaryote_DNA-en.svg.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Where DNA is located in cells(<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DNA#/media/File:Eukaryote_DNA-en.svg">source</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Prof Harding began by taking the audience back to Germany in 1869, where Johanns Friedrich Miescher first discovered and isolated <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nucleic_acid">nucleic acid</a> from white blood cells. <br/><br/>
Later, in 1910, Phoebus Levene, who was working at the Rockefeller Institute in New York, identified the components of DNA but believed that they were organised in a fixed, repeating structure, and thus unable to carry information. Instead, the scientific consensus at the time was that the proteins in chromosones were where the genetic information was encoded. DNA was viewed as perhaps being a store of phosphorus.<br/><br/>
Moving forward to 1938, Prof Harding talked about Florence Bell and William Astbury at Leeds University who performed some of the first X-ray crystallography[a method of determining chemical structure] studies of DNA (see <a href="https://www.leeds.ac.uk/heritage/Astbury/Bell_Thesis/index.html">here</a> for more information). Although they had impure samples they were able to discern a layered structure and the distance between the DNA units - information that would be valuable to later researchers.<br/><br/>
It was then noted that the DNA content of cells doubled just before cell division, putting the focus back on DNA as a possible location for the genetic code. This view was bolstered by experiments by Oswald Avery, again at the Rockefeller Institute.<br/><br/>
It was around this time that Nottingham (or rather University College Nottingham, as it was then) played an important role in the understanding of DNA, with three key papers being published in 1947 by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Masson_Gulland">Professor John Masson Gulland</a> and colleagues <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denis_Jordan">Denis Jordan</a>, Cedric Threlfall, and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Creeth">Michael Creeth</a>, with the work being done in what is now B34.9, in the languages section of the Trent Building, Nottingham University Campus.<br/><br/>
The first paper described how to produce high quality DNA samples, critical to obtaining useful information from crystallography studies. The paper showed how an untracentrifuge could be used to improve the purity of the samples, together with rigouous attention to detail throughout the testing process: <br/>
Gulland JM, Jordan D. O., and Threlfall C. J., (1947) Deoxypentose nucleic acids. Part I. Preparation of the tetrasodium salt of the deoxypentose nucleic acid of calf thymus. J Chem Soc. 1947; 25: 1129–31<br /><br />
The second paper investigated the viscosity of DNA and found the viscosity to be relatively high, suggesting that it was a long rod like molecule, unlike protein molecules which were typical round and compact.<br/>
Creeth, J.M., Gulland, J.M. and Jordan, D.O. (1947) Deoxypentose nucleic acids. Part III. Viscosity and streaming birefringence of solutions of the sodium salt of the deoxypentose nucleic acid of calf thymus. J. Chem. Soc. 1947,25 1141–1145<br /><br />
The third paper showed that something was preventing the amine groups from reacting, suggesting the presence of hydrogen bonds. In his PhD thesis of 1947, Creeth correctly predicted that DNA consisted of two chains, connected by hydrogen bonds that were strong enough to hold the chains together but weak enough to allow the two chains to be pulled apart and copied during cell division. Creeth also suggested that DNA might have a helical form, based on the tendency of nature to coil up large natural structures.<br/>
JM Gulland; DO Jordan; HF Taylor; (1947) Deoxypentose nucleic acids; Part II electrometric titration of the acidic and the basic groups of the deoxypentose nucleic acid of calf thymus. J Chem Soc. 1947; 25:1131–41.<br /><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1oy_3b_V2m-SRYyG_Nmf2bUfWKqroSuuignS8YRTQlgDKYjKiQ8K-sq5Rg0TxZ4eGaqeO27mX84w5tP_1jLLWZx-O5m8MgIvyvt25TlBAtTAyJc9A6SqD7p7VmPFJjC7IzUBrZ04eJzpO/s1600/creeth+current+comparison.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="618" data-original-width="584" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1oy_3b_V2m-SRYyG_Nmf2bUfWKqroSuuignS8YRTQlgDKYjKiQ8K-sq5Rg0TxZ4eGaqeO27mX84w5tP_1jLLWZx-O5m8MgIvyvt25TlBAtTAyJc9A6SqD7p7VmPFJjC7IzUBrZ04eJzpO/s320/creeth+current+comparison.JPG" width="302" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Comparison of Creeth's proposed DNA structure (left) with actual DNA structure(right)(<a href="http://www.biochemsoctrans.org/content/early/2018/09/05/BST20180158">link</a>)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiki-cF6grMjz_gXaIHZCCuWKtEFiN6srvoowAu4UpRSy5CpawJdzl02uZyLcEjS3pv1-0Ek3G-78vmhEYDX5Mw7CoQdwPkdWjkTpiE0DcPZqjnx8-j8mA1Km3bCX_x41KZEscxKNdwoyE/s1600/creeth+dna+structure.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="586" data-original-width="236" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiki-cF6grMjz_gXaIHZCCuWKtEFiN6srvoowAu4UpRSy5CpawJdzl02uZyLcEjS3pv1-0Ek3G-78vmhEYDX5Mw7CoQdwPkdWjkTpiE0DcPZqjnx8-j8mA1Km3bCX_x41KZEscxKNdwoyE/s320/creeth+dna+structure.JPG" width="128" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Model of Creeth's DNA structure</td></tr>
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Soon after, however, the team dispersed which ended the departments frontline research into DNA.<br/><br/>
These papers proved very useful to later researchers. Watson James Watson (who, together with Francis Crick finally decoded the structure of DNA) wrote that "...a rereading of J. M. Gulland's and D. O. Jordan's papers...made me finally realize the strength of their conclusion that a large fraction, if not all, of the bases formed hydrogen bonds to other bases." <br/><br/>
Creeth also later commented “In hindsight, we had been given not just a glimpse, but a good view of that particular bonding that is nothing less than the key to life on this planet.”<br/><br/>
In 1950 to so-called "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erwin_Chargaff#Chargaff's_rules">Chargraff Rules</a>" were formed, one of which stated that, of the four "letters" in the DNA code - C, A G and T; there is an equal amount of A and T and equal amounts of C and G. This is important as it hints at the way DNA stores information. If you have one strand of the double helix, you can work out what the other strand will be as A will always be paired with T and C will always be paired with G. This is also how nature can take DNA and make an exact copy.<br/><br/>
1952 X ray diffraction images of highly purified DNA. The value of this can be seen when comparing the X-ray images of DNA from Florence Bell in 1938 (left) and Rosalind Franklin (right) - the cross seen at the centre of the image on the right was a clear indicator of a twisted helix structure.<br/><br/>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFj8HcoEXUJTrudXVK_U6bjOLflAp3lesmZnP6Zx4vMbwCMMaimt00UWRGjV_4FY92CqTFoi_fx8gFvpbF8JFWVFgyLnJ9yk65q6LAO15X_ku5B_GunM6DCzQkmi95xoMFend9NByD_vB2/s1600/florence+bell+DNA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="342" data-original-width="350" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFj8HcoEXUJTrudXVK_U6bjOLflAp3lesmZnP6Zx4vMbwCMMaimt00UWRGjV_4FY92CqTFoi_fx8gFvpbF8JFWVFgyLnJ9yk65q6LAO15X_ku5B_GunM6DCzQkmi95xoMFend9NByD_vB2/s320/florence+bell+DNA.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1938 Xray Diffraction (Bell and Astbury)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgchmmT-_fo0Rm4g3u2AnVc4q7iAFYJY1nVn02JWPDsA00aFYHNeyZRgBUX-YuyefMgNbGFit52Epj8HVGFGb0WUUQgQf6OezRfKdJ4fGVJpJk7GnQvIV-vZsUZTXDlaSyzskZGtt7AqTbW/s1600/Photo_51_x-ray_diffraction_image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="322" data-original-width="317" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgchmmT-_fo0Rm4g3u2AnVc4q7iAFYJY1nVn02JWPDsA00aFYHNeyZRgBUX-YuyefMgNbGFit52Epj8HVGFGb0WUUQgQf6OezRfKdJ4fGVJpJk7GnQvIV-vZsUZTXDlaSyzskZGtt7AqTbW/s320/Photo_51_x-ray_diffraction_image.jpg" width="315" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1952 X ray, with central cross showing evidence of a helical structure (Franklin and Gosling)(<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photo_51">source</a>)</td></tr>
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Finally, and famously, it was Watson and Crick who, in 1953, were able to determine the structure of DNA, using information from a number of sources. Prof Harding mentioned that the story is well told in the 1987 Jeff Goldblum starring film "Race for the Double Helix"/"Life Story" which is available <a href="https://vimeo.com/179934156">here</a>.<br/><br/>
Worth noting that there were a great many researchers also trying to solve this puzzle. For example, just a few months earlier, in Feb 1953, , Months earlier, Linus Pauling and Robert Corey, in the US, proposed a model for nucleic acids containing three intertwined chains, with the phosphates near the axis, and the bases on the outside. Pauling later said that his lack of access to the high quality Xray crystallography images being generated in the UK at the time by Rosalind Franklin were a factor in his structure being incorrect.<br /><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHLHOl5ZkLetwi2cVMF2-pQJVCLCWPJgEDFwHJuRgaSWALP4975dqNMa0WMTyW8ES8d_t0guBUdKiy7R8d3ECMomFOC1MZRGcOXarQytrbBjG3AyxxUH5QMNDcpVPSqEriOaQGz07wLxtb/s1600/dna+detail.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="483" data-original-width="429" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHLHOl5ZkLetwi2cVMF2-pQJVCLCWPJgEDFwHJuRgaSWALP4975dqNMa0WMTyW8ES8d_t0guBUdKiy7R8d3ECMomFOC1MZRGcOXarQytrbBjG3AyxxUH5QMNDcpVPSqEriOaQGz07wLxtb/s320/dna+detail.JPG" width="284" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Detailed structure of DNA, showing location of hydrogen bonds and Sugar-Phosphate backbones</td></tr>
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Below are a number of links to further articles on Nottingham's role in the story of DNA:<br />
http://www.biochemsoctrans.org/content/early/2018/09/05/BST20180158<br />
https://www.realclearscience.com/articles/2017/11/14/the_forgotten_scientist_whose_work_led_to_finding_dnas_structure_110456.html<br />
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/300532397_James_Michael_Creeth_1924-2010<br />
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/dr-michael-creeth-scientist-who-helped-pave-the-way-for-watson-and-crick-1930695.html<br />
https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/ncmh/documents/papers/Paper340.pdf<br />
https://www.chemistryworld.com/news/the-dna-story/3003946.article<br /><br/>
If you want to really dig deep, Wiki <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_molecular_biology">page on Molecular Biology</a> is a fascinating place to start. <br /><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3010474775078886324.post-8263937242489759192019-02-06T14:34:00.003-08:002019-02-06T14:35:47.561-08:00Questions to Nottingham Conservatives <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><a href="#9"> </a><a name="9"></a>
Some questions that have been posed to Nottingham Conservatives, so far without the courtesy of a reply.<br/><br/>
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Nov 2018: <br/><br/>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm shocked by what Dominic Raab has done. Are you?</td></tr>
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renewable_energy_in_the_United_Kingdom">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renewable_energy_in_the_United_Kingdom</a><br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renewable_Energy_Directive_2009">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renewable_Energy_Directive_2009</a><br /><br />
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<a href="https://www.disabilitynewsservice.com/dwp-quietly-dumps-plan-to-trial-softer-sanctions-regime/">https://www.disabilitynewsservice.com/dwp-quietly-dumps-plan-to-trial-softer-sanctions-regime/</a><br/>
<a href="https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201617/cmselect/cmpubacc/775/77505.htm#_idTextAnchor007">https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201617/cmselect/cmpubacc/775/77505.htm#_idTextAnchor007</a><br/><br/>
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Dec 2018: <br/><br/>
<i><blockquote>Hello Nottingham Conservatives, did you know that it was on this day in 1990 that it became possible to walk from Britain to France as the last wall of rock separating two halves of the Channel Tunnel was removed? Feels like another, much happier, time, no? Well, unless you had a mortgage to service of course (14% interest rates - Lordy!). <br/><br/>
Anyway, I digress, quick question : Sarah Newton, minister for disabled people, health and work, told MPs recently that the customer satisfaction rating for PIP has risen from 76% to 87%.<br/><br/>
However, according to "Benefits and Work" :<br/><br/>
"The feedback is collected by the company that undertook the assessment and is not anonymous. , This means that the claimant is likely to be very wary of criticising the health professional, for fear that it may result in a more negative assessment.<br/><br/>
The assessment companies have targets to meet for positive feedback. This gives them a strong incentive to try to ensure that they only collect feedback that they believe is likely to be positive.<br/><br/>
The feedback questions do not deal with the accuracy of the report or whether any additional evidence provided was taken into account. Yet it is failings in these areas that cause a great deal of dissatisfaction amongst claimants.<br/><br/>
The sample sizes are very small and there is now way of knowing if they are representative. For example, what proportion of those sampled have physical health conditions and what proportion mental health conditions? It may be that people with some conditions have a much better or worse experience than others. We also don’t know how many were home visits and how many took place at assessment centres."<br/>
My question is to ask whether this Government is incompetent at collecting data or whether it is willfully using misleading data to mask the fact that disabled people - DISABLED PEOPLE ! - are routinely having their assessments misreported, are often treated without compassion and are often left in dire economic straits under extreme stress?<br/><br/>
Hoping you can advise, Best Regards, Ash</blockquote></i><br/><br/>
<a href="https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/news/3761-scandal-of-positive-pip-feedback">https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/news/3761-scandal-of-positive-pip-feedback</a><br/>
<a href="https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/news/3840-video-recording-of-pip-assessments-begins-as-customer-satisfaction-skyrockets">https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/news/3840-video-recording-of-pip-assessments-begins-as-customer-satisfaction-skyrockets</a><br/><br/>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1st Jul 2018</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4th Nov 2018</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4th Oct 2018</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">7th Oct 2018</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">10th Feb 2018</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">17th Feb 2018 (part 1)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">17th Feb 2018 Part 2</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">22nd Jul 2018</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">23rd Dec 2017</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">28 Oct 2018</td></tr>
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10Feb2018: Apparently, one can no longer post on the Nottingham Conservatives page, so, if are listening NottsCons, here is a question. Why are you removing free school meals for children whose families earn more that £7,400?<br/><br/>
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17Feb2018 : Hello @nottinghamconservaties. Still can't post on your page so hope you see this message. Apparently the welfare system is so difficult to navigate that people are deliberately going to jail because they can't get the help they are due and are starving. I think that is shameful. What do you think? (<a href="https://www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk/fp/dundee-toothbrush-thief-begs-go-prison-sanctioned-dwp/">Link</a> to case of Andrea Westwater)<br/><br/>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dec 2017</td></tr>
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09MAy2017 : Shocked by the tone of the Zac Goldsmith Campaign. Are you going to challenge David Cameron to back up his claims re Mr Gani?
<a href="http://bftfblog.blogspot.co.uk/2016/05/zac-goldsmiths-2016-london-mayoral.html">http://bftfblog.blogspot.co.uk/2016/05/zac-goldsmiths-2016-london-mayoral.html</a><br/><br/>
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22Oct2017 : Disgusting that benefits claimants, already on the breadline, have to wait 6 weeks before receiving any welfare payments. How can they (and their children for goodness sake) possibly get through this period? Utterly shameful and vindictive policy. What are you doing to get this policy cancelled?<br/><br/>
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18Nov2017: Having previously voted down a bill to ensure rental accomodation was fit for human habitation (what is the matter with you, for the love of God?), have you now realised how shameful your previous behaviour was - will you now support Karen Buck's private members bill on the issue?<a href="https://england.shelter.org.uk/support_us/campaigns/fitness_for_human_habitation">https://england.shelter.org.uk/support_us/campaigns/fitness_for_human_habitation</a><br/><br/>
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23Dec 2017 :Appalled by the examples of families having to live in disgusting B&B accomodation for long periods of time. Cannot understand why the Conservatives voted against making rented accomodation fit for human habitation. Maybe you can explain it to me?<br/>
<a href="http://www.lgo.org.uk/information-centre/news/2017/dec/changing-face-of-homelessness-highlighted-in-ombudsman-report">http://www.lgo.org.uk/information-centre/news/2017/dec/changing-face-of-homelessness-highlighted-in-ombudsman-report</a><br/>
<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/jan/12/tories-reject-move-to-ensure-rented-homes-fit-for-human-habitation">https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/jan/12/tories-reject-move-to-ensure-rented-homes-fit-for-human-habitation</a><br/><br/>
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</div></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3010474775078886324.post-22536116962799669722019-01-08T13:12:00.002-08:002019-01-08T13:13:20.661-08:00Nottingham Blogs and websites<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><a href="#9"> </a><a name="9"></a>
Some blogs and websites about Nottingham, all live as of Jan 2019. <br /><br />
<a href="http://thecatswhiskersonline.co.uk/about/">http://thecatswhiskersonline.co.uk/about/</a><br />
Nottingham Panthers Fanzine<br /><br />
<a href="https://beestonia.wordpress.com/">https://beestonia.wordpress.com/</a><br />
News and politics from Beeston<br /><br />
<a href="http://nottinghamconfidential.blogspot.co.uk/">http://nottinghamconfidential.blogspot.co.uk/</a><br />
Everything you ever wanted to know about Nottingham, confidentially.<br /><br />
<a href="http://nottshistory.blogspot.co.uk/">http://nottshistory.blogspot.co.uk/</a><br />
News and snippets of information about Nottinghamshire's history.<br /><br />
<a href=" http://thenottinghamfoodblog.com/"><br />
http://thenottinghamfoodblog.com/<br />
</a>Marcus Darwent, My Food Hunt through Nottinghamshire, @myfoodhunt<br /><br />
<a href="http://andreasbieler.blogspot.co.uk/">http://andreasbieler.blogspot.co.uk/</a><br />
Trade unions and global restructuring. <br />
Andreas Bieler is Prof of Political Economy at the UoN. (@Andreas_Bieler)<br /><br />
<a href="http://www.nottinghamcivicsociety.org.uk/interesting-links">http://www.nottinghamcivicsociety.org.uk/interesting-links</a><br />
Nottingham Civic Society, formed in 1962<br /><br />
<a href="http://www.nottingham21.co.uk/index.htm">http://www.nottingham21.co.uk/index.htm</a><br />
Photography of Nottingham<br /><br />
<a href="http://www.thorotonsociety.org.uk/events.htm">http://www.thorotonsociety.org.uk/events.htm</a><br />
Nottinghamshire's principal historical and archaeological society, formed in 1897 <br /><br />
<a href="http://www.nottshistory.org.uk/whatsnew.htm">http://www.nottshistory.org.uk/whatsnew.htm</a><br />
History and archaeology of Nottinghamshire.<br /><br />
<a href="http://www.nottsheritagegateway.org.uk/">http://www.nottsheritagegateway.org.uk/
</a><br />
A guide to guide to the heritage resources of Nottinghamshire.<br /><br />
</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3010474775078886324.post-68173027764881898102018-12-23T19:03:00.001-08:002018-12-23T22:41:57.453-08:00Notes from "23 Things They Don't Tell You About Capitalism" by Ha-Joon Chang<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><a href="#9"> </a><a name="9"></a>
This post is based on some notes from reading the very interesting book "<a href="https://www.hive.co.uk/Product/Ha-Joon-Chang/23-Things-They-Dont-Tell-You-About-Capitalism/358589">23 Things They Don't Tell You About Capitalism</a>" by <a href="http://hajoonchang.net/">Ha-Joon Chang</a>, 2010 (it's a great book, covering much more than is in this post, recommend you get a copy!), together with some additional linkage and comments. <br/><br/>
Ha-Joon Chang is a South Korean institutional economist, specialising in development economics. Currently a reader in the Political Economy of Development at the University of Cambridge, Chang is the author of several widely discussed policy books, In 2013 Prospect magazine ranked Chang as one of the top 20 World Thinkers. He has served as a consultant to the World Bank, Oxfam and various United Nations agencies. In addition, Chang serves on the advisory board of Academics Stand Against Poverty (ASAP).<br/><br/>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKJsgdHNbG8CpavnZgHES5uKQJxsNxeFaB4yVPRw18y8oPvvd6GxZtHQMDNxs70QVUvzzvav7HWbg94y-hw5u_VmKZ5h_NWcsNegjGr5fEh5QrBGNKtYRercSBhUixMKtlGk9Dv4BA3fY8/s1600/23+things.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="236" data-original-width="157" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKJsgdHNbG8CpavnZgHES5uKQJxsNxeFaB4yVPRw18y8oPvvd6GxZtHQMDNxs70QVUvzzvav7HWbg94y-hw5u_VmKZ5h_NWcsNegjGr5fEh5QrBGNKtYRercSBhUixMKtlGk9Dv4BA3fY8/s1600/23+things.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">23 Things They Didn't Tell You About Capitalism</td></tr>
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<br />
<u><b>The boundaries of "Free Trade" are always political</u></b><br/>
Proponents of unfettered free trade often say that government regulation gets in the way of efficient market operation.<br/><br/>
In reality, all markets have some kind of regulated boundaries and free marketeers can be as political as anyone. For example, and perhaps of relevance to todays so-called "gig economy", is the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotton_Mills_and_Factories_Act_1819">Cotton Mills and Factories Act 1819</a>, which banned children under 9 working in cotton mills, and restricted the hours of 9-16yr olds to a maximum of 12hrs per day.<br/><br/>
Not even the most evangelical of free traders would oppose these laws today, but at the time they were opposed on the basis that :<br/>
1) The working conditions of the children did not require any legislation.<br/>
2) The Bill interfered with free labor (essentially "The mill owners want labour, the kids need to work, what's the problem?")<br/>
3) The Bill would make the British industry uncompetitive on the world market.<br/>
4) Enlightened Mill owners already had good working conditions, over time the rest would also.<br/>
5) Restricting the hours of children would mean millowners would employ men rather than children - rather than benefiting children the Bill would make them unemployable.<br/><br/>
More recently, similar arguments have been made against vehicle emissions regulations.
Chang comments that <i>"If some markets look free, it is only because we so totally accept the regulations that are propping them up that they become invisible"</i>.<br/><br/>
These "invisible" regulations cover aspects such as licensing for professions such as doctors; who can sell shares; consumer protections; immigration; and many other areas. And these vary from across time and place revealing that there is no fixed, objective, boundary to the market and that these boundaries are determined by political, not economic, drivers. <br/><br/>
To give another example, Chang looks at immigration:<br/><br/>
<i>
<blockquote>"While they complain about minimum wage legislation, regulations on working hours and various "artificial" entry barriers into the labour market imposed by trade unions, few economists even mention immigration control as one of those nasty regulations hampering the workings of the free labour market" proving Changs point that the boundaries of the market is politically determined."</blockquote></i><br/>
Chang comments that :<br/><br/>
<i><blockquote>"..when free-market economists say that a certain regulation should not be introduced because it would restrict the "freedom" of a certain market, they are merely expressing an opinion that they reject the rights that are to be defended by the proposed law. Their ideological cloak is to pretend that their politics is not really political but rather an objective economic truth, while the other people's politics is political.."</blockquote></i>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMHtAdQjjYzdZW41UbWzgJBKLBPCky2gbrJ0ypSk1Bjf3vJ6ykzdRN3cZSSq5Lb3ps4gjYLV_DgIG9nu28dgQZRi1mmbNHC-iV9iKU5EzRKpv85pXk6iI82TxUlttjOPJ6Hed3iO0_jk7R/s1600/free+market.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="440" data-original-width="568" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMHtAdQjjYzdZW41UbWzgJBKLBPCky2gbrJ0ypSk1Bjf3vJ6ykzdRN3cZSSq5Lb3ps4gjYLV_DgIG9nu28dgQZRi1mmbNHC-iV9iKU5EzRKpv85pXk6iI82TxUlttjOPJ6Hed3iO0_jk7R/s320/free+market.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is what free market economics used to look like (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_labour#/media/File:Mill_Children_in_Macon_2.jpg">source</a>)</td></tr>
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<br />
<u><b>Shareholders do not always have the company's long term interests at heart</u></b><br/>
Proponents of unfettered free trade state that shareholders incomes depend solely on company performance (unlike staff, for example, who are paid a fixed wage) so shareholders are most incentivised to maximise company profits.<br/><br/>
In reality, as shareholders can switch to a more profitable stock much more easily and frequently(unless the shareholding is very large) than workers can switch to another job, shareholders often care the least about it's long term future and are more likely to favour company strategies that maximise short term profit (or more accurately dividends) at the expense of long term investment. The maximised dividends then further weaken the company as they remove funds that could be used for investment in the future.<br/><br/>
Chang comments on how limited liability companies only became practical on a large scale in the UK around the 1850-60's and that, before this, most companies had been "unlimited liability" whereby the shareholders were responsible for ALL the debts a company might rake up if it failed. Famed economist Adam Smith thought this was as it should be, saying:<br/><br/>
<i>
<blockquote>"The directors of such [joint-stock] companies, however, being the managers rather of other people's money than of their own, it cannot well be expected, that they should watch over it with the same anxious vigilance with which the partners in a [unlimited liability] private copartnery frequently watch over their own...."</blockquote></i>
However, Chang suggests, the large scale industrial enterprises of the 18th century (railways, steelworks etc) required so much capital that many investors were required, making limited liability more attractive. <br/><br/>
A couple of interesting links for more information: <br/>
<a href="https://scholarlycommons.law.wlu.edu/wlulr/vol54/iss2/10/">Early history of limited liability companies</a><br/>
The Impact of the UK Companies Act of 1862 (esp in relation to railway financing<a href="https://www.cairn-int.info/article-E_RECO_625_0867--the-impact-of-the-companies-act-of-1862.htm"></a><br><br/>
Another factor Chang notes is that many of the first large industrial concerns were headed by visionary entrepreneurs, such as Henry Ford or Andrew Carnegie, and who owned large parts of the company's stock. But over time, as companies grew even more in complexity and size, a new class of professional manager began to replace the original founders.<br/><br/>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheafcyo1EJ1eMajoM83oMRV5M5WsuS4fqkkWQyt1ZoHsRco3f2yWG1fctQpQSETSD8Pw59JvtwvSZapyBAyab6vQ_L-u3cj5Gj6TnUXdUkd0JbK9DdaYLr4ZXktUHwGK7goAxH1oijyqq-/s1600/henry+ford.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="288" data-original-width="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheafcyo1EJ1eMajoM83oMRV5M5WsuS4fqkkWQyt1ZoHsRco3f2yWG1fctQpQSETSD8Pw59JvtwvSZapyBAyab6vQ_L-u3cj5Gj6TnUXdUkd0JbK9DdaYLr4ZXktUHwGK7goAxH1oijyqq-/s1600/henry+ford.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Henry Ford, one of the early 20th Century industrial tycoons (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Ford_Motor_Company#/media/File:Henry_Ford_1919.jpg">source</a>)</td></tr>
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<br />
Economists worried that these professional managers would run the companies in their own interests and not those of the shareholders. A number of different formulas were tried to try and align the two interests, these culminated in the 1980s with the concept of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shareholder_value">"shareholder value maximisation"</a> which had two aims :<br/><br/>
i) Maximise profits by cutting costs in wages, investment, staffing - as well as pushing for reductions in corporation tax<br/>
ii) Distribute as much of that profit as possible to shareholders via share buy backs and dividend payments<br/><br/>
Chang comments on how this approach has resulted in distributed profits as a share of total profits rising from around 40% in the 1970s to around 60% today - but investment and per capita income fell. In addition, share buybacks rose from 5% of profits to 90% in 2007.. and then to 280% in 2008. <br/><br/>
US economist William Lazonick has commented that : <br/><br/>
From the end of World War II until the late 1970s, a retain-and-reinvest approach to resource allocation prevailed at major U.S. corporations. They retained earnings and reinvested them in increasing their capabilities, first and foremost in the employees who helped make firms more competitive. They provided workers with higher incomes and greater job security, thus contributing to equitable, stable economic growth—what I call “sustainable prosperity.”<br/><br/>
This pattern began to break down in the late 1970s, giving way to a downsize-and-distribute regime of reducing costs and then distributing the freed-up cash to financial interests, particularly shareholders. By favoring value extraction over value creation, this approach has contributed to employment instability and income inequality.<br/><br/>
Separately, Lazonick has commented on GM's buy backs :<br/><br/>
GM did $20.4 billion worth of buybacks from 1986 through 2002. If it had saved that money and earned a modest 2.5% on it, the company would have had $35 billion on hand when the financial crisis and Great Recession hit and probably would not have had to file for bankruptcy protection. As Bob Lutz, the veteran auto executive, said recently, stock buybacks are “always a harbinger of the next downturn…in almost all cases, you regret it later.”<br/>
<a href="https://hbr.org/2014/09/profits-without-prosperity">https://hbr.org/2014/09/profits-without-prosperity</a><br/>
<a href="https://hbr.org/2015/03/gms-stock-buyback-is-bad-for-america-and-the-company">https://hbr.org/2015/03/gms-stock-buyback-is-bad-for-america-and-the-company</a><br/><br/>
And Chang comments that <br/><br/>
<i><blockquote>"The weakness of GM management's short term oriented strategy has been apparent at least from the late 1980s, but the strategy continued until its bankruptcy in 2009, because it made both the managers and the shareholders happy even while debilitating the company".</blockquote></i><br/><br/>
One result of the buybacks(together with reduced corporate taxation) was that between 1979 and 2006 the top 1% of earners in the US increased their share of the national income from 10% to around 23%; and the ratio of CEO pay to average worker pay increased from 30:1 to 300:1 between the 1960-70s and the 2000s.<br/><br/>
Chang comments on how other countries, such as France, Germany or Japan, have ensured that large companies have a significant amount of their shares held by a long term stakeholder, such as the government, or a state controlled bank; or by having differential voting rights (as in Scandinavia); or by having strong worker representation at board level.<br/><br/>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwbF_nidEvIrT7X71DWUoqNrMbA3sOfpH5NgpHvaYTlDZXn6k-dM8hTgtbv3ceQ3Sy4qFDmtZXpnxF3K11F0EihUOU3bozawYaVFUSara1ip48orD5iyGinTEjDXYGfT4M9uCaB1fMR8xT/s1600/ceo+wage+ratio.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="444" data-original-width="745" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwbF_nidEvIrT7X71DWUoqNrMbA3sOfpH5NgpHvaYTlDZXn6k-dM8hTgtbv3ceQ3Sy4qFDmtZXpnxF3K11F0EihUOU3bozawYaVFUSara1ip48orD5iyGinTEjDXYGfT4M9uCaB1fMR8xT/s320/ceo+wage+ratio.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ratio of average compensation of CEOs and production workers, 1965–2009. <br/>Source: Economic Policy Institute. 2011. Based on data from Wall Street Journal/Mercer, Hay Group 2010.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifyUrKEV1-QSTZzwztB_f71mqp2mPFdtQLEF7xQ9k5X8mo8cNV-XgUFbLsSoQoGiWyjAjGG4_pxAXusKk35yP8sR-DnA8R3RmT73kNCoLT167QTD9grgazxG0k-n0GJfbkcupuhBmnCjUd/s1600/ceo+worker.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="514" data-original-width="769" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifyUrKEV1-QSTZzwztB_f71mqp2mPFdtQLEF7xQ9k5X8mo8cNV-XgUFbLsSoQoGiWyjAjGG4_pxAXusKk35yP8sR-DnA8R3RmT73kNCoLT167QTD9grgazxG0k-n0GJfbkcupuhBmnCjUd/s320/ceo+worker.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">CEO - Worker pay comparison<br/>Source: Reflections on CEO Compensation by John C. Bogle, Academy of Management, May 2008, p.21</td></tr>
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<br />
<u><b>People don't just act for their narrow self-interest</u></b><br/>
Economists often assume that people are only motivated by self-interest.<br/><br/>
The reality was demonstrated by a Kobe Steel manager at at World Bank conference whose comments, paraphrased by Chang, were :<br/>
<i><blockquote>"I know a thing or two about steel making. However, my company is now so large that I don't understand half the things that are going on within it. As for the other managers - with backgrounds in accounting and marketing - they really haven't much of a clue. Despite this, our board of directors routinely approves the majority of projects submitted by our employees, because we believe that our employees work for the good of the company. If we assumed that everyone is out to promote their own interests and questioned the motivations of our employees all the time, the company would grind to a halt, as we would spend all our time going through proposals we do not really understand."</blockquote></i>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNIQlQYSpLG3R3cDafVQC3BuUQHsccv9pIfdFwTZr4EmfdUXdG909ngWiYTDovfCMgHtW6P3x9HzGTeqZAlkf2tgPUD3YNkZ0xHSIMbCuyR8JJ-J4zBdHVXtxN0ctK4ZqX-6vNcYpy_rlY/s1600/kobe+plant.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="378" data-original-width="629" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNIQlQYSpLG3R3cDafVQC3BuUQHsccv9pIfdFwTZr4EmfdUXdG909ngWiYTDovfCMgHtW6P3x9HzGTeqZAlkf2tgPUD3YNkZ0xHSIMbCuyR8JJ-J4zBdHVXtxN0ctK4ZqX-6vNcYpy_rlY/s320/kobe+plant.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kobe Steel Kobe Plant (<a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/79/Kobelco_Kobe_Works_20120928-001.jpg">source</a>)</td></tr>
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<br />
<u><b>Inflation is not the sole means to macroeconomic stability</u></b><br/>
Economists preach that inflation is the economy's "public enemy number one"<br/><br/>
Chang argues that, at levels below around 10%, inflation has no relationship with a country's growth rate and that the policies used to tame inflation have the by product of reducing investment, increasing the frequency of banking crises , making jobs less secure.<br/><br/>
However, low inflation is promoted as part of the neo-liberal policy package as many financial assets have fixed rates of return, which are eroded by inflation. <br/><br/>
Another part of the package is the easing of capital transfer controls, allowing money to cross borders with ease. This is because, according to Chang, the ability to move money around easily and quickly is the key advantage that holders of financial assets have over holders of physical assets.<br/><br/>
Chang concludes:<br/>
<i><blockquote>
"Our obsession with inflation should end. Inflation as become the bogeyman that has been used to justify policies that have mainly benefited the holders of financial assets, at the cost of long-term stability, economic growth and human happiness."</blockquote></i><br/><br/>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir_HBMKWK7ip75kiR_my7pYgUC9JWgw0K75yivxyOKNekHHtZUqtj_Jr9Xyu8Id840fKb4Zp1iKSTXX4VMnm6lzi9dAQkTztXoB7-2Fnrk6lo1FmOz88D4jcbBrqCU1rtmpqHe4ean37G_/s1600/US+inflation+rate.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="495" data-original-width="796" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir_HBMKWK7ip75kiR_my7pYgUC9JWgw0K75yivxyOKNekHHtZUqtj_Jr9Xyu8Id840fKb4Zp1iKSTXX4VMnm6lzi9dAQkTztXoB7-2Fnrk6lo1FmOz88D4jcbBrqCU1rtmpqHe4ean37G_/s320/US+inflation+rate.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">US inflation rate (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inflation#/media/File:US_Inflation.png">source</a>)</td></tr>
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<br />
<u><b>Protectionism can be a good thing</b></u><br/>
Economists often say that developing countries should adopt free market policies and avoid protectionist policies.<br/><br/>
In reality, the countries that are rich today got that way by using protectionist policies to protect and incubate their domestic industries. China is an obvious current example, but early history of the US shows the same pattern.<br/><br/>
Chang describes how, in 1791, US Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton submitted a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Report_on_Manufactures">report </a> to Congress in which he recommended that American "industries in their infancy" should be protected and nurtured by the Government until they were strong enough to stand up against foreign competition.
If a developing country did that today, they would be heavily critiseised by the US Treasury Dept and might not be able to access IMF or World Bank loans.<br/><br/>
George Washington insisted on wearing American clothes for his inauguration- something that might foul of proposed WTO rules on transparency in government procurement today.<br/><br/>
Despite British pressure to accept free-trade, Ulysses Grant commented that, "within 200 years, when America has gotten out of protection all that it can offer, it too will adopt free trade"<br/><br/>
Thomas Jefferson believed patents should not be owned by anyone, a view that would not fly far with todays US trade policies.<br/><br/>
Even today, the US has supported key industries such as semiconductors, aerospace and biotechnology with government R&D funding.<br/><br/>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn_FOWMrAlMdp_Quypp0UjKyAYA-BUm3VqOSmzYXZYhLcEQOFeemXxOUNhgG_JEFPcv5je4RS_YvVSYca0UbqQZ8SsW2nXLAWTGPRH_UdZva59FI3C5BcegYbbB04H51ospT7xVB86qfia/s1600/ic+chip.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="233" data-original-width="422" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn_FOWMrAlMdp_Quypp0UjKyAYA-BUm3VqOSmzYXZYhLcEQOFeemXxOUNhgG_JEFPcv5je4RS_YvVSYca0UbqQZ8SsW2nXLAWTGPRH_UdZva59FI3C5BcegYbbB04H51ospT7xVB86qfia/s320/ic+chip.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">early integrated circuit chip from 1970's - this industry benefitted<br/> from huge amounts of (military) government funding, <br/> which read directly across to civil technologies and sales (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7400-series_integrated_circuits#/media/File:7400.jpg">source</a>)</td></tr>
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<br />
And the US was only building on the model of the UK, who, in the mid 1700's used tariff protection, subsidies and other supports to develop a domestic wollen industry to compete with woolen industry in the Low Countries. The British woollen industry became a big export earner, allowing the country to fund the Industrial Revolution in the 18th-19th centuries. According to Chang, Britain only adopted free trade in the 1860s, when it's industrial dominance was absolute (46% of world trade in manufactured goods in 1870, compared the 17% of world trade that China had inn 20007.<br/><br/>
Chang comments on how developing countries have been forced to adopt free-market policies in order to access loans from the IMF or World Bank, and that this has resulted in much worse performance in terms of growth, stability and inequality than in developed countries. Chang believes that the world economic system needs to be completely overhauled to provide "policy space" for developing countries, with more allowance for protectionism, regulation of foreign investment and other aspects of international trade. This in turn would require a reform of the WTO and existing many existing trade treaties. <br/><br/>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidr0nS9I-B3w4FviRqjt4pEMVrpnuewMs_NUVa4_6QfUVuDXXNXYt2vM0k7j-27W1avmpILCvzRmRn9QhSHsD5d7KvfdntCk-nq6XfcOqmb03y5aNntvD6etugwMY6jKc5QCKAJ_KZas2n/s1600/lagarde.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="750" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidr0nS9I-B3w4FviRqjt4pEMVrpnuewMs_NUVa4_6QfUVuDXXNXYt2vM0k7j-27W1avmpILCvzRmRn9QhSHsD5d7KvfdntCk-nq6XfcOqmb03y5aNntvD6etugwMY6jKc5QCKAJ_KZas2n/s320/lagarde.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christine Lagarde, head of IMF (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Monetary_Fund#/media/File:Christine_Lagarde_-_Universit%C3%A9_d%27%C3%A9t%C3%A9_du_MEDEF_2009.jpg">source</a>)</td></tr>
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<br />
<u><b>Trickle Down Doesn't</U></b><br/>
Chang comments on how income distribution is MORE unequal in Germany than in the US....until you add on the effects of taxation and the welfare state, at which point Germany becomes much less unequal - showing that the welfare state is an important part of reducing inequality. This is in contrast to the claims of "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trickle-down_economics">Trickle Down Economics</a>" which holds that making the rich richer will result in wealth "trickling down" to the rest of society.<br/><br/>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2ATk4eiOC35XBc_Xrx-UhehTYM_yceh09vRKCytGNO-uJBPRblbadtTroQM1xYIjD14ycGjhiTCHQ9AwOtotwmnU-iNFvIODVtPgUcM7NcKn5kBuMCqLyyyhyphenhyphenwNeeUUHoKuQBMf1Li1nd/s1600/reagan.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="442" data-original-width="736" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2ATk4eiOC35XBc_Xrx-UhehTYM_yceh09vRKCytGNO-uJBPRblbadtTroQM1xYIjD14ycGjhiTCHQ9AwOtotwmnU-iNFvIODVtPgUcM7NcKn5kBuMCqLyyyhyphenhyphenwNeeUUHoKuQBMf1Li1nd/s320/reagan.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ronald Reagan outlining "trickle down" tax reforms in 1981 (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trickle-down_economics#/media/File:Ronald_Reagan_televised_address_from_the_Oval_Office,_outlining_plan_for_Tax_Reduction_Legislation_July_1981.jpg">source</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<u><b>Keep markets simple</u></b><br/>
Chang comments that one very valuable reason to have regulation of markets is to reduce the number of choices players can make, and hence also reduce unpredictability - giving the example of firms in the 2008 crisis:<br/><br/>
"So many complex financial instruments were created that even financial experts themselves did not fully understand them...nor could the regulatory authorities fully figure out what was going on".<br/><br/>
Chang advises that, to avoid similar financial crises in the future, we should ban complex financial instruments unless we fully understand how they work and their effect on the wider economy - similar to the licencing and product approval process required for new drugs, cars and other products.<br/><br/>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-qTpwN1FD0V_VEe2ruar8ffB7FBzPwLys9DGx-S5gt7-k8juGj38kq2BJ2CSlw8Igofv8KR3t7IcT3yh-RROTcKgXVOcpjUFih_S1kL-a6y2m7nuksfpwm37NglF6XztDHAIr7N2tVi50/s1600/Complexity_and_the_mortgage_market_-_an_example.svg.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="588" data-original-width="800" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-qTpwN1FD0V_VEe2ruar8ffB7FBzPwLys9DGx-S5gt7-k8juGj38kq2BJ2CSlw8Igofv8KR3t7IcT3yh-RROTcKgXVOcpjUFih_S1kL-a6y2m7nuksfpwm37NglF6XztDHAIr7N2tVi50/s320/Complexity_and_the_mortgage_market_-_an_example.svg.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Financial Complexity in the mortgage market (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Financial_crisis_of_2007%E2%80%932008#/media/File:Complexity_and_the_mortgage_market_-_an_example.svg">source</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<u><b>For equality of opportunity you need some quality of outcome</u></b><br/>
Chang also points out that many rules against inequality have been changed due to pressure from the discriminated minorities, examples being universal suffrage, the US civil rights movement and campaigns by low caste people in India.<br/><br/>
Chang points out that the drive of the market for efficiency tends to overcome inequality of opportunity, and quotes neo-con economist <a href="https://fee.org/articles/capitalism-and-the-jews/">Milton Friedman</a>:<br/>
<i><blockquote>"No one who goes to the market to buy bread knows or cares whether the wheat was grown by a Jew, Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, or atheist; by whites or blacks. Any miller who wishes to express his personal prejudices by buying only from preferred groups is at a competitive disadvantage, since he is keeping himself from buying from the cheapest source"</blockquote></i><br/>
In contrast to equality of opportunity, free market economists are very much against equality of outcome, warning that this will result in huge disincentives to work (why should you, if your pay is guaranteed whether you work hard or not?). Chang points out that without some baseline minimum equality of outcome for parents (in the form of minimum wage, access to good schooling and healthcare, habitable housing, safe environments) will mean that they (and particularly their children) will not really have equality of opportunity.<br/><br/>
Chang gives the example of post-apartheid South Africa, where there is theoretically equality of opportunity, but many poor black children are still going to underfunded schools, staffed by poorly trained teachers - what chance to these kids have of getting to the top universities?<br/><br/>
And in many countries, children find it hard to concentrate on homework because they are hungry, or do not have help from parents who are lacking in education themselves, and cannot afford tutors. <br/><br/>
Chang comments that : <br/>
<i><blockquote>"..there has to be some minimum equality of outcome in terms of parental income, if poor children are to have anything approaching a fair chance. Without this, even free schooling, free school meals, free vaccinations, and so on, cannot provide real equality of opportunity for children"</blockquote></i>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiukXDBzdF9euRosA1DRJGQVkIrc-MdywH4p8RECiHBWWnDhlop_oiLhxGdbT97Ac0dG183__ffj8JXOJcYE1U98nkTO6XTr-aWpYHQ6Vg1bL5YlGvC1sC9JvTrSMhpEMXBAZ8gfeRr9SNp/s1600/school+children+cape+town.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="516" data-original-width="690" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiukXDBzdF9euRosA1DRJGQVkIrc-MdywH4p8RECiHBWWnDhlop_oiLhxGdbT97Ac0dG183__ffj8JXOJcYE1U98nkTO6XTr-aWpYHQ6Vg1bL5YlGvC1sC9JvTrSMhpEMXBAZ8gfeRr9SNp/s320/school+children+cape+town.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">School children in Cape Town, South Africa (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_South_Africa#/media/File:Mitchells-plain-schoolkids.jpg">source</a>)</td></tr>
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<br />
<u><b> The welfare state is the "the bankruptcy law for workers"</b></u><br/>
<i><blockquote>"Free market economists believe that any labor market regulation that makes firing more difficult makes the economy less efficient and dynamic...[these regulations] are bad enough but the welfare state has made things even worse. By providing unemployment benefits, health insurance, free education and even minimum income support, the welfare state has effectively given everyone a guarantee to be hired by the government - as an "unemployer worker" if you like - with a minimum wage. Therefore workers do not have enough incentive to work hard. To make things worse, these welfare states are financed by taxing the rich, reducing their incentives to work hard, create jobs and generate wealth"</blockquote></i><br/>
Chang describes how, in the early nineteenth century, there were no bankruptcy laws. In particular, people had to pay back all their debts, however long it took. So even if a businessman started a new business, he had to use his profits to pay off his old debts. Over time, people came to the view that this was very discouraging of risk taking so introduced modern bankrupty laws which granted protection from creditors during restructuring and gave courts the power to impose permanent reduction in debts. Together with limited liability, these laws encouraged risk taking.<br/><br/>
Chang comments that modern welfare states perform the same "second chance" function for workers by providing a safety net and allowing people to be more open to change in careers and taking a risk with new and emerging industries. Chang also refers to a study ("<a href="http://ftp.iza.org/dp1938.pdf">American exceptionalism in a new light</a>") showing that countries with stronger welfare states have better social mobility than those with weak welfare states, with effective retraining policies being an important factor in allowing people to move between industries as markets shift.<br/><br/>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWuC5dG9i39seO9xGFagXyib9HVwkLZ53zp0oUEf2gr3miULk9mNaekLPIq8BcppM39mcEeuZK2aC9q49KqFQnNA8NsMfHwzCmo9wbyStR7Oqo8JKRD1dc0N0W4upIF6esdd3994FGg1N1/s1600/antipoverty.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="502" data-original-width="772" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWuC5dG9i39seO9xGFagXyib9HVwkLZ53zp0oUEf2gr3miULk9mNaekLPIq8BcppM39mcEeuZK2aC9q49KqFQnNA8NsMfHwzCmo9wbyStR7Oqo8JKRD1dc0N0W4upIF6esdd3994FGg1N1/s320/antipoverty.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Antipoverty effect of government spending (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welfare%27s_effect_on_poverty#/media/File:The_Antipoverty_Effect_of_Government_Spending_Vector_Graph.svg">source</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<u><b>We need some sand in the wheels of financial markets</u></b><br/>
The way in which increasingly tall towers of financial products were built on each other in the 2000's, all relying on the same limited pool of dodgy underlying assets, is well known as a significant factor in the resulting financial crash. <br/><br/>
This tower of financial products was able to be built partly because money is so easy to move around and, as a result, chases short term profits over long term investments.<br/><br/>
To remedy this, James Tobin, 1981 Nobel Laureate in Economics, has talked about need to "to throw some sand in the wheels of our excessively efficient international money markets" to slow down this rapid movement of capital. The idea has since developed into the concept of a tax or charge on financial transactions more widely.<br/><br/>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipT9NEWJEEpeOxk2OBdpurSX-Idg0OKvaYxcgRCAQQe0W6Wv8cRc9idTdrKi4cF460UXyY-MuAJq2pO2OxpcXh-KvT4mPL_tpdJ0x-ZDej86dsvucBM6MFlv9M8AT1w1c6bx2jl2ElkO5f/s1600/EU_financial_transaction_tax.svg.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="613" data-original-width="800" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipT9NEWJEEpeOxk2OBdpurSX-Idg0OKvaYxcgRCAQQe0W6Wv8cRc9idTdrKi4cF460UXyY-MuAJq2pO2OxpcXh-KvT4mPL_tpdJ0x-ZDej86dsvucBM6MFlv9M8AT1w1c6bx2jl2ElkO5f/s320/EU_financial_transaction_tax.svg.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Countries supportive of a transaction tax [green], not in favour[red], undecided[d.grey]<br/><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18317312">By Spitzl - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0</a>, </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<u><b>There are other types of economists</u></b><br/>
Having spent much of the book describing how economics, particularly as practiced in the US and UK, over the last 30 years has been "postively harmful for most people", Chang comments that what saved the world from an even more calamitous recession in 2007 was learning from economists such as Jhn Maynard Keynes, Charles Kindleberger and Hyman Minsky amongst others. Chang also mentions that the economists responsible for the economic growth in South East Asia were probably more familiar with the economics of Karl Marx, Friedrich List, Joseph Schumpeter, Nicholas Kaldor and Albert Hirschman and that these economists, although from a different time, had a commonality of thought that capitalism develops through long term investments and technological improvements that transform the productive structure, not merely expand it. Adding that : <br/>
<i>
<blockquote>"many of the things that the East Asian government officials did in the miracle years - protecting infant industries, forcefully mobilising resources away from technologically stagnant agriculture to dynamic industrial sectors.. derive from such economic views , rather than the free-market view"</blockquote></i>
Chang mentions other economists (such as Herbert Simon, Arthur Pigou, Amartya Sem William Baumol and Joseph Stiglitz) who are rarely acknowledged by those of the free market school.<br/><br/>
</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3010474775078886324.post-56532149837184355182018-12-18T05:53:00.002-08:002018-12-18T09:42:57.342-08:00Talk : Go Dutch - Designing Cycling into the City<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><a href="#9"> </a><a name="9"></a>Interesting talk by <a href="https://www.cyclesheffield.org.uk/author/mattturner86/">Matt Turner</a> (@MattTurnerSheff) titled "Go Dutch - Designing Cycling into the City" and hosted by Nottingham cycling advocacy group <a href="http://pedals.org.uk/">Pedals</a>. BFTF used notes from the event as a jumping off point for this blog post which combines Matt's comments with some other linkage.<br/><br/>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbf-afehJQfqrui97LxzZAmTKRf3v_xj6d4qjdxIRfCzjFgjRwrprbD7iUHBpn18uW-KzYLOfoV8AJFpR-V-ILdRoYOeZ5Z3a0WiW9dwEYUMtBUXE2D-9GpYMNuaxVi5chPA1uuW9gwNfD/s1600/poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="503" data-original-width="960" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbf-afehJQfqrui97LxzZAmTKRf3v_xj6d4qjdxIRfCzjFgjRwrprbD7iUHBpn18uW-KzYLOfoV8AJFpR-V-ILdRoYOeZ5Z3a0WiW9dwEYUMtBUXE2D-9GpYMNuaxVi5chPA1uuW9gwNfD/s320/poster.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">poster</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Matt began by contrasting the perception of cycling in the UK as being for the "lycra brigade" whereas in the Netherlands, cycling was for everyone, young and old, fast or slow. As a result, the Dutch make more cycle journeys than the entire English speaking world put together!<br/><br/>
Matt then explained a major factor in why this was the case by showing two schematics [from the <a href="https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copenhagenize_Index#Rangliste">Copenhagen Rangliste</a> ranking of cycling supporting cities, here via <a href="https://www.resilience.org/stories/2017-03-02/taking-back-streets-2/">Resiliance.org</a>] that, essentially, described the challenge at hand as being to move from the image on the left to the image on the right. <br/><br/>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgPzTqac463gpByVb96RyBxVcpTgurC5zLFgQbaOSoa55BBWIli6rt1pe5pnhVFsJ2qSlD00tZ5xZiDe4VXS6V_NDgW6qNaYRiwDxhk-4Ccx4YaVEqcc5gxy-QSbpqP-L3J8YeAclV_TPP/s1600/Copenhagenize-Quick-Traffic-Guide-m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="669" data-original-width="1024" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgPzTqac463gpByVb96RyBxVcpTgurC5zLFgQbaOSoa55BBWIli6rt1pe5pnhVFsJ2qSlD00tZ5xZiDe4VXS6V_NDgW6qNaYRiwDxhk-4Ccx4YaVEqcc5gxy-QSbpqP-L3J8YeAclV_TPP/s320/Copenhagenize-Quick-Traffic-Guide-m.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prioritisation</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Matt also ran a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ts8fA4nPwo">video</a> (worth watching, only 90sec!) from Utrecht (where the bridge in the poster is located) which showcased the city's achievements in making cycling mainstream : <br/><br/>
11,000 cyclists per day across the bridge shown in the poster above.<br/>
100,000 journeys (60%) per day to the city centre by bike.<br/>
37,000 cyclists per day (peak) on Utrecht's busiest cycle path.<br/>
33,000 cycle parking spaces will be available at the train station by 2020.<br/>
Safety through separate cycle lanes, roundabouts and cycle bridges/tunnels.<br/><br/>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaDzjaWFn7aiPhU9SRkiFfr5PqNTbMfs9pfybt9xh4XKu0d9tNTUR_MIU3ierI-CPOmDJisdhCDCSNGa5hyphenhyphens41EMqROXZYTjcFLsKti9LmoMs51UB54OUJ7IhzxHiodxplwxcyRR9FQptS/s1600/cycle+path.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="401" data-original-width="708" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaDzjaWFn7aiPhU9SRkiFfr5PqNTbMfs9pfybt9xh4XKu0d9tNTUR_MIU3ierI-CPOmDJisdhCDCSNGa5hyphenhyphens41EMqROXZYTjcFLsKti9LmoMs51UB54OUJ7IhzxHiodxplwxcyRR9FQptS/s320/cycle+path.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Busy!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The cycle paths were busy because they were the easiest way to get around, and were used by all sections of the population, "dressed for the destination, not for the journey". Numerous subtle cues in urban road design work towards encouraging the car to slow down and towards making the journey easy and safe for the cyclist. An example below from <a href="https://bicycledutch.wordpress.com/2018/01/16/houten-cycling-city-of-the-netherlands-2018/">here</a>. <br/>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFkm2l5W0OBA_GOsY_LE_Y219ZvgM5fQlY1c0cFbANd94ARoh7B7iQ6xt5BHWteqG21UAzTR0kCKJOVG_lf_YhCZf6eVZCKOOnrZeYHPWi10Lkdc_EWX2vj_CFbytbUbsZPVokWfhi0LCH/s1600/houten+crossing+example.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="331" data-original-width="571" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFkm2l5W0OBA_GOsY_LE_Y219ZvgM5fQlY1c0cFbANd94ARoh7B7iQ6xt5BHWteqG21UAzTR0kCKJOVG_lf_YhCZf6eVZCKOOnrZeYHPWi10Lkdc_EWX2vj_CFbytbUbsZPVokWfhi0LCH/s320/houten+crossing+example.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"A crossing with priority for cycling. It is very clear to drivers who has the right of way here. The continuous asphalt is the cycleway. The car lanes are in brick. There are road markings indicating the priority and signs and there is a speed bump just ahead of the crossing, also only on the car lanes. Since most of these drivers are residents of the area they also know that cycling has priority in this town."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Matt commented on how, in the UK, one-way systems were sometimes used to create rat runs to relieve pressure on arterial routes, whereas in the Netherlands one way systems were used for precisely the opposite reason, in order to make it easier for cyclists to access and use residential roads, but to make it more difficult (but not prevent) cars from doing so. An example below (see also the <a href="https://bicycledutch.wordpress.com/2015/12/15/how-to-prevent-rat-running/">BicycleDutch</a> blog)<br/><br/>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8FW329s3SrPPFQ766CFgnYHskDF62w4qq83Em0s8JSkcWCw42fAD_Kqyp6Nz5zUPCV3wtTtd703qTwofJ3q4zWh-uthsL8I5c0wfJbFJ3LMx1afssv40MmhvkzyytoUXa5Mr-hhGqUliR/s1600/one+way.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="459" data-original-width="435" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8FW329s3SrPPFQ766CFgnYHskDF62w4qq83Em0s8JSkcWCw42fAD_Kqyp6Nz5zUPCV3wtTtd703qTwofJ3q4zWh-uthsL8I5c0wfJbFJ3LMx1afssv40MmhvkzyytoUXa5Mr-hhGqUliR/s320/one+way.JPG" width="303" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Residential One Way System</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVxx9vmlFxUrwKpU_3UPOfsEeXNRYOv1108XiRsksSGcYFNpbfQtHCQS-R0HIRvZ1SuSzC14EnuOYBq7nZCtWee7YVZ_txcSV-fDSvQbTMChIXdtobb3Nt3sBkzB4wwU7K05cquLpEorj-/s1600/houten+map.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="561" data-original-width="587" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVxx9vmlFxUrwKpU_3UPOfsEeXNRYOv1108XiRsksSGcYFNpbfQtHCQS-R0HIRvZ1SuSzC14EnuOYBq7nZCtWee7YVZ_txcSV-fDSvQbTMChIXdtobb3Nt3sBkzB4wwU7K05cquLpEorj-/s320/houten+map.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Houten Map<br/><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houten#/media/File:Houten-plaats-OpenTopo.jpg">Via Wikipedia</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
It was not always this way - back in the 1970's the Netherlands was prioritising car transport just the same as most other western countries, but a high number of children being killed on the roads. As this <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/may/05/amsterdam-bicycle-capital-world-transport-cycling-kindermoord">article</a> by Renate Van Der See describes: <br/>
All that growing traffic took its toll. The number of traffic casualties rose to a peak of 3,300 deaths in 1971. More than 400 children were killed in traffic accidents that year. This staggering loss led to protests by different action groups, the most memorable of which was <a href="https://www.dutchreach.org/car-child-murder-protests-safer-nl-roads/">Stop de Kindermoord</a> (“stop the child murder”)<br/><br/>
This <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuBdf9jYj7o">video</a> by Bicycle Dutch, tells the story of how these protests resulted in a sea change in government policy, as does <a href="https://youtu.be/YY6PQAI4TZE">this one</a>.<br/><br/>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1_yfyrZDhd4jBQ4TLpnQeA5yldxHTnppt7LCPCT8_frsQHC-_N5ZKirhUJdQPb34s02LNW_Yvn25CaLzSE3kxvY39up-NjCjd6pUzy1xuiZ0WMjQZGtJst7ePXKTGu3snNZi3_pwsnuGr/s1600/protest.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="435" data-original-width="847" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1_yfyrZDhd4jBQ4TLpnQeA5yldxHTnppt7LCPCT8_frsQHC-_N5ZKirhUJdQPb34s02LNW_Yvn25CaLzSE3kxvY39up-NjCjd6pUzy1xuiZ0WMjQZGtJst7ePXKTGu3snNZi3_pwsnuGr/s320/protest.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kindermoord protest</td></tr>
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<br />
In terms of costs, Melissa and Chris Bruntlett write in "Building the Cycling City" that :<br/><br/>
<i><blockquote>“The Dutch cycle because their government spends an astonishing €30 ($35 US) per person per year on bike infrastructure – fifteen times the amount invested in nearby England.” </blockquote></i>
And <a href="https://www.resilience.org/stories/2018-11-08/a-modest-investment-with-major-dividends-cycling-culture-in-the-netherlands/">resiliance.org </a>state that :<br/><br/>
<i><blockquote>"Yet this €30 per person is a very small fraction of what the Dutch – and other nations – spend on auto infrastructure. According to official figures from 2015, “The Dutch government spends a total of 15 billion euros on traffic and transport” each year – meaning the cycling infrastructure expense is a bit more than 3% of the government transport and traffic budget.<br/><br/>
For this €30 per capita, the Dutch have been able to preserve the character of their central cities, keep carbon emissions lower than in neighboring countries, and enjoy some of the best health in the world due to an active population and cleaner air. Given the cost of health care alone, the €30 per capita spent by the Dutch government to promote cycling is an astonishing bargain."<br/><br/></blockquote></i>
In the Q&A following the talk, a few interesting points came up:<br/><br/>
Milton Keynes, in the UK, has excellent cycling facilities, but they are not used. Why? No one knew!<br/><br/>
On new build estates, habits form very quickly, so the Netherlands makes sure that local amenities such as schools, shops etc are in place right from the beginning, even if they have to be portakabins until the development in complete.<br/><br/>
Matt commented that the design of some new developments in the UK was shockingly poor in comparsion, with cars sometimes being required to access shops some distance away and children's play areas being a single area remote from the housing, in contrast to the many play areas built into Dutch developments.<br/><br/>
Rachel Aldreds and Sian Crosswellers<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214140515002236"> paper</a> "Investigating the rates and impacts of near misses and related incidents among UK cyclists" was mentioned as something worth reading (see also the <a href="https://www.cyclinguk.org/blog/rachelaldred/near-miss-project-back">Near Miss Project</a>).<br/><br/>
Barriers put along cycle paths to stop motorcyclists make cycling more awkward, and make it impossibly for those on mobility scooters etc to use the paths.<br/><br/>
The answer to novice cyclists understandably fear of being run over by a car is not to give them a free cycle helmet. The answer is to remove or dramatically reduce the perceived danger by building good quality infrastructure.<br/>
<br/>
Also, a good question to ask when faced with obstacles on cycle paths is "<a href="https://aseasyasridingabike.wordpress.com/2016/05/19/would-you-design-a-road-like-that/">Would you design a road like that?</a>"<br/><br/>
</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3010474775078886324.post-7231685566731750082018-12-01T17:13:00.004-08:002018-12-01T17:17:17.756-08:00Questions to Nottingham Labour<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><a href="#9"> </a><a name="9"></a>
Some questions that have been posed to Nottingham Conservatives, so far without the courtesy of a reply.<br/><br/>
****************************************<br/><br/>
Dec 2018: <br/><br/>
A <a href="https://www.disabilitynewsservice.com/un-poverty-report-newton-refuses-to-apologise-for-misleading-mps-about-report/">report</a> quotes Sarah Newton MP as saying " there are now one million fewer people living in absolute poverty compared with 2010.”<br/><br/>
This seemed at odds with the evidence of increased food bank use; a scathing report on austerity from the UK; and countless tales of callousness from the DWP and their contractors.<br/><br/>
But the data appears to agree with Newtons comment. Government research shows :<br/>
8.9 million (14%) were in absolute low income, before housing costs - down 500,000 from the year before.<br/>
12.4 million (19%) were in absolute low income, after housing costs - down 400,000 from the year before.<br/>
(<a href="https://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/SN07096">https://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/SN07096</a>)<br/><br/>
In addition, Full Fact have looked into poverty figures and their summary suggests that absolute poverty has drifting downwards since 2010.<br/><br/>
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<br />
<a href="https://fullfact.org/economy/poverty-uk-guide-facts-and-figures/">https://fullfact.org/economy/poverty-uk-guide-facts-and-figures/</a><br/><br/>
Other relevant data here : <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/691917/households-below-average-income-1994-1995-2016-2017.pdf">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/691917/households-below-average-income-1994-1995-2016-2017.pdf</a><br/><br/>
My questions is to ask you whether it is correct a large number of people have been lifted out of absolute poverty since 2010? <br/><br/>
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</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3010474775078886324.post-46299618068887794592018-07-16T16:30:00.001-07:002018-12-18T13:08:42.187-08:00Notes from "Post-Truth - How Bullshit conquered the world" by James Ball<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><a href="#9"> </a><a name="9"></a>
A post with 14 things learnt from reading “Post Truth - How Bullshit conquered the World" by <a href="https://www.jamesrball.com/">James Ball</a>”, a book on media misinformtion, whose tag line is “This is the story of bullshit: what’s being spread, who’s spreading it, why it works - and what we can do to tackle it”. Some very important stuff below, hope it is of value....<br/><br/>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Post Truth, by James Ball </td></tr>
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<a href="#1">1) Fact Checking sometimes only amplifies the bullshit.</a><br/>
<a href="#2">2) Partisan media use bullshit as a base for more extreme claims</a><br/>
<a href="#3">3) How Politicians create news from thin air. </a><br/>
<a href="#4">4) Boris Johnson stoked anti EU feeling with bullshit stories right from the beginning</a><br/>
<a href="#4">5) Autocrats want the public to distrust institutions and the media</a><br/>
<a href="#6">6) How media outlets use bullshit to get hits.</a><br/>
<a href="#7">7) Fake Media is a real thing and often used for financial, not political, reasons.</a><br/>
<a href="#8">8) Social Media Filter Bubbles are powerful</a><br/>
<a href="#9">9) People share based on the headline alone</a><br/>
<a href="#10">10) You should know about the Wason Selection Test</a><br/>
<a href="#11">11) People are wrong on many issues and bad at assessing risk</a><br/>
<a href="#12">12) The public has a role in stopping Bullshit.</a><br/>
<a href="#13">13) Media and government have a role in stopping Bullshit</a><br/>
<a href="#14">14) A warning from John Major</a><br/><br/>
<a name="1"></a>
<u><b>1) Fact Checking sometimes only amplifies the bullshit.</u></b><br/>
Ball looks at the Brexit claim that “We send the EU £350 million a week - lets’ fund the NHS instead” and comments that using £350million - the largest defensible figure - led to media outlets talking about how it was misleading; pointing out the effect of the rebate etc.<br/><br/>
But the end effect was simply to leave people thinking that whether it was £350million a week or £175million a week, it was stilll a lot of money going to the EU that could, according to Vote Leave, be used within the UK after leaving the EU.<br/><br/>
Worth reading the thoughts of Dominic Cummings, the Vote Leave’s campaign director in this Spectator <a href="https://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2017/01/dominic-cummings-brexit-referendum-won/">article</a><br/><br/>
<a name="2"></a>
<u><b>2) Partisan media use bullshit as a base for more extreme claims</u></b><br/>
On the other prong of Leave’s campaign - immigration, Ball describes how the campaign used a poster that simply said “TURKEY (population 76 million) is joining the EU”. This was true in the sense that Turkey was one of a number of countries in the process of trying to become members of the EU, but membership was many years away (if granted at all), and Turkey had met only one of the 35 requirements for membership; and any EU country could veto Turkey’s accession.<br/><br/>
The Vote Leave poster opened up the way for more extreme claims. Defence Minister Penny Mordaunt <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/penny-mordaunt-andrew-marr-uk-veto-tory-minister-accused-of-flat-out-lying-over-turkey-joining-the-a7041956.html">stated</a> in interviews that “I don’t think that the UK will be able to stop Turkey joining.”<br/><br/>
Ball then comments on how “the Eurosceptic media then served to amplify the effect of these political claims in ways the campaign would have been unlikely to wish to be directly associated with”, including <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/media/greenslade/2016/jun/20/sunday-express-admits-12m-turks-coming-to-uk-story-was-inaccurate">“12M TURKS SAY THEY’LL COME TO THE UK”</a> in the Express; <a href="https://infacts.org/front-page-corrections-needed-to-stop-press-errors/">“WE’RE FROM EUROPE - LET US IN”</a> from the Mail and <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/nigel-farage-brexit-poster-vans-eu-referendum-london-remain-breaking-point-a7085396.html">“BREAKING POINT - the EU has failed us all”</a> from UKIP <br/><br/>
The end result, according to Ball, was to place the idea in peoples heads that Turkish immigration was an issue and then to inflate it out of all proportion and propose the referendum as the last chance to stop it, adding that “The Leave Campaign worked very effectively as a sales pitch...Leave had few specific promises of its own that could be attacked and made sure that the attacks on the few specifics it did have would serve its interests.”<br/><br/>
Ball points out that this should not have been a surprise to anyone, as Matthew Elliot, chief executive of VoteLeave, had also been a key part of the 2011 Alternative Vote referendum, in which Elliots No2AV campaign ran posters such as a crying baby with the caption “She needs a maternity unit NOT and alternative voting system. Our country can’t afford it”<br/><br/>
The campaign focused on the (largely one-off) cost of the system, claiming it to be £250million and leaving any pro-AV supporter looking like they wanted to take this money from baby incubators or soldiers body armour.<br/><br/>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Vote Leave website, yesterday.</td></tr>
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<br />
<br /><br/>
<a name="3"></a>
<u><b>3) How Politicians create news from thin air. </u></b><br/>
Ball also comments on the way in which Trump creates headlines by promising disclosures or meetings “soon” and then delaying them repeatedly. This is, according to Ball, straight out of the playbook of 1950’s anti communist senator Joseph McCarthy, whose actions were described as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Image:_A_Guide_to_Pseudo-events_in_America">“Pseudo Events”</a> by Daniel Boorstin.<br/><br/>
This is perhaps not surprising as the chief legal counsel to McCarthy was a lawyer named <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Cohn">Roy Cohn</a>. The same Roy Cohn, it turns out, that worked for Trump during the early part of his career.<br/><br/>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Senator McCarthy (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Senator_Joseph_McCarthy.jpg">source</a>)</td></tr>
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<br /><br/>
<a name="4"></a>
<u><b>4) Boris Johnson stoked anti EU feeling with bullshit stories right from the beginning</u></b><br/>
Ball describes how Johnson, then a journalist at the Daily Telegraph, began a trend for anti-EU stories back in the 1990, as described by Martin Fletcher in <a href="https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk/2017/11/joke-s-over-how-boris-johnson-damaging-britain-s-global-stature">this article</a>: <br/><br/>
<i><blockquote>“[Johnson] revealed European Commission plans to introduce harmonised “Euro-coffins”, ban prawn cocktail crisps and establish a “banana police force”. He wrote stories headlined “Brussels recruits sniffers to ensure that Euro-manure smells the same” and “Threat to British pink sausages”. He reported that Eurocrats had outlawed Italian condoms because they were not precisely 16 centimetres long.”<br/><br/></blockquote></i>
The EU formed its own “myth-buster” website to challenge claims that the EU was trying to eliminate British sausages, force fishermen to wear hairnets and much else. But is was a hopeless task - the misleading stories were reaching millions whereas none of the mythbuster post got over 1000 hits. <br/><br/>
Ball also mentions how Johnson would attempt to dismiss comments such as describing black people as “picaninnies” with “watermelon smiles” as jokes. Ball comments that the risk of taking this route is that “eventually want some people to take you seriously, and no one is used to doing so”.<br/><br/>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boris Johnson, attempting to explain "Euro Coffins"(<a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-eu-referendum-35886338">link</a>)</td></tr>
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<br />
<a name="5"></a>
<u><b>5) Autocrats want the public to distrust institutions and the media</u></b><br/>
Ball comments that public confusion and uncertainty over what is true and what is false are tools of the autocrat and serve the agenda of the strongman. Ball quotes Andrew Puddephatt, chair of International Media Support, who wrote that, regarding the Russian media strategy in Ukraine :<br/><br/>
<i><blockquote>“The core of the [Russian] Strategy is not to persuade people that the Kremlin’s view of events is correct...Instead the goal is to persuade people that there is no objective truth, that no media can be relied upon, that all news, including western news media, is simply propaganda”</i></blockquote>
Ball comments that :<br/><br/>
<i><blockquote>"The post truth approach is the approach of the autocrat: by a campaign of attrition, trust in institutions such as the state, the judiciary and the media are undermined, until public discourse is simply a clash of competing narratives: a contest which can then be won by the side willing to make the boldest plays towards emotion and mass-appeal - often, history as taught us, through the demonisation of minority groups”</blockquote></i><br/><br/>
Joel Simon from the Committee to Protect Journalists, sees similar behavior in left wing Latin American leaders, noting how parts of the media have been described as “The No1 enemies” (by Evo Morales); “trash-talking” (by Rafael Correa); “children of Goebbels” (by Daniel Ortega). Simon adds that:<br/><br/>
<i><blockquote>“Trump’s intent is clear. Through his relentless attacks, he seeks to create and environment in which critical media is marginalised and the truth is unknowable. The experience in Latin America - which, unlike Russia, has a democratic tradition, a robust civil society, and a history of independent media - shows that the strategy can work”</blockquote></i>
Ball notes, in addition, that “Russia did attempt to influence and interfere in the USA’s election… but the USA (and others) has regularly done the same in Eastern Europe and South America”<br/><br/>
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<a name="6"></a>
<u><b>6) How media outlets use bullshit to get hits.</u></b><br/>
Ball describes a practice how online newspaper sites, desperate for page hits as ad revenue is hoovered up by Facebook and Google, , may run a conspiracy theory story for the spike in page visits and then, perhaps within a few hours amending the page to show a much more rational headline and explanation.<br/><br/>
Examples given included the MailOnline <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4155480/Was-Trump-s-bodyguard-wearing-prosthetic-hands.html">article </a>which ran with “Trump’s Secret Service bodyguards “wore prosthetic hands”” before changing it (with no note of the previous headline) to “Sorry folks, they WERE his real hands…”<br/><br/>
Ball explains that news media act like this because they want to be first (to get a higher Google ranking) and they want to be shareable (because that gets more hits from Facebook) - but the price paid “is the audience’s trust: if newspapers don;t differentiate the stories that they have put time and reporting resources into from those they run from a single Tweet, why should readers give then any more credence than any other.<br/><br/>
Adrienne LaFrance, who<a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2017/02/the-mark-zuckerberg-manifesto-is-a-blueprint-for-destroying-journalism/517113/"> writes</a> at the Atlantic, comments on the way Facebook was a threat to the viability of quality journalism, from its vacuuming up of ad revenue to the way it presented all sources equally, by saying:<br/><br/>
<i><blockquote>“All of this is the news industry’s problem; not Zuckerberg’s. But it’s also a problem for anyone who believes in and relies on quality journalism to make sense of the world. Zuckerberg doesn’t want Facebook to kill journalism as we know it. He really, really doesn’t. But that doesn’t mean he won’t.”</blockquote></i><br/><br/>
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<a name="7"></a>
<u><b>7) Fake Media is a real thing and often used for financial, not political, reasons.</u></b><br/>
“Fake News” is taken by Ball to be articles that are wholly fictional and written for a variety of purposes and meant to deceive (we are not talking about The Onion here). Fake news is often written in the same style as mainstream media articles and may be hosted on websites that either mimic established sites “ABCnews.com.co” or use plausible but fake site names “Boston Tribune, Valley Report, Baltimore Gazette”.<br/><br/>
Examples of these wholly fabricated articles have headlines such as “Obama signs Executive Order Banning The Pledge of Allegiance in Schools Nationwide” and “Trump Offering Free One Way Tickets to Africa and Mexico for Those Who Wanna Leave America”.<br/><br/>
Remarkable, much of the fake news in 2016 was written by teenagers in a small town of Veles in Macedonia, who launched some 140 online fake websites in what Ball describes as a form of “on line gold rush”. Their motivation was not political, but simply to profit from the ad-revenue from highly shared post. Those in early could earn some $5,000 a month, although this inevitable reduced significantly as more players came on the scene. <br/><br/>
Some of the stories reached huge audiences, an example being one that claimed Clinton had, in 2013, said that Trump should run for President - which was shared 400,000 times on Facebook. <br/><br/>
Ball also comments on the Russian “troll factories” sayng that, whilst we should be aware of the danger they pose, pro-Trump content is being pushed by many players simply because it gets the highest audience. <br/><br/>
Looking at the effect of these fake stories, a <a href="http://www.dw.com/en/fake-news-medias-post-truth-problem/a-36428321">study</a> by Craig Silverman, who has looked at Facebook data and noticed that fake stories gained a lot of traction in the last 4 months of the 2016 US election, with the top 20 real stories being shared 7.3 million times, while the top 20 fake stories were shared some 8.7 million times.<br/><br/>
Other studies have come to different conclusions - it is worth noting that there is a lot more “real” news than “fake” news - with one suggesting that it would take 36 TV adverts to have the same impact as a fake news story.<br/><br/>
But then again, much of this research ignores the effect of memes, photos and other “non article” social media content, and the fact that social media posts often come from people we trust such as friends and family.<br/><br/>
Oddly, or not, it seems that outright fake news is much rarer in the UK than in the US, although the UK parliament has launched an<a href="https://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/culture-media-and-sport-committee/news-parliament-2015/fake-news-launch-16-17/"> inquiry </a>into the question of fake news.<br/><br/>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-eu-referendum-35886338"></a> : </td></tr>
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<a name="8"></a>
<u><b>8) Social Media Filter Bubbles are powerful</u></b><br/>
Ball comments on “filter bubbles”, pointing out that people can become so divorced from reality that they ignore even the evidence of what is happening around them - so Brexit supporter can comment on a pro-leave story about supposed lower food prices post Brexit by saying that “Ha Ha.. where does this leave those idiotic toblerone makers who are reducing the size of British Toblerone bars due to Brexit increased costs”<br/><br/>
Ball comments that “this is the power of bullshit: people become so ready to hear what they want to believe that a Facebook post is believed not only over experts but also over events which have already happened”<br/><br/>
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<a name="9"></a>
<u><b>9) People share based on the headline alone</u></b><br/>
Ball comments that a lot of social media sharing happens based on the headline alone, many people do not even click through and read the article, the research refere Apart from anything else, this means that any rebuttal at the end of the article is simply not seen by many people.[See note below]<br/><br/>
Greg Sargent from the Washington Post comments that if Trump claims to have saved jobs in a particular factory it may be in no-one’s interest to later flag the issue up later if the claim proves to be hollow “why would a company want to set the record straight, when doing so would incur the wrath of the new administration...The full story will be even harder to come by in these situations - making it more important that headline inform readers and viewers when Trump’s claim is unverified or suspect”<br/><br/>
[Note : So far as I can tell, the research referred to (<a href="https://hal.inria.fr/hal-01281190">"Social Clicks: What and Who Gets Read on Twitter?"</a>) does not actually say what proportion of viewed shares are clicked on, but it does talk about the majority of LINKS not being clicked on, which is a different thing. Suppose there are 10 links, four of which are shared a million times each and clicked on widely. Suppose the other 6 links are shared 5 times each and no-one clicks on them. One could then say that 60% of link are never clicked on, which would be true, but perhaps somewhat misleading] <br/><br/>
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<a name="10"></a>
<u><b>10) You should know about the Wason Selection Test</u></b><br/>
Ball comments on how we are all more likely to accept information that supports our current beliefs, a phenomena known as “confirmation bias”, and mentions the “Wason Selection Task" research, <a href="https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/86db/64c600fe59acfc48fd22bc8484485d5e7337.pdf">first published</a> in 1960<br/><br/>
In the study, participants were shown the sequence of numbers 2,4, 6 and told that the numbers followed a rule (which will be revealed a bit later in this text). Participants were then asked to think of other number sequences that followed the same rule and the researchers would tell them whether their sequences did or did not follow the rule.<br/><br/>
The participants were told that, once they were fairly sure, they could tell the researchers what they thought the rule was.<br/><br/>
What the researchers found was that people would mentally choose a rule, select a sequence that fitted it and then decide that their mental rule was the correct one.<br/><br/>
For example, they might offer 8 ,10, 12 (which follows the rule), then 14,16,18 (which also follows the rule) -and then say that the rule is “sequential even numbers”. Which it isn’t.<br/><br/>
Or they might offer 1,3,5 (which follows the rule) and then 7,9,11 (which follows the rule) - and then say that the rule is “numbers that increase by 2”. Which it isn’t.<br/><br/>
What participants needed to do to get to the correct rule was to offer contradicting sequences to test whether their guess was correct.
For example, if, after submitting 8,10,12 and 14,16,18, the participant had offered 3,4,5 and been told that this too followed the rule, they would have learnt that their supposition that the rule was “sequential even numbers” could not be correct.<br/><br/>
The actual rule, by the way is simply “three numbers in ascending order”.<br/><br/>
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<u><b>11) People are wrong on many issues and bad at assessing risk</u></b><br/>
Ball mentions how the electorate is often wrong on many key issues, believing that 31% of the population are immigrants (actually it is 13%); 1 in 6 underage teenage girls become pregnant (actually is is 1 in 165); or that 24% of the population is Muslim (actually it is 5%). <br/><br/>
Ball goes on to comment on how people are bad as assessing risk - and much of media is bad at presenting risk statistics. For example, a 100% increase in cancer risk sound scary- but could mean going from 1 in a million to 2 in a million, which puts the data in a very different perspective. <br/><br/>
Also mentioned is Prof Michael Rothschild, who <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/sep/05/september-11-road-deaths">describes</a> an imaginary scenario where terrorists hijack and destroy a plane every month in the US. In this world, someone who took four flights a month would face a 1 in 540,00 chance of being killed in a year, compared to the a 1 in 1,7000 chance of dying in a car accident, 1 in 600 chance of dying from cancer and a 1 in 400 chance of dying of heart disease. <br/><br/>
Yet policy - and peoples fears - are overwhelmingly directed towards terrorist threats instead of towards preventing heart disease.<br/><br/>
Another concern is the way people can be swayed by the views of their peer group and voice views that they may feel doubtful about but which fit in with those of the group. Author Margaret Huffernan <a href="https://www.simplypsychology.org/asch-conformity.html">comments</a> on this saying:<br/><br/>
<blockquote>
<i>“ We confirm to the consumption patterns we see around us as we all become bystanders, hoping someone else somewhere will intervene. Our governments and corporations grow too complex to communicate with or change and we are just left where we do not want to be”</blockquote></i>
Even worse is that when groups of people who have broadly similar political views are put together and asked to discuss topical issues, their views converge and the average view becomes more extreme, as shown by <a href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=911646">research</a> by Schkade, Sunstein and Hastie in 2006.And this effect can happen in just a few minutes, so imaging what the effects of months or years in a social media filter bubble or echo chamber can cause.<br/><br/>
As Ball comments “ We conform with our groups, we signal our belonging in our groups and we are polarised by our groups”.<br/><br/>
Another issue that affects how we deal with media is our tendency to react to some types of information reflexively. For example we do not need perform any calculations to answer the question “what is 2x2?”- similarly, we may sometimes share information that fits in with our worldview in an automatic way, without factchecking it - in contrast to information that conflicts with our worldview, where we may take time evaluate it more critically. This is a phenomena that has been discussed by Nobel Prize winner Daniel Kahneman in his book “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thinking,_Fast_and_Slow">Thinking Fast and Slow”</a><br/><br/>
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<u><b>12) The public has a role in stopping Bullshit.</u></b><br/>
Ball refers to news researcher Claire Wardle who <a href="https://firstdraftnews.org/fake-news-complicated/">comments</a>:<br/><br/>
<i>
<blockquote>“ We all play a crucial part in this [news] ecosystem. Every time we passively accept information without double checking it, or share a post, image or video before we’ve verified it, we’re adding to the noise and pollution...This is about teaching people to second guess their instinctual reactions. If you find yourself incredibly angry at a piece of content or feeling smug (because your viewpoint has been reaffirmed), take another look”</blockquote></i>
To ordinary people (like you and me) interested in escaping the filter bubble, Ball advises following a couple of people (not the shoutiest ones) on the other side of the argument on Twitter or Facebook may be helpful, as well as reading articles from a different political perspective as well. This will help us to understand their perspective, rather that imagining them as the stereotype we have in our heads. <br/><br/>
Also, checking articles before sharing - rather that forwarding instinctively because they fit our world view. Ask oneself a few questions like What is the source of this information? Is it a major news outlet? A politician? Someone Anonymous? Can we verify the claims made? If it is a screenshot, does it seem credible? - We should also try and apply the same critical thinking to articles that agree with our politics as to those that don’t.<br/><br/>
Learning even just a little about statistics can help stop someone being fooled. For example, being told that benefit fraud is running at £1.3billion is not very helpful unless we are also told the total amount of government spending ( ~£780billion). Ball recommends <a href="https://ia800609.us.archive.org/17/items/HowToLieWithStatistics/Huff-HowToLieWithStatistics.pdf">“How to Lie with Statistics”</a> by Darrell Huff as a good place to start looking into this further.<br/><br/>
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<u><b>13) Media and government have a role in stopping Bullshit</u></b><br/>
Bringing targeted ads into the public eye is suggested by Ball as a partial fix. He comments that “the ability of campaigns to send messages to some voters which are almost impossible for the media or the electorate at large to see and scrutinise could have numerous damaging effects. It opens the door to targeted messages aimed at discouraging supporters of a political rival to turn out, whether through outright deception (false polling days etc) or more subtle messages designed to put them off the candidate.”<br/><br/>
Ball recommends that messages from political sources be registered with an official body who would immediately make them public.<br/><br/>
To media organisations, Ball advises that if an article is reporting on a dubious claim, the article needs to say so in the headline - people often don’t read any further than this.<br/><br/>
Also, media organisations could do a better job of the rules they work under regarding right of reply, phrasings, impartiality etc, so that the public have a better understanding of why stories are structured the way they are. <br/><br/>
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<u><b>14) A warning from John Major</u></b><br/>
In Feb 2017 John Major gave a warning regarding the marginalisation of free speech, saying that:<br/><br/>
<i><blockquote> “[Remainers] do not deserve to be told that, since the decision has been taken, they must keep quiet and toe the line. A popular triumph at the polls - even in a referendum - does not take away the right to disagree - nor the right to express that dissent. Freedom of speech is absolute in our country. It’s not “arrogant” or “brazen” or “elitist” or remotely “delusional” to express concern about our future after Brexit. Nor, by doing so, is this group undermining the will of the people: they are the people. Shouting down their legitimate comment is against all the traditions of tolerance.”</blockquote></i>
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Update Dec 2018: <br/>
<blockquote>
<i>"The populist right-wing media is “huge” in the U.K., said Paul Quigley, CEO of NewsWhip, a U.S.-based social media monitoring company, which carried out extensive research for POLITICO...With articles that rack up thousands, sometimes tens or hundreds of thousands, of clicks, likes and shares, these sites are transforming Britain’s media landscape, empowering fringe groups, amplifying the message of figures like Robinson and — some in the government now worry — putting young people at risk of radicalization."<br/><br/>
"“This is a separate ecosystem, with its own rules, its own communities and its own influencers,” said Ben Nimmo, an expert in online disinformation and manipulation at the Atlantic Council’s digital forensic research lab. “What we’re seeing is the internationalization of nationalism.”<br/><br/>
"What is the point, some officials ask in private, of social media buys and a five-strong unit when you’re dealing with millions of websites, bloggers, Facebook groups and YouTube channels, all feeding off each other in an ecosystem beyond state control?<br/><br/>
“The problem is, you can’t know how many people are a little bit less angry because of your digital comms strategy,” said one official. “You can’t measure how many people are still furious, but kept just this side of being radicalized because of what you’re doing.”<br/></i></blockquote>
<a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/britain-nationalist-dark-web-populism-tommy-robinson/">https://www.politico.eu/article/britain-nationalist-dark-web-populism-tommy-robinson/</a><br/><br/>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3010474775078886324.post-36544601524017451992018-04-09T15:21:00.000-07:002018-04-09T15:21:00.411-07:00"Voodoo Histories" by David Aaronovitch<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Although BFTF bought <a href="https://www.hive.co.uk/Search/Keyword?keyword=Voodoo%20Histories&productType=0">Voodoo Histories</a> by David Aaronovitch back in 2013, have only now got round to actually reading it! The book looks at a number of conspiracy theories and considers why they are so attractive to some people. <br/><br/>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Voodoo Histories</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />
Aaronovitch suggests that <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conspiracy_theory">conspiracy theories</a> share certain characteristics:<br/><br/>
Historical Precedent - It is helpful to have previous conspiracy theories to show a trend, for example JFK in the case of assassinations, or Pearl Harbour in the case of "false flag" incidents.<br/><br/>
"Skeptics and Sheeple" - conspiracy theories often take the form where a "global elite" wishes some fact or incident to remain hidden, and only the conspiracy theorists can see past the official story to the truth, unlike the masses who are "sheeple", uncritically believing what they are told.<br/><br/>
Just asking - a technique employed by those not wishing to actually be labelled as conspiracy theorists is to "just ask questions" which only make sense if there was a conspiracy.<br/><br/>
Expert witnesses - conspiracy theorists often call on the endorsement of “experts” to validate their beliefs. Often, however, the qualifications of these people is not mentioned and may not be relevant<br/><br/>
Academic credibility - conspiracy theories are often presented in an academic format, with plenty of footnotes. But if one checks the references one may find that they do not say what the conspiracy theorist claims they say.<br/><br/>
Uncritical acceptance of early news reports - whilst expressing disbelief at the “official line”, conspiracy theories often place huge importance to early news reports from an incident, using them to “prove” that there is some kind of cover up, and ignoring the fact that early reports often contain inaccurate information (and often ignoring any clarifications made by the news reporters themselves)<br/><br/>
“Convenient inconvenient truths” - inevitably, the slightest investigation will reveal gaping holes in conspiracy theories. The theorist may then claim (as Koery Rowe did in regard to his <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_11_attacks">9/11</a> film "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loose_Change">Loose Change</a>") that “We know there are errors in the documentary, and we’ve actually left them in there so that people discredit us and do the research for themselves”<br/><br/>
Under surveillance - conspiracists may claim that they are under surveillance, for example by their emails being intercepted and going missing.<br/><br/>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuOvQynuAaBT6szV8FYVvpUs33cRezHqAylMm5JobDzr6owpjslDNe8siowQEPLSgbPqu4Ymt0P-kCUh21Yfw3viZR5hjNmjdxuenbfeQ37uEoxmK17Zenk9MD-wXr18aCKF9ODeezOqTi/s1600/Contrail.fourengined.arp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="203" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuOvQynuAaBT6szV8FYVvpUs33cRezHqAylMm5JobDzr6owpjslDNe8siowQEPLSgbPqu4Ymt0P-kCUh21Yfw3viZR5hjNmjdxuenbfeQ37uEoxmK17Zenk9MD-wXr18aCKF9ODeezOqTi/s1600/Contrail.fourengined.arp.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Contrails, or if you a conspiracy theorist, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemtrail_conspiracy_theory">Chemtrails</a></td></tr>
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Aaronovitch spent the majority of the book looking, in some depth, at the histories of a number of conspiracy theories. Some of the most interesting points raised, to BFTF at least, are shown below.<br/><br/>
<u><b>The Protocols of the Elders of Zion</u></b><br/>
The alleged backstory for this <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Protocols_of_the_Elders_of_Zion">anti-semitic manifesto</a> for world domination has varied over the years. Aaronovitch describes how the author of the 1919 edition, Captain Ludwig Muller Von Hausen claimed that the Protocols were discussed at secret sessions in an 1897 Zionist Conference and that a messenger lent the Protocols to a German masonic lodge who sent a translated copy on to Russia for study.<br/><br/>
In the UK, the Times asked “Are they a forgery?” and asked whether the country had just escaped a “Pax Germanica” only to fall for a “Pax Judaeica”. The Spectator asked for “some body of the nature of a Royal Commission could be appointed to look into the whole subject”.<br/><br/>
Unfortunately for supporters of the conspiracy, a German academic Dr J Stanjek, pointed out that something very similar to the Protocols had been written back in 1868, in a work of fiction called Biarritz. In the novel representatives from the twelve tribes of Israel meet in a graveyard and report on their efforts towards domination in areas such as stock exchanges, agriculture, the media etc. <br/><br/>
In 1872 the graveyard meeting appeared in a Russian pamphlet.<br/><br/>
In 1881 it appeared, presented as fact, and consolidated as a “Rabbi’s address”, in a French magazine. In this instance it was a British Diplomat who was allegedly relaying the contents of the speech.<br/><br/>
In 1891 the Rabbis Speech was published in an Odessa newspaper, claiming that the speech had been delivered in 1883.<br/><br/>
And so on and so on.<br/><br/>
However, the Protocols earliest incarnation, was in a novel written by Frenchman Maurice Joli entitled <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dialogue_in_Hell_Between_Machiavelli_and_Montesquieu">“Dialogues in Hell between Machiavelli and Montesquieu [a philosopher]”</a> around 1860-1870. The novel is allegorical, with Napoleon III being played by Machiavelli, who explains to Montesquieu the need for power and control of the media and business, and how to set rivals against each other. According to historian Norman Cohn, approximately 40% of the Protocols is lifted directly from the Dialogues. For example, compare the following two passages: <br/><br/>
From the Dialogues :<br/>
<i><blockquote>“I shall count on devoted journals in each party. I shall have an aristocratic one in the aristocratic party, a republican one in the republican party, a revolutionary one in the revolutionary party, an anarchist one, if necessary, in the anarchist party. Like the God Vishnu, my press will have a hundred arms, each hand of which will feel the nuances of public opinion”</blockquote></i>
From the Protocols : <br/>
<blockquote><i>“All our newspapers will be of all possibly complexions - aristocratic, republican, revolutionary, even anarchical...Like the God Vishnu, they will have one hundred hands and in each shall beat the pulse of a different intellectual tendency”</i></blockquote><br/><br/>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN2OSXNfPnC5j4YBvn0ij496zJORH1VGL9wcWMb7xzdBS9hzGj3tcGZMcZtAI6jc3AIZwWpVhglus_iJy0WBuh0vqi71q8j3yCugzCxT8nK7q1Qmm43HNUcnwBvK-hBMK09C1p_xYtDQkX/s1600/M._Joly._Dialogue_aux_enfers._Title_page%252C_1864.jpeg.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN2OSXNfPnC5j4YBvn0ij496zJORH1VGL9wcWMb7xzdBS9hzGj3tcGZMcZtAI6jc3AIZwWpVhglus_iJy0WBuh0vqi71q8j3yCugzCxT8nK7q1Qmm43HNUcnwBvK-hBMK09C1p_xYtDQkX/s1600/M._Joly._Dialogue_aux_enfers._Title_page%252C_1864.jpeg.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dialogues in Hell between Machiavelli and Montesquieu</td></tr>
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<u><b>Pearl Harbour</u></b><br/>
Many of the initial Pearl Harbour conspiracy theories came from within “America First” groups who were isolationist and suspicious that the Roosevelt wanted to take the country into war for the benefit on those who would profit from it.<br/><br/>
Aaronovitch also comments on the book by 1981 book by John Toland (which claims that intercepted radio communications had allowed the US to plot the direction of the attacking Japanese forces), pointing out that radio silence had been maintained on the Japanese ships by leaving the radios, and radio operators, back at base.<br/><br/>
Also worth reading are comments by Stephen J Ambrose in a 1992 New York Times article :<br/><br/>
<i><blockquote>"About Pearl Harbor one must ask could Roosevelt, by himself, have kept Information about an imminent attack from the commanders in Hawaii? Of course not. Teams of men were involved in breaking the Japanese diplomatic code in 1941; admirals and generals in Washington got the intelligence and took it to the President. They would have had to join him in a conspiracy. Can anyone believe the admirals would have allowed their men and battleships to go down without a protest?” adding that Roosevelt’s policy in 1941 “was to avoid war with Japan until Nazi Germany had been defeated”</blockquote></i>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVkUS8EgY490vYQImDwUDQlhvpFt-1-8meBmc3kLVnWm0zRK-VAk31MiJVf5elPmVOR7xfdmF5SFMSNgBgUHPkKoIPyXiEJcRmLPTMC2mYWKALnlka2nSI68NeWlBoR_wNNn2od3bFOe4n/s1600/Attack_on_Pearl_Harbor_Japanese_planes_view.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="227" data-original-width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVkUS8EgY490vYQImDwUDQlhvpFt-1-8meBmc3kLVnWm0zRK-VAk31MiJVf5elPmVOR7xfdmF5SFMSNgBgUHPkKoIPyXiEJcRmLPTMC2mYWKALnlka2nSI68NeWlBoR_wNNn2od3bFOe4n/s1600/Attack_on_Pearl_Harbor_Japanese_planes_view.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pearl Harbour attack, 1941</td></tr>
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<u><b>Diana</u></b><br/>
Aaronovitch comments that “If one reason for the large number of Diana conspiracy theories was that they earned money for their discoverers or originators, another was media proliferation. SImply, there were ever more news and light current affairs outlets competing with fewer resourced for a market whose size does not increase and which is under pressure from new media”.<br/><br/>
To take one example of the levels of plot complexity that these theories could require, Aaronovitch mentions the 2006 book by Nicholas Davies entitled “Diana : The killing of a Princess” which claimed that the rear seat belts on the Mercedes had had their pins filed down so they would easily disengage. All that was then required was for the conspirators to “suborn the driver, know the route, organise and drive a white Fiat, have it side swiped, create a flash, delay the ambulance, switch the blood samples, turn off the CCTV and corrupt the investigators”. As well as tampering with the vehicle itself, of course. And even then, it was only the specific angle the ccar hit the pillar that caused the accident to be so severe and fatal. <br/><br/>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6BilAZLTYeJNyM_CkY0NKpMY2j_xOB83Bnsf4LiJePansSygyiZzLY1bg31v3idDfHkMt-s5jxKqA5RlpAxvg-WZNUNF3v3TJLh0Gc7dOFacaz380NNaFmzyrCYlS-IpboTM4S9c2pKWZ/s1600/170px-Princess_diana_bristol_1987_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="167" data-original-width="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6BilAZLTYeJNyM_CkY0NKpMY2j_xOB83Bnsf4LiJePansSygyiZzLY1bg31v3idDfHkMt-s5jxKqA5RlpAxvg-WZNUNF3v3TJLh0Gc7dOFacaz380NNaFmzyrCYlS-IpboTM4S9c2pKWZ/s1600/170px-Princess_diana_bristol_1987_02.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Princess Diana, 1987</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<u><b>Hilda Murrell</u></b><br/>
In 1984, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hilda_Murrell#Trial_of_Andrew_George">Hilda Murell</a>, an elderly rose grower and anti-nuclear campaigner, was abducted and found murdered five miles from her home in Shropshire. Conspiracy theories began to circulate that her death was the result of a botched intelligence operation looking for her recently completed investigation into nuclear waste safety; or looking for information from Murell’s nephew, who was a commander in the Royal Navy and privy to the naval communications that had taken place around the time of the sinking of the General Belgrano. The suspicion was that the government had sunk the Belgrano with the intention of derailing peace negotiations and ensuring an armed conflict - a conflict which was later seen as a major factor in Conservative success in the next general election.<br/><br/>
Tam Dalyell MP was a strong proponent of the Belgrano conspiracy, mentioning it numerous times in Parliament, including an instance where he <a href="https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1984/dec/19/miss-hilda-murrell-murder">commented</a> that :<br/><br/>
<blockquote>
<i>“I am informed that the intruders were not after money or nuclear information but were checking the house to see 463 if there were any Belgrano-related documents of Commander Green in the home of his aunt. Things went disastrously wrong. They had no intention of injuring, let alone killing, a 78-year-old ex-rose grower. Yet, being the lady she was and in her home, Hilda Murrell fought and was severely injured. She was then killed or left to die from hypothermia, and the cover-up had to begin, because I am informed that the searchers were men of the British intelligence”</blockquote></i><br/>
In reality, and as the Police has long suspected, the crime was committed by a common burglar - in 2002 Andrew George, a career criminal, was arrested and convicted on the basis of DNA evidence of the crime. <br/><br/>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqqze9G8jLJ6jSCUGsEGpE60XFh4VjdxYAjB7Rwowd6P6No9fSWGakDbxK9FO1aKthWTcOWP6MZ1eG4I2PmSZHuHtCb1yVBZyv_KUpj1wEqEVeB6wEumtniD0OHRTbz1kHyOopanQ4NCxz/s1600/220px-Tam_Dalyell_1991.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="182" data-original-width="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqqze9G8jLJ6jSCUGsEGpE60XFh4VjdxYAjB7Rwowd6P6No9fSWGakDbxK9FO1aKthWTcOWP6MZ1eG4I2PmSZHuHtCb1yVBZyv_KUpj1wEqEVeB6wEumtniD0OHRTbz1kHyOopanQ4NCxz/s1600/220px-Tam_Dalyell_1991.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tam Dalyell MP</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<u><b>9/11</u></b><br/>
One example of how conspiracy theory claims simply do not match with the available evidence relates to the claim in the 9/11 Conspiracy films “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loose_Change#Criticism">Loose Change</a>” that it was impossible for the passengers on Flight 93 to have made phone calls to people on the ground.<br/><br/>
Aaronovitch points out that many of the calls were using the “Airfone” service, as opposed to directly from mobile phones, but that in any case it was perfectly possible for calls to be made from aircraft, especially if they were at relatively low level - and evidence for calls being made during flights has been <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/aerospace/aviation/unsafe-at-any-airspeed">documented</a> by electromagnetic radiation expert <a href="https://www.zoominfo.com/p/Bill-Strauss/314701232">Bill Strauss </a>from indeed call signature signals have been recorded during flights in 2004 research.<br/><br/>
It is also worth noting that, in contrast the the claims made by David Griffin in his, best selling, 9/11 conspiracy book <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_Pearl_Harbor">“The New Pearl Harbour”</a>, there were many witnesses that the plane which hit the Pentagon was actually a plane, not a missile; the plane had passengers as DNA evidence of nearly all the passengers was retrieved from the crash site; and it is actually relatively easy to crash a plane into the Pentagon (landing safely on a runway is the tricky bit).
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikEbjcORoe2pb1tqqDHA7d4NhozRtIQYi-5ejFqFhXixieFLLTHsz5ibdtyUXbP1bj2HKdUaWSPAQulSwvQgNKOa-OHMDJgu_D7yBZX9SNtpzSZJ3JieJZgLqpKYtdvylJWHgUy200mjsk/s1600/250px-New_York_-_National_September_11_Memorial_South_Pool_-_April_2012_-_9693C.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="167" data-original-width="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikEbjcORoe2pb1tqqDHA7d4NhozRtIQYi-5ejFqFhXixieFLLTHsz5ibdtyUXbP1bj2HKdUaWSPAQulSwvQgNKOa-OHMDJgu_D7yBZX9SNtpzSZJ3JieJZgLqpKYtdvylJWHgUy200mjsk/s1600/250px-New_York_-_National_September_11_Memorial_South_Pool_-_April_2012_-_9693C.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">9/11 Memorial</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<u><b>Historian's Fallacy</u></b><br/>
The Historian's Fallacy relates to the fact that people in the midst of historical events did not - at the time - have knowledge of subsequent events.<br/><br/>
For example, in the case of 9/11, Ray Griffin demands to know “why, if NORAD had been told at 9.24 that flight 77 appeared to be heading towards Washington, the Pentagon the Pentagon was not evacuated. In 13 minutes, it seems, virtually everyone could have gotten out”. But these comments ignore that fact that, at 9.24, no-one knew what the target of flight 77 was - it could have been the White House, CIA Headquarters, or a commercial building such as that which had already been hit in New York. Griffin makes no comment about these many other possible targets. <br/><br/>
Other actions by the US government have subsequently been largely ignored because there were no further attacks that day. For example, a number of aircraft carriers and warships were sent out to sea, partially to reduce the number of ships in port that could be attacked by planes coming in from the Atlantic. <br/><br/>
<u><b>Image Sources</u></b><br/>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Contrail.fourengined.arp.jpg">Contrail</a>,<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:M._Joly._Dialogue_aux_enfers._Title_page,_1864.jpeg"> Elders</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Attack_on_Pearl_Harbor_Japanese_planes_view.jpg">Pearl Harbour</a>,<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Princess_diana_bristol_1987_02.jpg"> Diana</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tam_Dalyell_1991.jpg">Dalyell</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:New_York_-_National_September_11_Memorial_South_Pool_-_April_2012_-_9693C.jpg">9/11</a><br/><br/>
</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3010474775078886324.post-72138166884512330792018-02-17T15:02:00.000-08:002018-02-17T15:02:01.901-08:00Interview : Jamahl Peterkin from the Nottingham Peace Project<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Humbled
by the inspirational comments from Jamahl Peterkin in an interview about the <a href="https://nottinghampeaceproject.co.uk/">Nottingham Peace Project</a>, which is a non-profit organisation established to build positive communities. Well worth reading.... <br/><br/>
<u><b>Q: What is the aim of NPP?</u/></b><br/><br/>
I aim for NPP to become a leader for Nottingham within the community sector, for teenagers and adults providing a range of positive opportunity, experience and improving mental health through Nottingham communities. Providing innovative creative workshops for all ages.<br/><br/>
We aim to help young offenders, refugees, women of different faiths, teenagers in deprivation and children with early signs of mental health issues, behavioural disorders or emotional disorders. <br/><br/>
We aim to provide work experience and training opportunities for students at university and in collage. <br/><br/>
We aim to empower our communities and bring positive change to Nottingham City. <br/><br/>
We aim at creating a range of sustainable businesses which help the community and from which profits can go back into supporting Nottingham communities.<br/><br/>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijdrttEM0tRt9Ecvsj9aiV6DqN-fr_Nt-bFaS7h56qncqQYqtX8wV6Sc2wTnEkzqmOSUpsZwZZc3JPWJ8EbO-8hZvjjlihIZNvfE9k6mveuV5Y0V2iVxJCHWBOcqNAJwv28R8W_CT2VtGP/s1600/kids.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="237" data-original-width="400" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijdrttEM0tRt9Ecvsj9aiV6DqN-fr_Nt-bFaS7h56qncqQYqtX8wV6Sc2wTnEkzqmOSUpsZwZZc3JPWJ8EbO-8hZvjjlihIZNvfE9k6mveuV5Y0V2iVxJCHWBOcqNAJwv28R8W_CT2VtGP/s320/kids.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Various NPP Events</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<u><b>Q : What was the spark that made you set up the Nottingham Peace Project?</u></b><br/><br/>
A: Growing up in the deprived areas of Nottingham I know first-hand what it is like to be a teenager with lack of positive male role models, opportunity and resources. Growing up in deprived communities followed by adult health issues and traumatising life situations which lead to poor mental health, lack of self-belief and self-help skills to improve my mental health and life situations my life was spiralling downwards. <br/><br/>
Mindfulness and positive thinking changed my life and when I learnt the science behind these life skills at the age of 30 I realised that if teenagers and adults in deprived communities learnt these basic life skills that nobody teaches us as children or in schools then they too can improve their life and well-being. Life skills including, self-love, self-awareness, mindfulness, positive thinking, confidence, self-belief.
In July 2013 I was put into an induced comer for 4 weeks. After being in hospital care for 8 weeks, 2 days after being discharged my first daughter was born, I resumed full-time work and my part-time degree 3 months after being through such a traumatic experience and never received any counselling or therapy which in hind-sight was much needed. <br/><br/>
After a couple years going by I had noticed that I had destroyed all the close relationships around me, including work relationships, family and friends. I had been suffering with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) unaware for some time and life situations were just building on top, causing more detriment to my mental health. As a sufferer of PTSD I know first-hand how important a healthy mind is and how detrimental an unhealthy mind can be. <br/><br/>
In April 2016 my brother passed away and situations at work and home were becoming poor. I started seeing a clinical psychologist as recommended by my doctor. In June 2016 my relationship of 7 years had broken down and I had to move away from my family home. The following months became even more difficult, after raising a grievance at work for unfair treatment I was managed out of my position in December 2016 was not paid any wages the week before Christmas.<br/><br/>
The years of suffering with PTSD and difficult life situations had become so much I was just hoping to make it through 2016. Whilst depressed and in a very low place, I stumbled across some videos which completely changed my outlook on life and I quickly learnt how to control my negative detrimental thinking patterns. Since I had been doing counselling at the time and been introduced to mindfulness I had even more faith in what I was watching as it reminded me of what I had already been taught so I followed my instincts and tried something new. This lead to training in life coaching and mindfulness. <br/><br/>
Turning my own life around after losing my brother, my family, being in a coma, losing my job made me realise that we need to do more for communities who are not properly equipped with these life skills. <br/><br/>
I had an overwhelming urge to create a way I can help communities of Nottingham. Instead of getting back into full-time work and staying depressed I decided to create ‘<a href="https://nottinghampeaceproject.co.uk/">Nottingham Peace Project</a>’ to bring life coaching and positive opportunity to Nottingham communities. <br/><br/>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsEUCJi086DMJZ5pFUhaVbBCjQtfHUjwhkTpEM3cUDvcPw970dwN3Zht2QQRzwP97bV5EkALgQ8GR6U3RoNtgbJiVGhkx7fNDA6z_Qk_1uA_Te3oL0ckVGLAB4Mq1y3WPJCqZaeBjMo50g/s1600/calender.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="295" data-original-width="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsEUCJi086DMJZ5pFUhaVbBCjQtfHUjwhkTpEM3cUDvcPw970dwN3Zht2QQRzwP97bV5EkALgQ8GR6U3RoNtgbJiVGhkx7fNDA6z_Qk_1uA_Te3oL0ckVGLAB4Mq1y3WPJCqZaeBjMo50g/s1600/calender.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">NPP Poetry Calender</td></tr>
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<u><b>Q: What was the biggest challenge in getting the project started?</u></b><br/><br/>
A: Funding and being taken seriously. For months I worked voluntarily. Even now I earn significantly less than what I did when working in management and what I could earn going out and getting a job which uses my skill set. The tremendous success we achieved in 2017 now makes us get taken seriously and hopefully more funding and support will open. Our annual activity report can be downloaded at: <br/><a href="https://nottinghampeaceproject.files.wordpress.com/2018/01/nottingham-peace-project-annual-report-2017.pdf">https://nottinghampeaceproject.files.wordpress.com/2018/01/nottingham-peace-project-annual-report-2017.pdf </a><br/><br/>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKQpiXqTZ5WGshUWt2ajZV15W2i7DER32c-EJDbUGEJs8ZyQ5hpJ7qeWoOtb1CQ9X-6g0bVicAeYSo0PuAyc_0VvXklZPBGdfMvCzkJ9iav5VRmWvTrVPNaVcnMvbK_NXG4usxlrF7UNOz/s1600/knives.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="321" data-original-width="475" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKQpiXqTZ5WGshUWt2ajZV15W2i7DER32c-EJDbUGEJs8ZyQ5hpJ7qeWoOtb1CQ9X-6g0bVicAeYSo0PuAyc_0VvXklZPBGdfMvCzkJ9iav5VRmWvTrVPNaVcnMvbK_NXG4usxlrF7UNOz/s320/knives.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anti Knife Crime event</td></tr>
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<u><b>Q: Which NPP activity do you think has had the most impact?</u></b><br/><br/>
Music in the park. <br/><br/>
Individual and Family Level:<br/><br/>
New skill of being able to play keyboard. Including ‘Mary had a little lamb’ ‘Old McDonald’ ‘Fur Elise’ ‘London Bridge’ and learnt how to operate a keyboard and show creative interest in the keyboard. Learn how to play the keyboard on 2 scales. <br/><br/>
This has an impact on not only them but also their family and friends, the skills they learn are transferable and may have been discussed with their family and friends. The workshops provide a form a therapy which allows them time to express and vent. The sessions improve their creativity and skill set which they naturally will use through their life. The workshops have provided safe spaces during evenings which promotes positive community social inclusion and diverts away from offending and anti-social behaviour. <br/><br/>
Improved confidence, expression and improved creative ability to write poetry, some children had learning difficulties and learnt letters whilst learning to play the keyboard. Learn how to play the drums. Children and families where out in the park getting fresh air for 2 hours.<br/><br/>
Community and Social Level:<br/><br/>
The family fun days and music in the park keyboard stations in green spaces have brought communities together improving community cohesion and inclusion in the area. Families have been travelling to different areas and parks to take part and positive creative engagement provided for all.
Over 20 families have provided email address and signed up to future music in the park activities. Social inclusion and meeting new people. Total number attended over duration of project 204. Average 29 per session. <br/><br/>
The community is more musical minded but now towards playing instruments. The project has helped many families in the community teach their children how to play instruments. The community appreciate keyboards and instruments more. <br/><br/>
Organisational Level:<br/><br/>
Showing organisation in Nottingham that youth work, community work and music can be brought to outdoor spaces for all to get involved. This saves money on room hire and allows more people to get involved. We have seen many local organisations take events and workshops to the parks and outdoor spaces since we have done this and encouraged others to do so. <br/><br/>
Letting Nottingham see that these events should be for all and everybody. Not exclusively people who know about the event through a friend and sign up and return every week. Everybody in the community should have the opportunity to engage in Park Live events. We inspire Nottingham to make opportunities accessible to deprived areas of the community.<br/><br/>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIkVya4qlhGX_CaflociVvmmrku-M6rQtMRkMC28Suj_VIUEJu9sK1JjrFbOWoFnD3PRBasf0du8jUQM3Ko1i7iQyFTQq-7p4zN5-LcysfZXS1S5_MAAc7FzOHB_bdxB7T1Fa9aHReAF0L/s1600/circles.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="295" data-original-width="352" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIkVya4qlhGX_CaflociVvmmrku-M6rQtMRkMC28Suj_VIUEJu9sK1JjrFbOWoFnD3PRBasf0du8jUQM3Ko1i7iQyFTQq-7p4zN5-LcysfZXS1S5_MAAc7FzOHB_bdxB7T1Fa9aHReAF0L/s320/circles.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Levels of Impact</td></tr>
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<br />
<u><b> Q: What single government policy change would do the most to help young people?</u></b><br/><br/>
A: The young people in our city are the future of our city. The government need to understand to improve life in the city or the country they need to start investing more into young people. Policies to make schools more accountable for quality and not quantity. Qualitative schooling not based on quantitative exam results.<br/><br/>
Young people become criminals or low achievers because of lack of self-belief, love and positive role models. Putting them in prison or detention or exclusion only further exasperates this issue. <br/><br/>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWrkIvNqgaVshX2nz3iDYbWL_vBZKHnKj8Rj7Rxj1EeNtERppNZ2y2O6zKV0InVgREC8fzYUrxXYvt7Gx0Jxadz4ZoVOkwAfe50SN6bKq0FOkWL4UrHdFCHBkR5SWicF62S5gssjP_dBOV/s1600/poetry+poster.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="616" data-original-width="444" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWrkIvNqgaVshX2nz3iDYbWL_vBZKHnKj8Rj7Rxj1EeNtERppNZ2y2O6zKV0InVgREC8fzYUrxXYvt7Gx0Jxadz4ZoVOkwAfe50SN6bKq0FOkWL4UrHdFCHBkR5SWicF62S5gssjP_dBOV/s320/poetry+poster.JPG" width="230" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">NPP Music Events</td></tr>
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<br />
<u><b>Q: Anything else you particularly want to get across?</u></b><br/>
The council have supported me and so have local funding streams however grass roots organisations are made to jump through hoop after hoop after hoop to a degrading and demoralising length to get support to help the community. This leads to competition and disarray throughout the voluntary sector. Incorrect distribution of resources to large organisations that are not at grass root level in the community making an impact like the smaller organisations who really care about helping the community. <br/><br/>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdD2TvpPc2N91hXbK8ko9rFpxWZIE4Fp8Y2uS_HedIG1ULiSscA143ak5FH0xhpAdRyviFx_bRFO-cWCqdVjx98qRZ-ARQABMcysM7uprmH0d9oHrZL7y2A5ON-gpPsnCVjEvHVgcLlCfj/s1600/mental+health.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="567" data-original-width="488" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdD2TvpPc2N91hXbK8ko9rFpxWZIE4Fp8Y2uS_HedIG1ULiSscA143ak5FH0xhpAdRyviFx_bRFO-cWCqdVjx98qRZ-ARQABMcysM7uprmH0d9oHrZL7y2A5ON-gpPsnCVjEvHVgcLlCfj/s320/mental+health.JPG" width="275" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mindfullness Events</td></tr>
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<u><b>Q: What the dreams and hopes of NPP looking forwards?</u></b><br/><br/>
A: We dream of establishing a chain of Nottingham Peace Project ethos organisations to further support the community.<br/><br/>
Alternative Provision for excluded teenagers – We hope to open a creative learning experience for excluded children and teenagers and help them improve their social and emotional well-being, life skills and get them back into education or develop them to go on to further education and be empowered. <br/><br/>
Health and Well-being centre – We dream of opening a NPP health and well-being centre in the heart of deprived communities which is affordable and free to those who need to improve their emotional resilience and health and well-being. <br/><br/>
Care home – We dream of opening a NPP residential home for children in care, with creative and therapeutic themes and activities at its core. <br/><br/>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Box Smart - a very popular scheme</td></tr>
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<u><b>Special Question : What do you think is the best thing about the UK?</u></b><br/><br/>
A: In all fairness regardless of the cuts, poverty and the state doing the best they can to keep people of JSA and benefits in the most repugnant manner - the welfare system, NHS and democracy of UK is most definitely what keeps us above the rest. Which is why it does not make sense for the government to want to cut these areas as this is what makes UK great. Taking care of its people in need, having a democracy and a welfare state. This is what makes a country great, a state that supports and cares for its citizens. <br/><br/>
</span></div><br/>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3010474775078886324.post-33603636360969105342018-02-10T19:11:00.002-08:002018-02-10T19:39:16.927-08:00"The Islamic Enlightenment" by Christopher de Bellaigue<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Recently read "<a href="https://www.abebooks.co.uk/9781847922410/Islamic-Enlightenment-Modern-Struggle-Faith-1847922414/plp">The Islamic Enlightenment - The Modern Struggle between faith and reason</a>" by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_de_Bellaigue">Christopher de Bellaigue</a>, and bought from <a href="http://fiveleavesbookshop.co.uk/">Five Leaves Bookshop</a>. <br/><br/>
The book looks at the how the three cities - Cairo, Istambul and Tehran, reacted to - and were affected by - the European Enlightenment. <br/><br/>
This this post paints a timeline of the three cities, covering some of the facts and comments in the book that most caught the attention of BFTF, together with some linkage as jumping off points for more information. Although the book covers both the 19th and 20th Centurys, this post only really covers up to the early part of the 20th Century. <br/><br/>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Islamic Enlightenment</td></tr>
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<br />
<u><B>Cairo</u></b><br />
1798- The "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Pyramids">Battle of the Pyramids</a>" saw firearm equipped Mamluk cavalry forces destroyed by Napoleons disciplined military squares. <br/><br/>
1812 - <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad_Ali_of_Egypt">Muhammed Ali Pasha</a>, governor of Egypt (nominally under Ottoman control but actually almost completely independent) - recalling the effectiveness of Napoleons army - began building an army and navy modelled on European military priciples. <br/><br/>
1830s : Pasha ordered large public works, including canals that brought a million acres under cultivation, telegraph lines and textile factories. However, these came at a cost, with many deaths from forced labour. Pasha also confiscated some 600,000 acres of land from religious Waqf, resulting in a number of rebellions led by Sheikhs that were, according to Bellaigue "ferociously put down". Over time this transfer resulted in increased income to the state, and reduced income to the religious institutions. A <a href="http://www.historyofinformation.com/expanded.php?id=524">government printing press</a> was installed in Cairo (only the third in the country) and on which the first printed Quran was published.<br/><br/>
Bellaigue mentions <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hasan_al-Attar">Hassan Al-Attar</a>, an Al-Azhar graduate as someone who tried by bring changes to areas of Egyptian academia, including allowing human dissection as part of training for medical students in Egypts first medical college, against protests from the religious authorities.<br/><br/>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antoine_Clot">Antoine Barthelemy Clot</a>, a french surgeon , was instructed to set up the college, and commented that:<br/><br/>
<i>
<blockquote>"To begin with we carried out the autopsies without the knnowledge of the public, and surrounding the amphitheatre with guards who would perhaps have been the first to attack us is they had known what was going on. Little by little, the students got over all their prejudice and abhorrence and were convinced of the indispensible necessity of the study of anatomy. They took this conviction to their parents, sharing it with them, and nowadays the public is competely at ease with the idea of the dissection of corpses" </blockquote></i><br/><br/>
A colleague of Clot also reported that :<br/><br/>
<i><blockquote>"First of all, said [Clot], 'let us get a dog and dissect him - not even a Moslem's dog, but a Jew's dog or a Christian's dog' and after a little grumbling they consented. Then at a cemetary outside of the town some skeletons and skulls were scattered about. 'Really,' said Clot, to his pupils...'what harm if we get a few of these skulls and bones for the sake of explanation to you; they may as well lie upon my table, as lay bleaching in the sun.' This point was acceded to, but when he proposed to come to the dissection of bodies, there were some murmers. 'Well!' said he, 'we will not take a free white man, but a black slave.' Again, at length, the point was given up; and thus, by one step after another, the educated Egyptians have arrived at a knowledge of anatomy."</blockquote></i><br/><br/>
1826: Egypt sent its first educational mission to France, with 43 men going to France, each being tasked with learning about a particular disciple. An account of the time in France by one of the students "The Travelogue of Rifaa Bey" was published in Arabic and Turkish and became well known across the Ottoman Empire. <br/><br/>
1897 : <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad_Abduh">Sheikh Muhammed Abduh</a>, who held a number of high offices in Egypt, wrote "The Theology of Unity", described by Bellaigue as a "manifesto for modernist Islam". He also introduced the study of subjects including maths, geography and composition into the Al-Azhar syllabus, allowing its gratuates to also obtain employment at state schools.However, he later faced a backlash against his reforms from conservatives. Bellaigue later also mentions one of Adbuh's students, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taha_Hussein">Taha Hussein</a>.<br/><br/>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Muhammed Abduh</td></tr>
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<u><b>Istambul</u></b><br/>
According to Bellaigue, military concerns were also the primary driver for reforms in the Ottoman empire, who had lost wars to Russia and had recently seen Napoleon rampaging around Europe. However, to implement reforms, the Caliph first had to overcome the resistance of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janissaries">Janissary</a> troops, who tended to riot and depose Caliphs who they disagreed with, and were wedded to obsolete fighting equipment and tactics.<br/><br/>
1807 : Initial Janissary reaction at the Caliph Selim III's "New Order" force of 27,000 men was to depose Selim.<br/><br/>
1826 : Two Caliphs later, however, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahmud_II">Caliph Mahmud II</a> raised a modern force similar to the New Order, taking care to also win over the minds of key religious officials. The Janissaries stated that "our ancient practice and drill for war is to hit earthenware jugs with our rifle shot, and to hack at felt matting with our sabre. We want [to lay our hands on] those responsible for this innovation". Unfortunately for the Janissaries, those responsible came to them, with the new forces marching on the Janissaries barracks and killing some 6,000 in an artillery barrarge - an event that became known as the "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auspicious_Incident">auspicious incident</a>"<br/><br/>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr6-XfqWcIHTbaTSZkhZeOzTmwPMx5sSrEAnNC1OvDTrRAGiM_yb8BX_Av2p1_1I23-I5VyyLSArxTyBNw2ONrwKomFP6xEOKOxn3TXAT-EH-B_dnovkOQWvvutMF73DqmKb3HsWqtprT4/s1600/MahmutII.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="441" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr6-XfqWcIHTbaTSZkhZeOzTmwPMx5sSrEAnNC1OvDTrRAGiM_yb8BX_Av2p1_1I23-I5VyyLSArxTyBNw2ONrwKomFP6xEOKOxn3TXAT-EH-B_dnovkOQWvvutMF73DqmKb3HsWqtprT4/s320/MahmutII.jpg" width="235" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MahmudII</td></tr>
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<br />
Although not one for representative government, Mahmud, cultivated an atmosphere of reform. One of the those who thrived in these circumstances was <a href="https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/A-review-of-Sanizade-Mehmed-Ataullah-Efendi-s-boo-Kurt/065cd699cf5e943d5c96d9d1d82c1bdada9f4a9e">Sanizadeh Ataullah</a> who had been educated at a religious college in Istambul and then furthered his learning to become a polymath who knew Latin, French and Italian as well as writing on mathematics, history and the natural sciences. But he is best remembered for his work in the field of medicine, including the ~1815 book of anatomy, based on texts he had seen in Vienna, called "Mirror of the Body". Incrementally, further information from western Europe was translated into Turkish.<br/><br/>
1831 : An americal doctor, James DeKay, commented on the preventative health measures in Istambul and how the many aqueducts furnished "the capital and its suburbs with pure and wholesome water"<br/><br/>
1836 : There had long been a fatalism towards plague epidemics in Istambul, and a reluctance to impose and preventative measures. However, following the epidemic of 1836, which claimed 125,000 in the Ottoman Empires European areas alone, measures from Europe (and previously used in Cairo) were implemented. These included quarantine stations, plague hospitals and fumigation, with the support of senior religious authorities. By 1850, the Ottoman Empire had become a plague free zone.<br/><br/>
1838: A medical school was set up in Istambul and an imperial decree was given allowing dissection of human bodies. Students were aprehensive about this but had their fears allayed by the chief medical officer, who was also a senior cleric.<br/><br/>
~1839 : An Ottoman government report at the end of Mahmud's reign comments that :<br/><br/>
<blockquote>"<i>All arts and trades are products of science. Religious knowledge serves salvation in the world to come, but science serves perfection of man in this world. Astronomy, for example, serves the progress of navigation and the development of commerce. The mathematical sciences lead to the orderly conduct of warfare as well as military administration. Innumerable new and useful inventions, like the use of steam, came into existence in this manner...through science one man can now do the work of a hundred. Trade and profit have become difficult in countries where people are ignorant of these sciences. Without science, the people cannot know the meaning of love for the state and fatherland. It is evident that the acquisition of science and skill comes above all other aims of a state...nothing can be done without the acquisition of science.</i>" Niyasi Berkes, "The development of Secularism in Turkey", McGill Univ.Press, 1964, p105</blockquote><br/><br/>
~1840-1880 : Further reforms in the "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanzimat">Tanzimat</a>" programme, under the rule of Mahmuds sons. Secular courts were introduced and all Ottomans, of whichever faith, were given equality in law (and act which aimed, in part, to encourage an Ottoman identity as opposed to a faith based one. Freedom to change ones faith was also allowed. Bellaigue also mentions the thinker <a href="https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/handle/2027.42/128858">Shibli Shumayyil </a><br/><br/>
1866 : Mustafa Fazil, younger brother of Ismail Pasha who ruled Egypt, and who was living in Paris at the time, wrote a famous letter to the Sultan that began "Sire, what which enters the palaces of princes with the greatest difficulty is the truth....Your subjects of all sects are divided into two classes, those who oppress without restraint, and those who are oppressed without pity". Fazil proposed that the Ottoman Empire needed a constitution (which implied curbs on the powers of the Sultan). The letter was taken up the "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Young_Ottomans">Young Ottoman</a>" movement in Istambul and thousands of copies were printed and distributed. Some other key reformers of the time were <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midhat_Pasha">Midhat Pasha</a> (a Hafiz) and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nam%C4%B1k_Kemal">Namik Kemal</a> (a devout Muslim who later translated the Quran into Turkish)<br/><br/>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnyVIcJnch8_9LesDc1kjSr-PrseAkrbQXHfxqnSpS6lhsZ0CbdoU-3SV_fum3pv5Or3V0I7WgD00sf1VYehtZh1F30AEUS0hH-Lf3kzEWI8UYe9PxFYsyJ1a6hf7FOEUWaTw5C8cvIYte/s1600/Mustafafazl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="392" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnyVIcJnch8_9LesDc1kjSr-PrseAkrbQXHfxqnSpS6lhsZ0CbdoU-3SV_fum3pv5Or3V0I7WgD00sf1VYehtZh1F30AEUS0hH-Lf3kzEWI8UYe9PxFYsyJ1a6hf7FOEUWaTw5C8cvIYte/s320/Mustafafazl.jpg" width="236" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mustafa Fazil</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
1876 : With the Ottoman empire facing significant economic problems (not least due to lavish spending by the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abd%C3%BClaziz">Sultan Adul Aziz</a> on an Ottoman navy), there was a real possiblity of outside powers imposing reforms on the Ottomans. This strengthend the hand of reformers, resulting in Abdul Aziz abdicating in favour of his nephew, who turned out to be mentally unstable and was also ousted in favour or another nephew Abdulhamid. Over the next few years, Abdulhamid outmanouevered the reformers, ensuring that there were no almost no limits placed on his power and a draft constitution was not implemented.<br/><br/>
1887 : Death of a notable Ottoman reformer, <a href="https://tr.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Be%C5%9Fir_Fuad">Besir Fuad</a><br/><br/>
1908 : The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Young_Turk_Revolution">"Young Turk" revolution</a> demanded a return of the constitution, a move Abdulhamid said he had wanted all along, and so parliament was recalled, censorship abolished and political prisoners freed. <br/><br/>
1909 : <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ziya_G%C3%B6kalp">Ziya Gokalp</a>, began to develop the ideas that would make him a key figure in Turkish nationalism.<br/><br/>
1912 : Bulgaria, Serbia, Greece and Montenegro ganged up on the Ottoman Empire and took over large areas of Ottoman territory, prompting the start of Turkey's alliance with the Kaisers Germany.<br/><br/>
1919-1924 : Following the invasion of Ottoman lands by the victorious allies at the end of WWI, an Ottoman commander called <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mustafa_Kemal_Atat%C3%BCrk">Mustafa Kemal</a>, later called Ataturk, is a key member of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkish_National_Movement">nationalist forces</a> that began to raise a nationalist force from the remains of the Ottoman army. <br/><br/>
[The nationalists then fought the Turkish War of Independence (against the forces of the Great Powers and of the Sultanate), abolished the Sultanate (1952) and negotiated the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Lausanne">Treaty of Lausanne</a> (1923) which defined the borders of modern day Turkey.]<br/><br/>
1925 Bellaigue mentions the Al-Azhar thinker <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ali_Abdel_Raziq">Ali Abdel Raziq </a>who, in the book "The Caliphate and the Sovereignty of Nations" agued for a separation of faith and state. <br/><br/>
Bellaigue comments that that change was a "cultural blindfold making it impossible for Turks to read the literature of their forefathers, or even their gravestones"<br/><br/>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-qQUhGBCd6usO5NlSy5n4nTxWCfHHCxUYUZaJ1cA6A3Nqezvwp8XasPbiM645KdD9LBJjzQHPRDENm70YO816EpigsShhDfZHXL_wt5PcQYVu2Y2jQz82ZXZ_tXPjlFPhLJOvmjBli5wP/s1600/200px-Ataturk1930s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="282" data-original-width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-qQUhGBCd6usO5NlSy5n4nTxWCfHHCxUYUZaJ1cA6A3Nqezvwp8XasPbiM645KdD9LBJjzQHPRDENm70YO816EpigsShhDfZHXL_wt5PcQYVu2Y2jQz82ZXZ_tXPjlFPhLJOvmjBli5wP/s1600/200px-Ataturk1930s.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ataturk</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<u><B>Tehran </u></b><br/>
According to Bellaigue, as with Cairo and Istanbul, it was military defeat that gave a first initial push to reform. In this case it was defeat to a poorly equipped Russians in the wars of 1804-13. The British stepped in and offered training, muskets, sabres and even 10 Indian made cannon. Soon a foundry near Tehran was producing 30 cannon a year.<br/><br/>
1815 : Educational mission of five sent from Tehran to the UK, included Mirza Saleh Shirazi who wrote a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirza_Saleh_Shirazi travelogue">travelogue</a>. Two took courses at the Royal Military Academy, another learned modern medicine, while Mirza Saleh learnt about the natural sciences, latin french and lithography. They returned in 1820 to apply their knowledge in Istambul and to pass on their expertise to others. <br/><br/>
1848: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amir_Kabir">Amir Kabir</a> (chief minister to new shah Nasser al-din) is known as a great reformer in Iran, although a harsh one in the way he put down revolts in the provinces. Kabir followed a similar path to reformers in Egypt and Istanbul - setting up a modern hospital, a modern polytechnic (staffed by Austrians); ordering civil engineering works; established a postal service; and introducing smallpox innoculation. However Palace intrigues, and Kabir's lack of humility, persuaded the Shah that Kabir was a threat and he was first exiled then murdered.<br/><br/>
1910's : Bellaigue comments on how, by 1913, Egypt had some 4,300 miles of railway. The Ottoman Empire had 3,500miles of track. In Iran, however, Britain and Russia had an "unofficial veto" on the introduction of this technology.<br/><br/>
The effects of the industrial revolution were soon being felt in the region, which had been forced to minimise import duties on western manufactured goods, as mass produced western goods undercut local producers. In 1862, for example, the number of looms had dropped from 10,000 to 2,800 and the price of British cotton cloth fell from 7 francs in 1800 to 60 centimes in 1860.<br/><br/>
Much of the investment in the region (in railways etc) was financed by foreign capital and left the region heavily in debt. [In 1875 the Ottoman Empire defaulted on its debt, which allowed foreign powers to take over huge parts of the Ottoman infrastructure under the Ottoman <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ottoman_public_debt">Public Dept Adminisration</a>].<br/><br/>
Bellaigue comments that:<br/><br/>
<i><blockquote>
"This new world - the Western world - was also showing its real intentions...which increasingly centred on aquisition. At different speeds, and with differing emphases, the various parts of the Middle East were moving towards shared political and economic servitude to the West, and one can read in the humiliations of the last quarter of the nineteenth century an augury of the nationalist eruptions that would follow."</i></blockquote><br/><br/>
1870s : New newspapers and magazines were thriving in Istambul and elsewhere, these publications often contained a significant number of science based articles, covering biology,mathematics and much else.<br/><br/>
~1900 : The "Nahda" or <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Nahda">Awakening</a> was a cultural renaissance that began in Egypt and then spread to other parts of the middle east.<br/><br/>
Bellaigue comments that at the same time " 'pan-Islamism' had become a pormanteau to explain the political solidarity that seemed to exist across the Muslim lands in opposition to imperialism" and mentions <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jam%C4%81l_al-D%C4%ABn_al-Afgh%C4%81n%C4%AB">Jamal Al Din</a> as one of the key initial figures in this movement<br/><br/>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyRx1N6egftebr1LZ9i0qtUj8lgQjPGq1d8G_3m69q5S5PJ_qkGymsBHuGqHOI8g6A0SJ0mDMjiG2yh4BChi03lzP2krLsp2qbt3d6i-HRpFRziZ8N8uCH_TuycK9xfXXgHkr3cRWlLwCE/s1600/220px-Sayyid_Dscham%25C4%2581l_ad-D%25C4%25ABn_al-Afgh%25C4%2581n%25C4%25AB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="314" data-original-width="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyRx1N6egftebr1LZ9i0qtUj8lgQjPGq1d8G_3m69q5S5PJ_qkGymsBHuGqHOI8g6A0SJ0mDMjiG2yh4BChi03lzP2krLsp2qbt3d6i-HRpFRziZ8N8uCH_TuycK9xfXXgHkr3cRWlLwCE/s1600/220px-Sayyid_Dscham%25C4%2581l_ad-D%25C4%25ABn_al-Afgh%25C4%2581n%25C4%25AB.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jamal Al Din</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
1905 : The Japanese destruction of the Russia fleet at <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Tsushima">Tsushima</a> was applauded by many in the east as an example of how a recently modernised county (Japan) could take on and beat an established world power.<br/><br/>
1906 : Bellaigue comments that in Iran, after the adoption of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persian_Constitution_of_1906">1906 Constitution</a>, the new parliament devolved powers to regional assemblies, vetoed proposed loans from Britain and Russia and cut pensions to members of the royal family. <br/><br/>
1907 : The Shah, Muhammed Ali, fought back, sending cossack troops to attack the constitutionalists in their new parliament with infantry, cavalry and artillery. Hundreds were killed and rebellions began across the country. <br/><br/>
1909 : The Shah was forced to abdicate, which allowed elections to be held and the parliament re-established.<br/><br/>
1911 : <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Morgan_Shuster">Morgan Shuster</a>, described by Bellaigue as "courageous and incorruptible" was appointed as Persian Treasurer General and quickly found Britain and Russia trying to hamstring his efforts to improve tax collection. Russia soon issued an ultimatum demanding Shusters dismissal. The Persian parliament consulted with Shuster regarding how best to move forward. Shuster advised that any military move by the small and ineffective Persian forces against the 12000 Russian troops occupying the northern part of the empire would result in Russian Cossacks pouring into Persia. So, on 21st December, Persia accepted the Russian ultimatum, suspended parliament and sent Shuster and his colleagues back to the US.<br/><br/>
According to Bellaigue :<br/><br/>
<i><blockquote>"Russian forces spread death and terror in Tabriz, hanging constitutionalists and abrogating laws and the tzars officials began extending their authority throughout the north of Persia...In the south the British made similar strides towards establishing a de facto colony"</blockquote></i><br/><br/>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgphq-7jMligPajCXSCPoInvYNscmVTx43oj5mJZ1TWjYN-i0Lv1R3vL8u8MSgD6lPidkUHyE3daKDlClZ_ee3WINQxordY-GVqPxbQ_eFP264ns6-23gtk3elw4G8k-2spm8s1B_ZxVdbQ/s1600/Parliamenttehran.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgphq-7jMligPajCXSCPoInvYNscmVTx43oj5mJZ1TWjYN-i0Lv1R3vL8u8MSgD6lPidkUHyE3daKDlClZ_ee3WINQxordY-GVqPxbQ_eFP264ns6-23gtk3elw4G8k-2spm8s1B_ZxVdbQ/s320/Parliamenttehran.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First Persian Parliament</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<u><b>Other Notes:</U></b><br/>
Post WW1 : Bellaigue comments that "Sykes-Picot was far from being the most consequential of a plethora of declarations, gentlemen's agreements and coronations that were imposed [on the Middle East]". Bellaigue also comments that the secular approaches of Ataturk (in turkey) and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reza_Shah">Reza Shah</a> (Iran) were at odds with the spiritual views of many of their populations.<br/><br/>
Iran : Bellaigue mentions the early 20th thinker and reformer <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahmad_Kasravi">Ahmed Kasravi</a><br/><br/>
1900 : Bellaigue comments that <a href="http://www.unesco.org/education/GMR2006/full/chapt8_eng.pdf">literacy levels</a> in Egypt, Iran and Turkey were around 7%, compared to 68% in England (for men, 43% for women)<br/><br/>
<u><b>Image Sources</u></b><br/>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Muhammad_Abduh.jpg">Muhammed Abduh</a>,<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:MahmutII.jpg"> MahmudII</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mustafafazl.jpg">MustafaAfzal</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mustafa_Kemal_Atat%C3%BCrk">Ataturk</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sayyid_Dscham%C4%81l_ad-D%C4%ABn_al-Afgh%C4%81n%C4%AB.jpg">Al Din</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Parliamenttehran.jpg">Parliament</a><br/><br/>
</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3010474775078886324.post-23175419751233297772018-01-14T14:31:00.003-08:002018-01-14T16:55:19.349-08:00Bosnia - A Short History by Noel Malcolm<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Recently read a troubling book on the history of Bosnia entitled <a href="https://www.abebooks.co.uk/book-search/title/bosnia-a-short-history/author/malcolm-noel/">"Bosnia - A Short History"</a> by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noel_Malcolm">Noel Malcolm</a><br/><br/>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUd9fd_IYx4SHBLyHucuQVq8rTZ2uN38OW3OIPkY0ehjuBKmcLb6w0-md_oWnHQBUyK4_3ViKY3IggIt0D3R8Wy7hwu-OfLH3ANZbCrmq6edM9Fdsoxmd3FKByteluCfIjagIqFVGs0gUK/s1600/bosnia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="641" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUd9fd_IYx4SHBLyHucuQVq8rTZ2uN38OW3OIPkY0ehjuBKmcLb6w0-md_oWnHQBUyK4_3ViKY3IggIt0D3R8Wy7hwu-OfLH3ANZbCrmq6edM9Fdsoxmd3FKByteluCfIjagIqFVGs0gUK/s320/bosnia.jpg" width="199" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Bosnia - A Short History" by Noel Malcolm</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The book charts the history of Bosnia for the last two thousand years or so, but this post focusses only on the content related to the nineteenth century onwards. <br/><br/>
1800 - Largely Muslinm landowners and Christian peasants. Uprisings in neighbouring Serbia and other political events made Muslims feel surrounded and they became more intolerant and suspicious. Relations between Muslims and Jews "good, and frequently better than between Muslims and Christians".<br/><br/>
1839 - Ottoman decree that all subjects, regardless of faith, to be treated equally - but these new laws not really implemented in outlying parts of Ottoman empire. Bosnia was not in a good condition at this time, due to effects of fighting with Ottomans. High taxation of peasants (both Muslim and Christian)<br/><br/>
1856 - Tanzimat "reorganisation" of Ottoman empire broke down the political power of the land owning class. Bosnian authorities aware that neighbours Croatia and Serbia were keen to annex Bosnia.<br/><br/>
1860s - Local ruler <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topal_Osman_Pasha">Topal Osman-Pasa</a> oversaw building of roads, libraries, schools and implememation of other reforms.<br/><br/>
1874-76 - Many local uprisings against brutal tax collection when harvests had failed. Some Christian Orthodox activists took the opportunity to declare their loyalty to Serbia. Bosnian Army acts and burns down hundreds of villages, kill thousands. 100k to 250k refugees flee Bosnia.<br/><br/>
1879 - <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congress_of_Berlin">Congress of Berlin</a> decides that Bosnia, while still theoretically part of the Ottoman empire, would be occupied by Austria-Hungary. Bosnia raised am army of some 40,000 men, against the 82,000 Austro-Hungarian troops. After three months the invaders had completed conquered Bosnia. Large scale economic investment then followed - building of roads and railways, construction of mines and steelworks, construction of schools.<br/><br/>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMo2ga6nfFHRb_kr2UOoh4Okquhpi0Wu-n00ZtaDr89n_hT07zd3qTLb80H1qjD9BBh74hzNdDgtWH4k5wf_nJ2pfMhQ_EZBhnQ-NxlFZqjSPePZsaM6XqDrpiKDj28YvTONJhKfIkvsRj/s1600/320px-Berliner_kongress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="162" data-original-width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMo2ga6nfFHRb_kr2UOoh4Okquhpi0Wu-n00ZtaDr89n_hT07zd3qTLb80H1qjD9BBh74hzNdDgtWH4k5wf_nJ2pfMhQ_EZBhnQ-NxlFZqjSPePZsaM6XqDrpiKDj28YvTONJhKfIkvsRj/s1600/320px-Berliner_kongress.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Berlin Congress</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
1902 - US journalist W E Curtiss comments that "members of the different faiths...show mutual respect and toleration"<br/><br/>
1908 - "Young Turk" revolution resulted in Austro-Hungary formally annexing Bosnia - to the anger of neighbouring Serbs.<br/><br/>
1912 - Neighbouring Montenegro and Serbia <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Balkan_War">declare war</a> on Ottoman Empire and achieve quick success in driving Ottomans out of Kosovo and Macedonia, massacring Albanian Muslims in the process, causing tens of thousands of refugees and force converting Bulgarian speaking Muslims and stoking anti Austian feelings in Bosnia. By 1913 Serbia had doubled the size of its territory and was posing a threat to the Austro-Hungarian Empire. War was imminent. <br/><br/>
1914 - Archduke Franz Ferdinand decided to visit Sarajevo on the anniversary of the Battle of Kosovo. After his assassination Austro-Hungarian government asked Serbia to clamp down on agitators in a number of ways. Serbia agreed to all bar one. And that one refusal was enough for Germany to pressure for war against Serbia.<br/><br/>
1918 - Activism (that had been ongoing for a number of years) for the creation of a Yogoslavia comprising Croatia, Bosnia and Serbia became reality. The Muslim population of Bosnia was by this time largely peasant smallholders. The Croat Muslims were led by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mehmed_Spaho">Mehmed Spaho</a> and the Yugoslav Muslim Organisation.<br/><br/>
1930 - American writer Hornby commented that:<br/>
<i><blockquote>"Glancing at the peaceful little stalls where Christians, Musselmans and Jews mingle in business... I wondered if tolerance is not one of the greatest of virtues".</blockquote></i><br/><br/>
1941-1945 (WW2) - During this period there were actually a number of layers of conflict in Yugoslavia - the annexation by Germany and Italy; the general Axis-Allied conflict; a civil war in Croatia; and confict between the two main Serb resistance organisations (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usta%C5%A1e">Ustaše</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chetniks">Chetniks</a>). At least a million people died - mostly Yugoslavs killed by Yugoslavs. Anti Jewish laws were introduced almost immediately on arrival of German forces. Of some 14,000 Bosnian Jews, nearly 12,000 were killed by the end of the war. The Ustaše (a Croation nationalist group) attempted to ethnically cleanse Serbs and Jews from Bosnia (Bosnia and Croatia had been combined into one administrative area). Muslim groups protested against these crimes, and violence against Bosnian Muslims by both by Serbs and Croats.<br/><br/>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkOZlyxGybYit17JtKpI_uhB242zZ00CkUf_O07RWJdd7DN8mS59jh4Wer0voGScGyLv3qf2sTMFuHM-iWnV0AQCXwe1181E197iOVIOPnyvq28Sc55woy72_HPqxOvL4x7X85UGFiXjsl/s1600/320px-Black_Legion_1942.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="208" data-original-width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkOZlyxGybYit17JtKpI_uhB242zZ00CkUf_O07RWJdd7DN8mS59jh4Wer0voGScGyLv3qf2sTMFuHM-iWnV0AQCXwe1181E197iOVIOPnyvq28Sc55woy72_HPqxOvL4x7X85UGFiXjsl/s1600/320px-Black_Legion_1942.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ustase in Sarejvo, WW2;</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
With conflict coming into Bosnia from all directions, many Muslims formed their own local militias and felt that some kind of autonomy was the only solution. Any changes were in the gift of the Germans. Malcolm states that the resulting 1942 Bosnian Muslim <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resolution_of_Sarajevo_Muslims">memorandum</a> to Hitler <i> "complained bitterly about killings of Muslims by the Ustasa, and requested that all Ustasa activity on Bosnian territory should be stopped"</i>. To protect the country it asked for permission to expand the Muslim Volunteer Legion, and to reassure the Germans it suggested that the Legion be placed under direct German control."<br/><br/>
Over time, however, the trend was for Muslims to leave the German force and join the Partisans, lead by Tito, who captured Sarajevo in 1945.
Malcolm comments that :<br/>
<blockquote><i>"[The Bosnian Muslims] looked forward to a time when there would be no more killing. Altogether, 75,000 Bosnian Muslims are thought to have died in the war: at 8.1 percent of their total population, this was a higher proportion that that suffered by the Serbs (7.3%), or by any other people except the Jews and the Gypsies. Muslims fought on all sides - Ustaše, German, Cetnik, Partisan - and had been killed by all sides. Many had been killed in Croatian and German death-camps, including Jasenovac, Buchenwald, Dachau and Auschwitz. They had not started this war, and had fought above all to defend themselves. But the killing was not yet over."</i></blockquote><br/><br/>
At the end of the war Tito immediately began killing all opposition, with perhaps some 250,000 people dead by 1946. There was a crackdown on organised religion - for Muslims this included the banning of teaching of children in mosques, closure of Muslim cultural societies and Waqf charitable foundations, and the closure of the Muslim printing press in Sarajevo. Many Muslim intellectuals were killed. <br/><br/>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNpUv6oglMXjOTyRP2fGYwTFGRmILVyZKK9QomO4pV7z8ONqmKEHR1TP2rZ1O990Xg6Uiu5keRsT_WxOu6dEeaKI5i6ST4SYYpEOqzlvSJ97Im8gNURe1fMHg27qxJQzPYdIjD1LnpRv6c/s1600/Josip_Broz_Tito_Biha%25C4%2587_1942.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="538" data-original-width="412" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNpUv6oglMXjOTyRP2fGYwTFGRmILVyZKK9QomO4pV7z8ONqmKEHR1TP2rZ1O990Xg6Uiu5keRsT_WxOu6dEeaKI5i6ST4SYYpEOqzlvSJ97Im8gNURe1fMHg27qxJQzPYdIjD1LnpRv6c/s320/Josip_Broz_Tito_Biha%25C4%2587_1942.jpg" width="245" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tito</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
1960s-1980s - The pressures eased from the 1960s, particularly when Tito became involved in the non-aligned movement. Throughout the decades after WW2, the Yugoslav economy was badly managed, and began to rack up siginificant western debts as the years wore on. Inflation was 120% in 1987 and 250% by 1988.<br/><br/>
1998 - Public protests against austerity measures forced the resignation of the Politburos in Vojvodina and Montenegro. The protests were organised by the new leader of the Serbian Communists - <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slobodan_Milo%C5%A1evi%C4%87">Slobodan Milošević</a>. Milosevic then filled the Politburos with his own supporters and began agitating to make Kosovo a subject region, rather than a equal in a federation, using the resistance of the Kosovan Albanians to portray this as a nationalist struggle. <br/><br/>
March 1989 - The Serbian Assembly in Belgrade abolished the political autonomy of Kosovo and Vojvodina, prompting protests which were put down by Serbian military police.<br/><br/>
June 1989 - Several hundred thousand Serbs gathered to celebrate the 600th aniversary of the Battle of Kosovo, and were addresses by Milosevic, who now controlled the votes of half the parts of the Yugoslavian Federation - Serbia, Vojvodina, Kosovo and Montenegro. If he could also control Macedonia he would have the ability to rewrite the constritution as he wished. Croatia and Slovenia could see what was coming - Slovenia passed a new constitution, giving itself the right to secede and for its laws to take precedence of federal laws.<br/><br/>
Nationalist movements also grew in Bosnia, while a flourishing of new political parties and of elections made it harder for Milosevic to achieve his aim using existing structures. So Milosevic decided to simply carve out an extended Serb area. <br/><br/>
In Croatia, this was done by portraying Croatian nationalists as wartime Ustasa extremists; by provoking conflicts between Serb villagers and Croatian police to alienate the villagers; and by inviting the Serb dominated army to "mediate" in conflicts.<br/><br/>
These tactics were not going to work in Bosnia, where Serbs were not under any threat, so the approach taken was to tell the Bosnia Serbs that they were threatened by "Islamic Fundmentalists". Bosnia was increasingly feeling itself squeezed between Serb and Croatian nationalists, both of whom had designs on Bosnian territory - but the threat was greater from the Serbian side. So when political parties formed in Bosnia there was a tendency for Croatian and Muslim groups to be one side of the argument and the Bosnian Serbs on the other. <br/><br/>
The main Muslim party, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Party_of_Democratic_Action">Party of Democratic Action (SDA)</a> was led by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alija_Izetbegovi%C4%87">Alija Izetbegović</a>, reacting against the nationalism of its neighbours, also focused on their most individual characteristic - their faith. But also campaigned on Bosnias unique multi-national, multi religious nature. <br/><br/>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7gE5fgSQcr1SFuBDu1yFyuk8X0Dq3Zwya_V64uUoQpKnSrByO4oonPcHnEFNJll9pcJdOOhaTqqYGQ2vvwvgeYBGNwx1mLtC8tWjb_Y1sCPIx8R1OH-uiaIbtc4r-cCJA5v2Byoan7aOq/s1600/Izetbegovic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="532" data-original-width="374" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7gE5fgSQcr1SFuBDu1yFyuk8X0Dq3Zwya_V64uUoQpKnSrByO4oonPcHnEFNJll9pcJdOOhaTqqYGQ2vvwvgeYBGNwx1mLtC8tWjb_Y1sCPIx8R1OH-uiaIbtc4r-cCJA5v2Byoan7aOq/s320/Izetbegovic.jpg" width="224" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alija Izetbegović</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
In his book "<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29860105-islam-between-east-and-west">Islam between East and West</a>", Izetbegovic praised renaissance art, Anglo Saxon philosophy and culture and the social democratic tradition. It is worth noting that the Bosnian Muslim population was relatively secularised - an effect of Communist smothering of religion, westernisation and urbanisation.<br/><br/>
1990 - The Bosnian Elections resulted in an assembly with 99 Muslims, 85 Serbs, 49 Croats and a few others - these numbers broadly matched the population and Izetbegovic formed a coalition of the three main groups and allocated government posts between them. However, the situation became increasingly tense as Milosevic continued breaking apart the federal institutions that held Yugolslavia together.<br/><br/>
June 1991, Slovenia and Croatia both declared independence. Milosevic, seeing that both the EEC and US supported "territorial integrity" of Yugoslavia, and federal army tanks entered Slovenian territory the next day. Strong Slovenian resistance meant that the army had to back down. Croatia, however, was soon in a state of full scale war. One of the Serb groups fighting in Croatia was led by a criminal called "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arkan">Arkan</a>". In Bosnia, nationalist Serb groups, led by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radovan_Karad%C5%BEi%C4%87">Radovan Karadžić</a>, declared "Autonomous Serb Regions" and invited the Federal (largely Serb) army in to "protect" them.<br/><br/>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwj1_zm9zIsxETVP7l9OgNFeTZ29YzR71K6UqIsa0AT798hyphenhyphenxvMh-DdLHoJDGo7jMsfxXyLszXo_yV9YBRNGvZzULCS4pFh6yBbSDjD-CALAKaSgQqNz1t5AX1usNt81ba8JIl0pAhVwLC/s1600/Arkan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="387" data-original-width="256" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwj1_zm9zIsxETVP7l9OgNFeTZ29YzR71K6UqIsa0AT798hyphenhyphenxvMh-DdLHoJDGo7jMsfxXyLszXo_yV9YBRNGvZzULCS4pFh6yBbSDjD-CALAKaSgQqNz1t5AX1usNt81ba8JIl0pAhVwLC/s320/Arkan.jpg" width="211" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arkan</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Serb nationalists were openly talking of carving up Bosnia to leave a Muslim "Bantustan" surrounded by Serb controlled territory.<br/><br/>
World leaders, including the EEC appointed negotiator Lord Carrington, took little action. <br/><br/>
September 1991 - The United Nations placed an arms embargo on Yugoslavia. This had little effect on the well stockpiled Serbs (who also purchased 14,000 tonnes of arms from the middle east just before the embargo came into force), but made it difficult for the Croatians to resist attacks on their territory. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vukovar#Croatian_War_of_Independence">Vokovar </a>was almost completely destroyed and hundreds of its inhabitants were then <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vukovar_massacre">killed</a> by Serb forces.<br/><br/>
January 1992 - The EEC recognised Slovenia and Croatia and a UN brokered peace deal was finalised a few weeks later. <br/><br/>
Bosnia, facing a future under Serb control now also began to move towards independence, with a referendum held in early 1992. Despite Serb forces urging a boycott and preventing ballot boxes from entering Serb held territory, some 64% of the population votes, overwhelmingly for independence of "Bosnia-Hercegovina, a state of equal citizens and nations of Muslims, Serbs, Croats and others who live in it".<br/><br/>
Whilst Croatia and Serbia moved towards partition of Bosnia between them, the EEC and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Carington,_6th_Baron_Carrington#Later_career">Lord Carrington </a>remained focussed on a "cantonization" solution.<br/><br/>
Malcolm comments that there was no evidence that the Bosnian government was contemplating any kind of discriminatory laws against any of the groups in Bosnia but added that:<br/>
<blockquote><i> "a kind of political psychosis has been created by the Serb and Serbian peolitians and media, in which the 'defence' of the 'rights' of the Bosnian Serbs was given such absolute status that people ceased even to wonder whether they were really under attack. Once this psychosis was fully established, the final step to military action was small one to take"</i></blockquote><br/><br/>
April 1992 - Bosnia was recognised as an independent state by the EC on 6th April 1992<br/><br/>
Soon, well planned military operations were being undertaken by largely Serbian (i.e. from Serbia, not Bosnian Serbs) forces, including those of Arkan. Malcolm comments that <i>"it is quite clear that the attack was "mainly achieved by federal army forces...directed by Belgrade, and paramilitary groups from Serbia."</i>.<br/><br/>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBjeXG6FKp-yFnFIhMfXhzmwS8wljDl1XHyR3fouf9BAtqlEpTZpZxGn9pNXGGtnGvjtrUP1CxhazoTDWHIKbSHYXdA-xmvZgrpdRBrjp8Ui3SL3c0eT8XZ7vIIZmHUvq0aFO-0owMDjax/s1600/640px-Evstafiev-bosnia-cello.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="640" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBjeXG6FKp-yFnFIhMfXhzmwS8wljDl1XHyR3fouf9BAtqlEpTZpZxGn9pNXGGtnGvjtrUP1CxhazoTDWHIKbSHYXdA-xmvZgrpdRBrjp8Ui3SL3c0eT8XZ7vIIZmHUvq0aFO-0owMDjax/s320/640px-Evstafiev-bosnia-cello.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vedran_Smailovi%C4%87" target="_blank">Vedran Smailović</a> plays in the ruins of the Sarajevo National Library in 1992</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Hurd#Foreign_Secretary">Douglas Hurd</a>, however, was describing the conflict as a Bosnian <i>"civil war"</i> as did the Times repeatedly. The BBC referred to <i>"warring factions"</i> and talked of <i>"a breakdown in law and order"</i>. <br/><br/>
Villages were subject to federal army artillery fire and their Muslim populations terrified into fleeing, encouraged by random killings of Muslims by the attacking forces. Meanwhile, the local Serb populations, who had already been subject to relentless Serbian propaganda, and had seen news reports of the conflicts in Croatia, were persuaded that there was a real Muslim threat against them.<br/><br/>
A Reuters correspondent, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/andrej.gustincic">Andrej Gustincic</a>, reported from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fo%C4%8Da#Bosnian_War_and_after">Foča </a>showing what local Serb villagers thought, with a woman commenting:<br/>
<blockquote>"There were lists of Serbs who were marked for death...my two sons were down on the list to be slaughtered like pigs. I was listed under rape". Gustincic adds that <i>"None of them has seen the lists but this does not prevent anyone from believing in them unquestioningly"</i></blockquote><br/><br/>
April 1992 - Resistance was mainly by Bosnian Croats and, later, Croatian army forces. They managed to halt the Federal army advance. It should be noted, however, that Croatian government had their eyes on absorbing Bosnia into its territory too. Remarkably, Izetbegovic remained focused on a Bosnian government that also represented Bosnian Serbs.<br/><br/>
May 1992 the most of the UN peacekeepers in Sarajevo were withdrawn.<br/><br/>
From Belgrade, Milosevic was repeating the lie that the army and paramilitary forces in Bosnia were "independent" of Belgrade. Malcom comments that : <br/>
<blockquote><i>"The fundamental failure of the Western Politicians was that they looked only at the symptoms of the war, not at its causes:it was as though they did not even want to understand the nature of Milosevic's project...Apportioning responsibility or blame became a matter of pointing to people who were firing guns; and since there were two sides now firing them, the blame was apportioned to both."</i></blockquote><br/><br/>
Carrington commented:<br/>
<i><blockquote>"Everyone is to blame for what is happening in Bosnia and Herzegovina...and as soon as we get the cease fire there will be no need to blame anybody."</blockquote></i><br/><br/>
This was the attitude that led to the action by the West that contributed the most to the destruction of Bosnia - the continuing arms embargo. <br/><br/>
Malcolm comments that there was a difference in the fighting strategy between the two sides, the Serbs would usually sit back and shell an area for weeks, or even months instead of attacking directly. And the Serb conscript forces were less motivated that the defending Croats and Muslims.<br/><br/>
According to Malcolm, if the Bosnian government had been allowed to obtain arms for its defence, it is quite likely that the Serb gains in Bosnia could have been rolled back, at least to the point where the Serbs realized they could not conquer the territory. <br/><br/>
However, Douglas Hurd was against this, saying that allowign the Bosnians to defend themselves would <i>"only prolong the fighting"</i>.<br/><br/>
August 1992 : Images from Serb detention centres began to reach western audiences, as well as estimates of over 9,000 people having been killed there. Reports of mass killings from villages, such as the case of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zaklopa%C4%8Da_massacre">Zaklopača</a>, where 83 men were summarily executed by Serb paramilitaries were also being reported. In some cases there was a deliberate policy of killing educated Muslims and community leaders. <br/><br/>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisRY3dlDqB3rOZkDIxEGKagCVs693Ka98Hq12bwqtHqOVWPHR9MxLybXheoN-Wo9M6a7HJMoU7el1lwWbxxaWcDsnUQt_H7MAm5E3ZEiNWlsjVRzCxx9dGWQLRkpdeKNAHAsr7emOsSvnH/s1600/640px-Manja%25C4%258Da_Camp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="421" data-original-width="640" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisRY3dlDqB3rOZkDIxEGKagCVs693Ka98Hq12bwqtHqOVWPHR9MxLybXheoN-Wo9M6a7HJMoU7el1lwWbxxaWcDsnUQt_H7MAm5E3ZEiNWlsjVRzCxx9dGWQLRkpdeKNAHAsr7emOsSvnH/s320/640px-Manja%25C4%258Da_Camp.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bosnians and Croats held in the Manjača concentration camp, near Banja Luka, 1992 </td></tr></tbody></table><br />
Douglas Hurd admitted that there was <i>"ample justification for action"</i> but refused to allow the Bosnian government to purchase weapons and still viewed the confict as a civil war with no front line and <i>"village divided against village"</i>.<br/><br/>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoZWc95a-DKcx8UU4t84N1rSf39JKGS4Gw9cQO84Ad9UpeQ4MJD5Bz5toHvdA1uAamI5pIpzL_sLXMCUJ8Z0grHnjGPO-UgNABHWW22G9128uEY_gsf6V6X8zjzfvjfeG1MUtQ2rB4b3r_/s1600/255px-Lord_Hurd_%2528cropped%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoZWc95a-DKcx8UU4t84N1rSf39JKGS4Gw9cQO84Ad9UpeQ4MJD5Bz5toHvdA1uAamI5pIpzL_sLXMCUJ8Z0grHnjGPO-UgNABHWW22G9128uEY_gsf6V6X8zjzfvjfeG1MUtQ2rB4b3r_/s1600/255px-Lord_Hurd_%2528cropped%2529.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Douglas Hurd</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
John Major, at a UN-EEC conference in August 1992, thought he had managed to gain Serb pledges to put their heavy artillery under UN supervision - but all this meant was that UN monitors were allowed to watch the artillery being fired into Sarajevo.<br/><br/>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1d6D33ffl2IgUezTRbT_xpWJMUpquS4zYmnHnCXF50K3fLIc0rp3VLnlio6alWzAmhJw3EL2heRQTosXs8YH5DLtx0jSRBwbV5kOPmiETFaS8Vbkji7sSvYaypA-HqkYGP7k3RLbLdUWt/s1600/Evstafiev-sarajevo-building-burns.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="506" data-original-width="386" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1d6D33ffl2IgUezTRbT_xpWJMUpquS4zYmnHnCXF50K3fLIc0rp3VLnlio6alWzAmhJw3EL2heRQTosXs8YH5DLtx0jSRBwbV5kOPmiETFaS8Vbkji7sSvYaypA-HqkYGP7k3RLbLdUWt/s320/Evstafiev-sarajevo-building-burns.jpg" width="244" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sarjevo Parliament on fire after Serb tank shelling, 1992</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Despite sanctions, there was no practical way to stop barges containing arms from entering Serbia on the Danube and no way of enforcing the no-fly zone over Bosnia.<br/><br/>
The new EEC negotiator, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Owen#Subsequent_international_role">Lord Owen</a>, dropped his support for military action and began treating the Serbs as having equally valid claims as the Bosnians in negotiations.<br/><br/>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji94HFfp2kaWmPBs5yRcZ0I5wOoZG0BqBR2xpGlgvTzfPML_kDtY140324M9wPJwqgEwPIKhDA9fs5QJIsCq1-z4ja_3ejuD4cj2xgPZTRgG0PzQGAKFYOGvEiUp-qMhHWyFMBETs_wC-A/s1600/479px-Lord_Owen_-_Chatham_House_2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="479" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji94HFfp2kaWmPBs5yRcZ0I5wOoZG0BqBR2xpGlgvTzfPML_kDtY140324M9wPJwqgEwPIKhDA9fs5QJIsCq1-z4ja_3ejuD4cj2xgPZTRgG0PzQGAKFYOGvEiUp-qMhHWyFMBETs_wC-A/s320/479px-Lord_Owen_-_Chatham_House_2011.jpg" width="319" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lord Owen</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Malcolm comments that:<br/>
<blockquote><i>"What was still not fully understood [in the West] was that ethnic cleansing was not a by-product of the war. It was a central part of the entire political project..."</i></blockquote><br/><br/>
By the second half of 1992, UN (and other) aid agencies were sending aid convoys into Bosnia, protected by UN troops. Effectively, these lightly armed troops became potential Serb hostages, which is why the British Government ended up arguing at the UN against enforcement of the theoretical Bosnia no-fly zone, for fear of retaliation against UK troops there. <br/><br/>
Oct 1992 : The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peace_plans_proposed_before_and_during_the_Bosnian_War#Vance%E2%80%93Owen_plan">Vance-Owen</a> "cantonisation" peace plan emerged which, according to Malcolm, had a number of flaws and had the effect of encouraging the Serbs to take more territory and also to encourage the start of Muslim-Croat conflict and ethnic cleansing over the status of cantons in central Bosnia. By the time (May 1993) the UN human rights rapporteur <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tadeusz_Mazowiecki">Tadeusz Mazowiecki</a> warned that the Vance-Owen plan was stimulating ethnic cleansing, it was too late.<br/><br/>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaO5Szc02m0cWkJokLQnbJyw-mAkt0sQVreCOcm3DQMl34r8EVO3KMS_OGVrGk5ojfJquR_B3bCaoxlHivWj0nVTFMrEI-ykLh1cv1dPdW6vTGIpCwrRDcFKFNb827vHXQn77F4nGIg-qB/s1600/532px-Vance-Owen_Peace_Plan.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="532" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaO5Szc02m0cWkJokLQnbJyw-mAkt0sQVreCOcm3DQMl34r8EVO3KMS_OGVrGk5ojfJquR_B3bCaoxlHivWj0nVTFMrEI-ykLh1cv1dPdW6vTGIpCwrRDcFKFNb827vHXQn77F4nGIg-qB/s320/532px-Vance-Owen_Peace_Plan.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Vance-Owen plan, which encouraged each side <br />to take more territory before it was implemented </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
The German and US governments had considered removing the arms blockade of Bosnia, but had been persuaded not to by Douglas Hurd.<br/><br/>
March-May 1993 - Even in Jan 1993, Bosnian forces were able to push back Serb advances, but by March a lack of ammunition and supplies, was making it impossible for Bosnian enclaves to hold out and so, reluctantly, the Bosnian government accepted the Vance-Owen plan.The Vance-Owen plan was signed by all parties on 2 May 1993. The Serb view of the plan was articulated by prominent nationalist Dragoslav Rancic who said:<br/>
<i><blockquote>"It is just the first stage..it is not going to last long. Not even Lord Owen believes in it."</blockquote> </i><br/><br/>
He added that the Muslims would eventually be left with a <i>"Balkan Lesotho"</i>. <br/><br/>
Serb commanders in Bosnia, however, felt they had no need of the Vance-Owen plan and rejected it - they also persuaded Bosnian Serb soldiers and peasants to reject it too.<br/><br/>
May 22nd - At a Washington meeting of the foreign ministers of the USA, UK, France and Russia, there was no talk of air strikes, or even of enforcing the Vance-Owen plan. Instead it was decided to create so called <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Safe_Areas">"safe areas"</a> for the remaining Bosnian Muslims. In these safe areas they would be guarded by UN forces whose where authorised to return fire if they (the UN forces) were attacked, but not if the actual Muslim refugees were attacked.<br/><br/>
On hearing of this plan, Izetbegovic commented that:<br/>
<i><blockquote>"If the international community is not ready to defend the principles which it itself has proclaimed as its foundations, let it say so openly, both to the people of Bosnia and to the people of the world. Let it proclaim a new code of behaviour in which force will be the first and the last argument."</blockquote></i><br/><br/>
Malcolm cocludes his book but commenting that:<br/>
<i><blockquote>"the atrocities in Bosnia in 1992 were not committed by old men, or even by young Bosnians nursing grudges about the second world war. The pattern was set by young urban gangsters in expensive sunglasses from Serbia, members of the paramilitary forces raised by Arkan and others...what they were doing was to carry out a rational strategy dictated by their political leaders - a method carefully calculated to drive out two ethnic populations and radicalise a third."</blockquote></i><br/><br/>
And also quotes from a different conflict:<br/>
<i><blockquote>"the Bolsheviks had to spill blood in order to bind their wavering adherents with a band of collective guilt"</blockquote></i><br/><br/>
"Bosnia - A short History" was published in 1994, and but that time there had already been over 150,000 deaths and 2 million people displaced.
For Bosnia, there were years of pain remaining, with perhaps the most chilling example of inhumanity ocurring in 1995, when some 8,000 Bosnians were rounded up and killed by Serb forces in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Srebrenica_massacre">Srebrenica massacre</a>.<br/><br/>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgLGA5iXnAR9BJ6ze3nWzLckIrNNBgSuJse5KtIa0EiNPDkFbJdF4Ct-voAdlHS8OLuK3ncIXLsuCxBNIILN59bce39CnrocGg1jZc66f79xeLQLTja9gXeM-4zP2h_I37y1id6ZKFnHcF/s1600/srebnicia+graveyard.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="515" data-original-width="874" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgLGA5iXnAR9BJ6ze3nWzLckIrNNBgSuJse5KtIa0EiNPDkFbJdF4Ct-voAdlHS8OLuK3ncIXLsuCxBNIILN59bce39CnrocGg1jZc66f79xeLQLTja9gXeM-4zP2h_I37y1id6ZKFnHcF/s320/srebnicia+graveyard.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Srebrenica Genocide Memorial</td></tr>
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<U><B>Image Sources</u></b><br/>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Berliner_kongress.jpg">Berlin Congress</a>,
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Black_Legion_1942.jpg">Ustase</a>,
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Josip_Broz_Tito_Biha%C4%87_1942.jpg">Tito</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Izetbegovic.jpg">Izetbegovic</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Evstafiev-sarajevo-building-burns.jpg">Sarajevo parliament</a>,
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Evstafiev-bosnia-cello.jpg">Sarajevo library</a>,
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Manja%C4%8Da_Camp.jpg">Manjača camp</a>,
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lord_Owen_-_Chatham_House_2011.jpg">Lord Owen</a>,
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lord_Hurd_(cropped).jpg">Douglas Hurd</a>,
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Vance-Owen_Peace_Plan.png">Vance-Owen</a>,
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Srebrenica_massacre_memorial_gravestones_2009_1.jpg">Srebnenica</a>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:%C5%BDeljko_Ra%C5%BEnatovi%C4%87.jpg">Arkan</a>
<br/><br/>
</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3010474775078886324.post-54569041986406490782017-11-19T10:48:00.002-08:002019-12-15T15:34:34.516-08:00Art in Nottingham<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><a href="#9"> </a><a name="9"></a>Exhibitions that BFTF has liked in Nottingham...<br /><br />
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<u><b>Dec 2019 : "When the Snow Melts : The Great War, Empire and Muslim Soldiers"</b></u><br /><br />
<blockquote><i>"Nearly four million Indians were -'volunteers' in the British Army during the two World Wars. The Great Wars were truly global events, yet the process of public remembrance is often performed through the prism of national identity.<br/><br/>
Working in collaboration with local Muslim families with connections to the Second World War, artists Jagdish Patel and Farida Makki have used personal memory and archival material to pose questions about the process of war memorialisation, empire and its interconnections to our present-day identities.
<a href="http://www.nae.org.uk/exhibition/when-the-snow-melts-the-world-wars/166">
When The Snow Melts</a> [at the NAE] is part of Himmah's Heritage Lottery Funded, Muslim Memory Project. This charts the stories of Nottingham's Muslim communities involved in the Second World War and will lead to the production of a substantial publication in 2020."</i></blockquote><br/><br/>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzgIxY4z4w741TxruESz06JrF6-Gm6ElE8cMMlT2xmpvxToLM528pQbeP96FqrHQPRVh3lG0lG6UsHWRpEpHmiSJDntxhIDSdAdzJrJUe1Mxy5UtNlqxMJwmYXpEFtNaX_FlhWuqHDt5gO/s1600/When+the+snow+melts+-+overall.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="513" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzgIxY4z4w741TxruESz06JrF6-Gm6ElE8cMMlT2xmpvxToLM528pQbeP96FqrHQPRVh3lG0lG6UsHWRpEpHmiSJDntxhIDSdAdzJrJUe1Mxy5UtNlqxMJwmYXpEFtNaX_FlhWuqHDt5gO/s320/When+the+snow+melts+-+overall.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "When the Snow Melts" exhibition</td></tr>
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Jagdish <a href="https://jagdishpatel.org/when-the-snow-melts-1">comments</a>, in the introduction to the exhibition guide, that:<br/><br/>
<blockquote><i>"Millions of soldiers and civilians were recruited to theBritish Army from Asia and Africa during the two World Wars. These wars were global events, and although the role of black and Asian soldiers was widely reported, after the wars ended their presence disappeared from the public gaze. This is perhaps a reason why society at large assumes that black and Asian people arrived in the UK after war ended, rather than when the Empire began.<br/><br/>
The Empire was multicultural, and the battlefields reflected this reality. During wartime, soldiers from different parts of India, Africa, and the Caribbean met for the first time. Black and Asian colonial subjects sat alongside young white working class men from Europe, and they talked as equals. The Senegalese film maker Sembene Ousmane, who served in the French colonial army during 1944-46 once wrote, ‘In the army we saw those who considered themselves our masters, naked, in tears, some cowardly or ignorant…When a white soldier asked me to write a letter for him, it was a revelation – I thought all Europeans knew how to write. The war demystified the coloniser; the veil fell.’ (Fighting for Britain: African Soldiers in the Second World War, Killingrey and Plaut 2012). In this project we are collecting the stories of local (East Midlands) families who were affecting by the Second World War. "</i></blockquote><br/>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikaDZhu-pJla8BYvSRgEdbkQPm7Hh4_98lAA1nPRvdevthPhPghyphenhyphenaCeAxV3UGMMVDJFVpdFj37VjmorvHpITML3Gi0JtHVuZCxGqhZOmNdzbWN38YHAbo7MNOXFwrKy4facv7bkBmf-lWq/s1600/When+the+snow+melts+-+Inayet+Ali.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="486" data-original-width="370" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikaDZhu-pJla8BYvSRgEdbkQPm7Hh4_98lAA1nPRvdevthPhPghyphenhyphenaCeAxV3UGMMVDJFVpdFj37VjmorvHpITML3Gi0JtHVuZCxGqhZOmNdzbWN38YHAbo7MNOXFwrKy4facv7bkBmf-lWq/s320/When+the+snow+melts+-+Inayet+Ali.JPG" width="243" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inayat Ali, Nottingham citizen <br/>and WW2 veteran (Indian Army Corp of Engineers)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXNec9L9lvcFlFWZio6db4LPdraBz-UhXYfW2Pba2Xy3HogpY_Usd4H0p-D9bTsC7kJTu-PSRn_JDZ6nexui8JbzBgRp_XguHaImhsRcy_TyB6ObNBxq-HCwiUIPcrjrkIAFMhXQj6Vn9D/s1600/When+the+snow+melts+-+Muhammed+Khan.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="449" data-original-width="368" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXNec9L9lvcFlFWZio6db4LPdraBz-UhXYfW2Pba2Xy3HogpY_Usd4H0p-D9bTsC7kJTu-PSRn_JDZ6nexui8JbzBgRp_XguHaImhsRcy_TyB6ObNBxq-HCwiUIPcrjrkIAFMhXQj6Vn9D/s320/When+the+snow+melts+-+Muhammed+Khan.JPG" width="262" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Muhammed Khan, serving grandson of WW2 veteran Muhammed Khan </td></tr>
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A few other points that caught the attention of BFTF:<br/><br/>
The exhibition guide comments that the large numbers of black and asian soldiers resulted in the lifting of a "Colour bar" which prevented black and Asian soldiers legally shooting white soldiers in battle.<br/><br/>
Demobilisation in 1918 <i>"came at a time of recession, resulting in race riots across the country"</i>. The Mayor of Liverpool wrote to the Home Secretary regarding <i>"Six hundred African British subjects [who] are stranded here in the city of Liverpool, they are anxious to return home to Africa as their treatment in the city by the locals is tantamount to cruel...Companies won’t employ coloured men as employers and the trade unions conspire to up hold segregation in the work place integration is not what they desire."</i><br/><br/>
The 1924 British Empire Exhibition at Wembley Stadium attracted 27 million visitors and led to a trend of retailers bringing people and animals from the colonies to sit on shop floors as decoration. <br/><br/>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN6L5Afg94yxQ5Q97mfMC3XxbqEnnhtMBYFIdxdVE-tr7GwT7ZVD5774JMjN5YFbSr1IPosuXWwWxTPjz9pDlpBJ2hGns9eJkDjZqMGOLmyoHnReEAm22vIqT2QEtm2fS20GVdphH-c6Ql/s1600/When+the+snow+melts+-+indian+village.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="611" data-original-width="493" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN6L5Afg94yxQ5Q97mfMC3XxbqEnnhtMBYFIdxdVE-tr7GwT7ZVD5774JMjN5YFbSr1IPosuXWwWxTPjz9pDlpBJ2hGns9eJkDjZqMGOLmyoHnReEAm22vIqT2QEtm2fS20GVdphH-c6Ql/s320/When+the+snow+melts+-+indian+village.JPG" width="258" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A "real Indian Village", Nottingham 1931</td></tr>
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The exhibition guide also comments that <i>"After the war ended, the role of black and Asian soldiers would be sidelined. Caught between the climate of Independence celebrations in India, and, at the end of the war, Britian underplaying the role of colonial armies, their part in the Second World War did not neatly fit into either countries' narrative for bulding a post war nation, so would be largely forgotton."</i><br/><br/>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4TJ58AlSJng7MXugVjuRNBDAFyTj3IYMAK0Ji1lZveJd7CGq4YtTG35VmHAxkwYauvj8xYAfyH-aS_beQDIshoc1aZfU0J1ioj_1BH-IGxs8d0vzywiNMvBrDt3aC8j1ePR0XIJWk83-4/s1600/When+the+snow+melts+-+War+Cripples.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="848" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4TJ58AlSJng7MXugVjuRNBDAFyTj3IYMAK0Ji1lZveJd7CGq4YtTG35VmHAxkwYauvj8xYAfyH-aS_beQDIshoc1aZfU0J1ioj_1BH-IGxs8d0vzywiNMvBrDt3aC8j1ePR0XIJWk83-4/s320/When+the+snow+melts+-+War+Cripples.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rehabilitation of war wounded in India</td></tr>
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<u><b>Dec 2019 : Mimesis: African Soldier</b></u><br /><br />
Commissioned by <a href="http://www.nae.org.uk/exhibition/mimesis-african-soldier/164">NAE</a> with 1418-Now and launched at the Imperial War Museum, London in 2018, this multi-screen installation by artist <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Akomfrah">John Akomfrah</a> remembers the millions of African and colonial soldiers, labourers and carriers who served in the First World War. Projected onto three screens, the artwork combines newly created film, shot by Akomfrah in locations around the world, a powerful sound score and historic footage that speak to the African experience of the First World War.<br /><br />
<blockquote><i>"The First World War was waged between empires that were global in their ambitions and reach. Between 1914 and 1918, millions of African and colonial soldiers served in long campaigns that spanned the whole of the African and European continents, contributing to victories throughout the First World War. These soldiers from British and French African territories were brought to Europe's western front, where hundreds and thousands lost their lives alongside unknown, unheralded and undocumented African labourers and carriers. Mimesis: African Soldier seeks to commemorate these Africans and colonial soldiers who fought, served and died during the First World War."<br /></i></blockquote>
Really interesting exhibition, highlighting the sacrifice of so many millions from the British and French empires. <br /><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSRpyX7lIgQb-HO96aSHv0eoLdIHv96b33InCeBBHMVsztteRJUwdjHp7yEvAEsvXFyZ2SCPGl0IkgwGIEv4jXyO2cf8U1x9I2wPc2qFY1BP4vCY0XE0sUsbFaGuMnw2RrjDv4WUl0729D/s1600/African+Soldier+Flags.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="341" data-original-width="870" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSRpyX7lIgQb-HO96aSHv0eoLdIHv96b33InCeBBHMVsztteRJUwdjHp7yEvAEsvXFyZ2SCPGl0IkgwGIEv4jXyO2cf8U1x9I2wPc2qFY1BP4vCY0XE0sUsbFaGuMnw2RrjDv4WUl0729D/s320/African+Soldier+Flags.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mimesis : African Soldier</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFV_XdP54AB4nLnAB9u5GQSt06ACS5jqmRd4Cllvxl1rZIBZEzkwa5EJPvUAHT6bwBWEB7gCiEuUDIPyJBROQWeJ49-tLfyupa9gH5yaIuZihDxRTnw5oE0Re75eEhEoVSFLIADniA4f-4/s1600/African+Soldier+Soldiers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="401" data-original-width="828" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFV_XdP54AB4nLnAB9u5GQSt06ACS5jqmRd4Cllvxl1rZIBZEzkwa5EJPvUAHT6bwBWEB7gCiEuUDIPyJBROQWeJ49-tLfyupa9gH5yaIuZihDxRTnw5oE0Re75eEhEoVSFLIADniA4f-4/s320/African+Soldier+Soldiers.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mimesis : African Soldier</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSwb4cv9JmQ-tQeZU6EFeZrsBjDVdODzUoEPxPNQEL_PVNNM_uD66EWcCCv30HfeW4dznRik90vaUbC_TmMqFFVDrMcsiEGVYTjVS-ZQySIYzM_O5hVGQizHe2rVCYH7uDzEaOj5_n3BpV/s1600/soldier+workers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="404" data-original-width="652" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSwb4cv9JmQ-tQeZU6EFeZrsBjDVdODzUoEPxPNQEL_PVNNM_uD66EWcCCv30HfeW4dznRik90vaUbC_TmMqFFVDrMcsiEGVYTjVS-ZQySIYzM_O5hVGQizHe2rVCYH7uDzEaOj5_n3BpV/s320/soldier+workers.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mimesis : African Soldier</td></tr>
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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-31796542
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Bit cheeky, I know, but it does look very nice!<br/><br/>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKJ23vK5NimJ-o7Jc7FIZY53eSSv7NVfDUbXn0ZRz0eFS_ZLVQe2qUvHUHQZ0w6_5WIIt_-f8hOR12XGfUuCwsb-kxIOWEh3JKbwHhdxqjlnpMfdF9OjlZKnVqHHcYbKqJzTMXZBLr4Sq5/s1600/arty+thing.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="697" data-original-width="324" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKJ23vK5NimJ-o7Jc7FIZY53eSSv7NVfDUbXn0ZRz0eFS_ZLVQe2qUvHUHQZ0w6_5WIIt_-f8hOR12XGfUuCwsb-kxIOWEh3JKbwHhdxqjlnpMfdF9OjlZKnVqHHcYbKqJzTMXZBLr4Sq5/s320/arty+thing.JPG" width="148" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arty thing by Mrs C</td></tr>
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<u><b>Sep 2018 : Trix and Robert Haussman Retrospective 14Jul to 7Oct</b></u><br /><br />
Nottingham Contemporary <a href="http://www.nottinghamcontemporary.org/art/trix-robert-haussmann">describe</a> this exhibition as the "first UK retrospective of Trix & Robert Haussmann – one of the most significant and intriguing Swiss architects and designers of the twentieth century. The exhibition celebrates the duo’s playful innovations, concerning illusion and ambiguity."
You can read more about the Haussmans <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/13/t-magazine/design/trix-haussmann-robert-haussmann-architects-designers.html">here</a>.
Images of some of the items that particularly caught BFTF's attention are below....
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-A0sZex66eO-iJRW3Dth9cg-Cdxn63h-5vBH_gHyqV5FS19WOK6C54R7bh6ECqiPwZtQRKeRtXRM7b8sM88xU_RxmHveg06U-I4FL1Ww74leIx2YYyA8ErxNoY4UqWzdQNZO7jNTvfiVc/s1600/chair+guitar.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="532" data-original-width="435" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-A0sZex66eO-iJRW3Dth9cg-Cdxn63h-5vBH_gHyqV5FS19WOK6C54R7bh6ECqiPwZtQRKeRtXRM7b8sM88xU_RxmHveg06U-I4FL1Ww74leIx2YYyA8ErxNoY4UqWzdQNZO7jNTvfiVc/s320/chair+guitar.JPG" width="261" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Chair Fun" - chair merged with a stringed instrument</td></tr>
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvXCtLigtUb0nzqht0c9p-tNV6X1b9udlgctHCwkZrYGAJ_CQ7m6_iYqY-tI4EoySBkVMgHkqSQ0NlXRwEmWxXscd72ZR5qhZIygzwmvZWpuDFZZAY610-xyKXOzQA3N3hv05Gn7BUeStX/s1600/chair+melt.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="406" data-original-width="360" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvXCtLigtUb0nzqht0c9p-tNV6X1b9udlgctHCwkZrYGAJ_CQ7m6_iYqY-tI4EoySBkVMgHkqSQ0NlXRwEmWxXscd72ZR5qhZIygzwmvZWpuDFZZAY610-xyKXOzQA3N3hv05Gn7BUeStX/s320/chair+melt.JPG" width="283" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Chair Fun" - "melting" plastic chair</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Z6uf_Uk-BMPwTXNSl_-EmqFpFM64uWlLE1__e6D4JUyNzCBWMN6sklPtov0WzDNXQsgbCr2zse80c5jq0WBpJlbyIxoo6r5UFgmRchCiVIBTG5M39wROIZj038fH3RxBZAoPPCWgYxf3/s1600/chair+light.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="580" data-original-width="343" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Z6uf_Uk-BMPwTXNSl_-EmqFpFM64uWlLE1__e6D4JUyNzCBWMN6sklPtov0WzDNXQsgbCr2zse80c5jq0WBpJlbyIxoo6r5UFgmRchCiVIBTG5M39wROIZj038fH3RxBZAoPPCWgYxf3/s320/chair+light.JPG" width="189" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Chair Fun" - a neon chair too fragile to sit on</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpk9GcAp_UC5liKzadsZ9iZViCELCasgxQYQtOcLi3daPUUP-kKXEe8YzsjrcDX6FbXIc1ul6KsVSbR_Riiv07heWXDq048Vqb8z1dhgTowQc5pjDsnuk-KDXJTa0ZjbldGoeGWg8b7h8C/s1600/chair+linked.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="531" data-original-width="475" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpk9GcAp_UC5liKzadsZ9iZViCELCasgxQYQtOcLi3daPUUP-kKXEe8YzsjrcDX6FbXIc1ul6KsVSbR_Riiv07heWXDq048Vqb8z1dhgTowQc5pjDsnuk-KDXJTa0ZjbldGoeGWg8b7h8C/s320/chair+linked.JPG" width="286" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Chair Fun" - intersecting Thonet chairs </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOo9e-NAod_rF9FilJ9JjPWZqtt9-x9g2P61eNi1Klg7vF1E6QL9lTL7nrNEzK4Rdk4RkmAfVlCPHP1Qe0962dkGUvj_x4_DsbT51TftJYhWCz-AQUrv9QrFFkhYbT9-r4WwBQd6mH_nRq/s1600/chair+nails.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="591" data-original-width="472" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOo9e-NAod_rF9FilJ9JjPWZqtt9-x9g2P61eNi1Klg7vF1E6QL9lTL7nrNEzK4Rdk4RkmAfVlCPHP1Qe0962dkGUvj_x4_DsbT51TftJYhWCz-AQUrv9QrFFkhYbT9-r4WwBQd6mH_nRq/s320/chair+nails.JPG" width="255" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Chair Fun" - Eames chair fitted with spikes</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8o3ld-Jrxzh4TnnDg5x07D7FkfBLdrYI_jzRXJYDLNO4eiMiThMJb3yfRlCOTS8S_1sJQ5loNJD8tqSy8_lw9Tcb2RMU2RryDVFxQWd2Bv2IKuzoB3arAXYkjOlrS6syyS96v9UJE8ph9/s1600/drawers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="402" data-original-width="534" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8o3ld-Jrxzh4TnnDg5x07D7FkfBLdrYI_jzRXJYDLNO4eiMiThMJb3yfRlCOTS8S_1sJQ5loNJD8tqSy8_lw9Tcb2RMU2RryDVFxQWd2Bv2IKuzoB3arAXYkjOlrS6syyS96v9UJE8ph9/s320/drawers.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lehrstucke (Didactic Pieces) - Each "stone" is actually a drawer</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiol4Ny8g5ccDjfH4z0tJ8pPDyNB7qBak9XQBAbT6jh9KPw7s-nM5_dJGHJuvLEnhLZ3UlOmOIGfk1KYt3baoLXB7mbj1D3oIqIdFRm5_lN3TcrZrD87kFeGuwL_YmLh1RIOrAzHuKYPmyF/s1600/tables.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="423" data-original-width="641" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiol4Ny8g5ccDjfH4z0tJ8pPDyNB7qBak9XQBAbT6jh9KPw7s-nM5_dJGHJuvLEnhLZ3UlOmOIGfk1KYt3baoLXB7mbj1D3oIqIdFRm5_lN3TcrZrD87kFeGuwL_YmLh1RIOrAzHuKYPmyF/s320/tables.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Haussman Tables</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV9FtMYKH-6VzW534eRTw4cwcfznqy_GrvUKYoxzB1kaEowtAGmxOljywyf8BdTpT0mJ34tiOb8Ux2V2NmwxQHG_LXma2DRSGl_u9ThDJ8VIxEAG-czXTnapxGmjB4Yt8iOZ-c38MOao7E/s1600/tall.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="335" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV9FtMYKH-6VzW534eRTw4cwcfznqy_GrvUKYoxzB1kaEowtAGmxOljywyf8BdTpT0mJ34tiOb8Ux2V2NmwxQHG_LXma2DRSGl_u9ThDJ8VIxEAG-czXTnapxGmjB4Yt8iOZ-c38MOao7E/s320/tall.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lehrstucke (Didactic Pieces) - This is not what it appears. Each side of the object is flat.<br />There are no recesses! The illusion is created by the clever use of marquetry and different sized mirrors</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /><br/>
*****************************<br/><br/>
<u><b>Dec 2017 : From Ear to Ear to Eye at Nottingham Contemporary</b></u><br /><br />
Sponsored by the <a href="http://www.arabculturefund.org/home/index.php">Arab Fund for Arts and Culture (AFAC)</a>, the <a href="http://www.nottinghamcontemporary.org/art/ear-ear-eye">exhibition</a> runs until Mar 4th 2018 and is described as
<i>"...an exhibition that explores sound, music and listening in myriad forms. It traces the acoustic lives of different cities and places across the Arab world, bringing together almost 20 artists and researchers working in the region and elsewhere."</i><br/><br/>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-4c7v36WTLkaedkF9C6QqMdY3qsWblNr4AJsCE4YNy-JchEV1RKdB8kBkuDQTi2vG5K5qP3mgYueYv01TBv8OfELMM-SadatvMAEC4FxNeN3G5FBOrb3u-KEsQfPXtXxzHq_SL7TULDMz/s1600/title.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-4c7v36WTLkaedkF9C6QqMdY3qsWblNr4AJsCE4YNy-JchEV1RKdB8kBkuDQTi2vG5K5qP3mgYueYv01TBv8OfELMM-SadatvMAEC4FxNeN3G5FBOrb3u-KEsQfPXtXxzHq_SL7TULDMz/s320/title.jpg" width="316" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">title</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Some of the exhibits are described below...<br/><br/>
The standout exhibit, described by the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2017/dec/19/from-ear-to-ear-to-eye-review-nottingham-contemporary">Guardian</a> as "art gold dust" is titled "Earshot" and was developed by <a href="http://lawrenceabuhamdan.com/#/new-page-1/">Lawrence Abu Hamdan</a> a year after completing his gunshot acoustic analysis report of a 2014 incident in the Occupied West Bank where Israeli soldiers shot and killed two teenagers, Nadeem Nawara and Mohamad Abu Daher. <br/><br/>
Abu Hamdan, working with <a href="http://www.dci-palestine.org/use_of_live_ammunition_confirmed_in_nawarah_shooting">Defence for Children International</a> and <a href="http://www.forensic-architecture.org/">Forensic Architecture</a>, had used the acoustic analysis visualisations to establish that the soldiers had (illegally) fired live rounds, and moreover had tried to disguise these fatal shots to make them sound as if they were rubber bullets. These visualizations were later critical in forcing Israel to renounce its original denial. <br/><br/>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNXmsIrgwiT0mJgfFhNK-5SdkpKmP8wJe6bLHdn_fgZAuxhInDJKzzZfDPDeNa_yIJcUnhgIoJX3RHbaXaK7fYucxhsrc2JHa-bVKkE9cjIFAhYKJ1oLEIo3STFkPFyl1GD5yMRGuL1s3S/s1600/hamdan+video.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="304" data-original-width="500" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNXmsIrgwiT0mJgfFhNK-5SdkpKmP8wJe6bLHdn_fgZAuxhInDJKzzZfDPDeNa_yIJcUnhgIoJX3RHbaXaK7fYucxhsrc2JHa-bVKkE9cjIFAhYKJ1oLEIo3STFkPFyl1GD5yMRGuL1s3S/s320/hamdan+video.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Video in "Earshot" installation</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOzJ13A603j30GyL-8tZ9Tqkj_y6JIiiD7pYI1ISqx_kpjlGakXAzo_azMqpUrDx8dekxq_bt8K1ny4c4vIcTTRk9-nNAHfeBJSt8omqSC31MK3ams-yY7US8HdwuoH4NzmXIVA2FcK36i/s1600/acoustic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="447" data-original-width="500" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOzJ13A603j30GyL-8tZ9Tqkj_y6JIiiD7pYI1ISqx_kpjlGakXAzo_azMqpUrDx8dekxq_bt8K1ny4c4vIcTTRk9-nNAHfeBJSt8omqSC31MK3ams-yY7US8HdwuoH4NzmXIVA2FcK36i/s320/acoustic.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Acoustic Analysis representations</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Also very moving were a series of embroideries by <a href="http://mouniraalsolh.com/">Mounira Al Sohl</a> based on conversations with refugees, one of which is shown below, together with its associated description: <br/><br/>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjobBlylu3k2Bu1CTwhXZXSpKwgCaJrRLAm9TEo9ArLySX0SmnOsj6Mk_6fxk1HO97rnGlNuRSjBkHAnMxFX6rRD3prechE4HHHU417vtAKkWLklZ4Wt16Q-oOIcdLhqzPJRjp6BJrxXV26/s1600/child.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="370" data-original-width="400" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjobBlylu3k2Bu1CTwhXZXSpKwgCaJrRLAm9TEo9ArLySX0SmnOsj6Mk_6fxk1HO97rnGlNuRSjBkHAnMxFX6rRD3prechE4HHHU417vtAKkWLklZ4Wt16Q-oOIcdLhqzPJRjp6BJrxXV26/s320/child.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mounira Al Sohl embroidery</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
"We came to Lebanon about a year ago. We trade in cars. We have Mercedes, Daewoo and many other kinds. I am renting them in Lebanon actually. They all have a Lebanese number. They are all legal of course.<br/>
The Child in the lap of the man is the son of his friend. His uncle was massacred by ISIS lately. The grandmother of the boy had lost not only her son, but also when she gave birth in Damascus 30 years ago, her newborn daughter was stolen from the hospital by the doctor. I made a separate embroidery for her"<br/><br/>
The video "<a href="https://www.ibraaz.org/channel/75">This Lemon Tastes of Apple</a>" (<a href="http://hiwak.net/projects/">Hiwa K</a>, 2011) depicts one of the 2011 <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Kurdish_protests_in_Iraq">anti-government protests</a> in Iraqi Kurdistan. The title references the fact that the poisoned gas used against Kurds by Saddam Hussein was reported to smell of apples, while lemons were used by the 2011 protestors to reduce the effects of tear gas. <br/><br/>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC_zL2kmJhANp7Znyl4E2YXG0yoNwQRHSsGc89ok5fm8bZCUQYs8SQlv3s4Ljowm-wMsm66MGxwtpZbW7OxtnPb4cdXXKG_zZH_ihQV66yJEcse8f5Qp4TZxXK-HSZJ1xCQUzwVeHm1OLb/s1600/lemons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC_zL2kmJhANp7Znyl4E2YXG0yoNwQRHSsGc89ok5fm8bZCUQYs8SQlv3s4Ljowm-wMsm66MGxwtpZbW7OxtnPb4cdXXKG_zZH_ihQV66yJEcse8f5Qp4TZxXK-HSZJ1xCQUzwVeHm1OLb/s320/lemons.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This Lemon Tastes of Apple</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Marwa Arsanios' video "<a href="http://arteeast.org/quarterly/falling-is-not-collapsing-falling-is-extending/?issues_season=spring&issues_year=2017">Falling is not collapsing, falling is extending</a>" looks at the way refuse dumps in Beirut were strategically sited by property developers to devalue land so that it could be purchased cheaply - and then developed for profit.<br/><br/>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXLXMKxeKxLzdykUOqaz218aUdhQ7E5wcMwVk66lmrJmipJFnL_nTwSnrmVwClF1GToWUhVfgypowaWYSBXDyxsGbgdjOi0MZg0KGUZo3iOUct6-UmoZR2xcMljy0CBl6D-Ml3WJcBxnDS/s1600/garbage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXLXMKxeKxLzdykUOqaz218aUdhQ7E5wcMwVk66lmrJmipJFnL_nTwSnrmVwClF1GToWUhVfgypowaWYSBXDyxsGbgdjOi0MZg0KGUZo3iOUct6-UmoZR2xcMljy0CBl6D-Ml3WJcBxnDS/s320/garbage.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Falling is not collapsing, falling is extending"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
From Ear to Ear to Eye is on until 4th March 2018<br/><br/>
*****************************<br/><br/>
<u><b>Dec 2017 : Sarah Turner at Cafe Sobar</b></u> <br />
<br />
Loved the eco-art works by Notts based artist Sarah Turner on display currently at Cafe Sobar. The pictures below really doesn't do them justice - check out Sarah's website at : <a href="http://www.sarahturner.co.uk/">www.sarahturner.co.uk</a><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8qfFC1EotN79XHVGerWdkG2AYb3x0KkXc-vi-J17SPuVyasPFyn0lbsEv3LzEc6RILp1rWSkghsAnRfUgXpi0GkeiqHPNSJxDIDtuZ9lQe2nLdmgb5yi88UFj4Cv7MY7DT4GLkEAHnPxW/s1600/foil+butterfly.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="378" data-original-width="410" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8qfFC1EotN79XHVGerWdkG2AYb3x0KkXc-vi-J17SPuVyasPFyn0lbsEv3LzEc6RILp1rWSkghsAnRfUgXpi0GkeiqHPNSJxDIDtuZ9lQe2nLdmgb5yi88UFj4Cv7MY7DT4GLkEAHnPxW/s320/foil+butterfly.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Up-cycled" eco artwork by Sarah Turner</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKafnwmm64gzJ44EQQG2wFATUOl8CM59E5pW98trIx5i-CZzKRe-NVC75HSnjYVy5K3nQ6VeNrr9iUTU06ZOHMCnUWnhlmGq7dDXclhfZ0hldpabK1ahlDYA0dm4VFG-pli18snDQede9q/s1600/foil+dragonfly.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="583" data-original-width="678" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKafnwmm64gzJ44EQQG2wFATUOl8CM59E5pW98trIx5i-CZzKRe-NVC75HSnjYVy5K3nQ6VeNrr9iUTU06ZOHMCnUWnhlmGq7dDXclhfZ0hldpabK1ahlDYA0dm4VFG-pli18snDQede9q/s320/foil+dragonfly.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Up-cycled foil dragonfly artwork by Sarah Turner</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table border="0" style="width: 100%;"><tbody>
<tr><td></td><td style="background-color: #de9ff9;"></td><td></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<u><b>Nov 2017 : Paul Dexter at Cafe Sobar</b></u> <br />
<br />
Whilst enjoying a pretty much perfect chunky chip cob and a coffee at <a href="https://www.doubleimpact.org.uk/cafe-sobar">Cafe Sobar</a>, saw that there was a small exhibition by <a href="http://www.charnwoodarts.com/">Charnwood Arts</a> of works by <a href="https://theeyeleicester.wordpress.com/2017/04/17/meet-the-artist-paul-dexter/">Paul Dexter</a><br />
<br />
Paul will be one of the artists exhibiting at the forthcoming Albert Street Artists "New Works XI" exhibition at the <a href="http://www.charnwoodarts.com/venues/tangent_gallery">Tangent Gallery</a> in Loughborough. Here are a few of the works that were on show:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvFNYV5MI0kyrWpIr0tZikWWf9C1km_P-TDm1kXyjzqFbqkvoKle9l2aO14yMo_WQo1Ddk0K_05L8dD3aR4LAWZIbw874tDJCoo_b8kIFOL4I_yVlIBC8MRSfMhbdBgNKjyU7EuQhzrQni/s1600/astrro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvFNYV5MI0kyrWpIr0tZikWWf9C1km_P-TDm1kXyjzqFbqkvoKle9l2aO14yMo_WQo1Ddk0K_05L8dD3aR4LAWZIbw874tDJCoo_b8kIFOL4I_yVlIBC8MRSfMhbdBgNKjyU7EuQhzrQni/s320/astrro.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Major Tom" by Paul Dexter</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEialAxBj-Fg5RvOMXVcvpupMuCnxFZEA2qx3jhzyuTDpBKi7LLnpekvvyj2ZAfvRimRhJDcRD1wzxZx_GLDMonh-ufSji1q5L35qjTIKxjjK7eVf5A4bBXq0ot2blmQ1dG13TE0av3BuMov/s1600/caper+aquarium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="321" data-original-width="400" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEialAxBj-Fg5RvOMXVcvpupMuCnxFZEA2qx3jhzyuTDpBKi7LLnpekvvyj2ZAfvRimRhJDcRD1wzxZx_GLDMonh-ufSji1q5L35qjTIKxjjK7eVf5A4bBXq0ot2blmQ1dG13TE0av3BuMov/s320/caper+aquarium.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Aquarium" by Paul Dexter</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghFAjKc4j5QTa3uJ-lCgXTEnXPLkCbBKhvlv7kppeQo-27YUoRYPHsAHGY2-O78vvfPzzMoxntaBZBRpK-BZL1BZ-trq4u_IEjjlKMPovsMOrwqUrA11D-V9xShbZ2dPR6kAW3JyS4VwjV/s1600/shuttle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="401" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghFAjKc4j5QTa3uJ-lCgXTEnXPLkCbBKhvlv7kppeQo-27YUoRYPHsAHGY2-O78vvfPzzMoxntaBZBRpK-BZL1BZ-trq4u_IEjjlKMPovsMOrwqUrA11D-V9xShbZ2dPR6kAW3JyS4VwjV/s320/shuttle.jpg" width="319" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Shuttle Polarised" by Paul Dexter</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
*****************************<br/><br/>
<u><b>Nov 2017 : "Thinking Room", <a href="https://www.lakesidearts.org.uk/">Djanogly Gallery</a></b></u> <br />
<br />
Rather charming graphic novel / exhibition on at the moment at the Djanogly Gallery (University Park) by <a href="http://caroladlam.co.uk/">Carol Adlam</a> called "Thinking Room". The exhibition is based on the many and varied artifacts in the UoN Museum of Archaeology, where Carol was Artist in Residence. As well as the story in the exhibition, there are also some explanatory artworks that look into the museum artifacts in more detail.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJmHmM2ul9abGs3DjHnXpUYn_QF8TP1VXMxm5dkBCrlrOZvHAV62hH0uWG_5kX9Xt6lKSfm5ghK0NkX2RitrEYLTZumN0CKwVihdTWi7t3oTYFsWMsSJr8g7k1WLiAEYMTkZu_FvfGYc_5/s1600/display.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="600" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJmHmM2ul9abGs3DjHnXpUYn_QF8TP1VXMxm5dkBCrlrOZvHAV62hH0uWG_5kX9Xt6lKSfm5ghK0NkX2RitrEYLTZumN0CKwVihdTWi7t3oTYFsWMsSJr8g7k1WLiAEYMTkZu_FvfGYc_5/s320/display.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Graphic Art Story by Carol Adlam<br />
(only noticed the Octopus when editing the picture!)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV27jhpqn1qtwGG96EfE5VIu4JxsSnCk709scA5UFQAk0B71_fSO1sofqBMorELYb0J1gEo5D1qhcdzNkQQT-AGh0lSn2sTYXZ5EOO0MnXydkrj3LjPhuarV8QPetJLKQyvuxYR3adVzPi/s1600/print.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="505" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV27jhpqn1qtwGG96EfE5VIu4JxsSnCk709scA5UFQAk0B71_fSO1sofqBMorELYb0J1gEo5D1qhcdzNkQQT-AGh0lSn2sTYXZ5EOO0MnXydkrj3LjPhuarV8QPetJLKQyvuxYR3adVzPi/s320/print.JPG" width="316" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Detail from a separate, beautiful, set of explanatory drawings</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Images : BFTF's own
*****************************<br/><br/>
<u><b>May 2017 : "The Place is Here", <a href="http://www.nottinghamcontemporary.org/">Nottingham Contemporary</a></b></u> <br />
<br />
Interesting exhibition at Nottingham Contemporary a while back entitled "<a href="http://www.nottinghamcontemporary.org/art/place-here">The Place is Here</a>". BFTF had a walk round and learnt a lot!<br />
<br />
The gallery describes the exhibition thusly :<br />
<i></i><br />
<blockquote>
<i>"...This exhibition traces some of the urgent conversations that were taking place between black artists, writers and thinkers during the 80s. Against a backdrop of civil unrest and divisive national politics, they were exploring their relationship to Britain’s colonial past as well as to art history. Many artists were looking to the Civil Rights movement in America, Black feminism, Pan-Africanism, the struggle over apartheid, and the emergent fields of postcolonial and cultural studies..."</i></blockquote>
and was also covered by the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2017/feb/05/the-place-is-here-review-nottingham-contemporary-1980s-britain-black-art-movement">Guardian</a>. Nice review <a href="http://www.studiointernational.com/index.php/the-place-is-here-review-black-british-artists">here</a> too.<br />
<br />
Here are some of the works that most caught BFTF's attention.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjewwWtTy73q5OoPNvb3q3U30PlWBCqtT2XlvSNRjBcdLBmE7RPmjHMfIxCc7MIKyRAIpMiMPi_bHM_z7wuca7B5NLzgCX_UUuOhpm1965Cf7M4eCPzcfoVxi6w5xgop2p4JbpmGqaa6FBi/s1600/glc+mural.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjewwWtTy73q5OoPNvb3q3U30PlWBCqtT2XlvSNRjBcdLBmE7RPmjHMfIxCc7MIKyRAIpMiMPi_bHM_z7wuca7B5NLzgCX_UUuOhpm1965Cf7M4eCPzcfoVxi6w5xgop2p4JbpmGqaa6FBi/s320/glc+mural.JPG" width="241" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">GLC Anti-Racism Mural</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
An example of the Greater London Council's (GLC) anti-racism murals had BFTF going on-line to learn more - which you can check out at <a href="http://alondoninheritance.com/london-streets/murals-and-street-art-from-1980s-london/">A London Inheritance</a>, <a href="https://alicerosebell.wordpress.com/2014/12/29/municipal-murals-of-1980s-london/">AliceRoseBell</a> and the <a href="http://www.londonmuralpreservationsociety.com/murals/">London Mural Preservation Society</a>. The specific mural above (located on Lowood Road, E1), however, has not been mostly erased, as can be seen in this GoogleMaps image<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU2VD4AZnXQnbEZe3gnH2jGfH5PobWE82F7ZZHEzSJfUMTZrLc5NWUDT0m32Bul3xCArXwS0UNhz4CQzZfOY_dEY9imtDMbi7So9AVcrItZx-trC1Br2Pfwp_0Lv__sC0xK1p_W-zvwJnA/s1600/mural+now+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU2VD4AZnXQnbEZe3gnH2jGfH5PobWE82F7ZZHEzSJfUMTZrLc5NWUDT0m32Bul3xCArXwS0UNhz4CQzZfOY_dEY9imtDMbi7So9AVcrItZx-trC1Br2Pfwp_0Lv__sC0xK1p_W-zvwJnA/s320/mural+now+-+Copy.JPG" width="232" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Anti-Racism mural as it appears today</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
BFTF wonders how many murals there are in Nottingham, how many have been lost, and where there is any Nottingham archive of this artform.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzBW2yLnoSKWmB4dEP75SuTkjVyknOP_hB4Z98SbfpTs4_hQ01mYkhfxEu3m0HWbNebPc5lntwakvS2eklvc15ldITZq2Kzg9jBqik8APkZRQybKQ4gxTEGl2DwwXlXo7_RHGC-7ONA8pO/s1600/mixed+media2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzBW2yLnoSKWmB4dEP75SuTkjVyknOP_hB4Z98SbfpTs4_hQ01mYkhfxEu3m0HWbNebPc5lntwakvS2eklvc15ldITZq2Kzg9jBqik8APkZRQybKQ4gxTEGl2DwwXlXo7_RHGC-7ONA8pO/s320/mixed+media2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rasheed Araeen "For Oluwale" 1971-75</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
It was disturbing to learn, in Rasheed Araeen's montage "For Oluwale" about the 1970s dictatorship in Portugal, who continued to hold onto their colonial "possessions" Angola, Portuguese Guinea, Mozambique and Goa well after the UK and France had granted independence to theirs. The Portuguese authorities became increasingly brutal in their attempts to quash independence movements such as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FRELIMO">FRELIMO</a> - resulting in massacres such as that at <a href="http://www.mozambiquehistory.net/history/massacres/19730710_hastings_story.pdf">Wiriyamu</a> which was reported in the Times just prior to the 1973 visit by the Portugese Prime Minister <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcelo_Caetano">Marcello Caetano</a> to the UK.<br />
<br />
You can read about how India took back the territory of Goa <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annexation_of_Goa#Events_preceding_the_hostilities">here</a>; and about the African Portuguese Colonial War <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portuguese_Colonial_War">here</a>.<br />
<br />
Separately, but importantly, the "Oluwale" in the title refers to David Oluwale, who was beaten on multiple occasions by Police in Leeds, eventually dying trying to escape a beating in 1969. You can, and should, read about his story <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_David_Oluwale">here</a>.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfMkP-p3jbXYchWDtgL_bFwFsyYkzQmLibXOrlnd1lzcaMPJ3hJ55BYl8vbjpokQa-dMatFokQhk-gvaPsfizc04iWeibbISCXLZw8vdm5aZX9vL1FA75HkXMLjv0H4zmp6vu3DBtVTIA8/s1600/the+game.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfMkP-p3jbXYchWDtgL_bFwFsyYkzQmLibXOrlnd1lzcaMPJ3hJ55BYl8vbjpokQa-dMatFokQhk-gvaPsfizc04iWeibbISCXLZw8vdm5aZX9vL1FA75HkXMLjv0H4zmp6vu3DBtVTIA8/s320/the+game.JPG" width="257" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">David Lewis "The Game " 1985</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
This image by Dave Lewis, entitled "The Game", needs no commentary.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkcC4PGsiXLYBDrfp70v2jsp0qRyi-Xwqezu6Yj5rBsgU6qeueMLEu8a2jHqvfjgxKpVJinYSsbRqB_GCcnugO8r2T_fDCpyGDmvU3vqts2ia_O4lLYT4HyRIM8SXl4YImgbdbF9ff0St4/s1600/toussaint1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkcC4PGsiXLYBDrfp70v2jsp0qRyi-Xwqezu6Yj5rBsgU6qeueMLEu8a2jHqvfjgxKpVJinYSsbRqB_GCcnugO8r2T_fDCpyGDmvU3vqts2ia_O4lLYT4HyRIM8SXl4YImgbdbF9ff0St4/s320/toussaint1.JPG" width="168" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toussaint Louverture artwork</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Have you heard of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toussaint_Louverture">Toussaint Louverture</a>? Until this exhibition, neither had BFTF.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKpO2eVD3eMcA3y597p-2Axn9XXd4vyMHgdsK6s7359Uw2MZlV2RrFKO53OhkDNLmzxfKZ7A3ovGlBtqXNkfgesxGTuN2Xdr6k9mlsFWcnWF7T5Z4hVOzjyd6LrwfOJQcUznZhCNU3dSAP/s1600/whites+only.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKpO2eVD3eMcA3y597p-2Axn9XXd4vyMHgdsK6s7359Uw2MZlV2RrFKO53OhkDNLmzxfKZ7A3ovGlBtqXNkfgesxGTuN2Xdr6k9mlsFWcnWF7T5Z4hVOzjyd6LrwfOJQcUznZhCNU3dSAP/s320/whites+only.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gavin Jantges - A South African Colouring Book (1974-5)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Another exhibit entitled "<a href="http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/jantjes-a-south-african-colouring-book-74151">A South African Colouring Book</a>", by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gavin_Jantjes">Gavin Jantges </a>(1974-5) laid bare the ridiculous contortions that South African Apartheid had to tie itself up in; given that skin colour is a spectrum - not a series of discrete shades.<a href="https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Population_Registration_Act,_1950/Versions">The Population Registration Act of 1950</a> states in section 1 that :<br />
<br />
<blockquote>
<i>"(a) a "white" person means a person who in appearance is, or who is generally accepted as, a white person, but does not include a person who, although in appearance obviously a white person, is generally accepted as a colored person"</i></blockquote>
<br />
over a period of time, this definition seemed to be allowing too many brown skinned people to be classed as white the definition was changed in 1961 to:<br />
<br />
<i></i><br />
<blockquote>
<i>"White person means a person who, a) in appearance obviously is a white person and who is not generally accepted as a Colored person; or b) is generally accepted as a white person and is not in appearance obviously not a white person."</i></blockquote>
<br />
However, this also proved to be insufficently impervious to "misapplication", one notable case being that of a child who was darker skinned than her ("white" siblings) and was placed in the "coloured" category, meaning that she could only live at home as a domestic servant.<br />
<br />
So it 1967 further legislation used, predictably complex, wording which included the following: <br />
<i></i><br />
<blockquote>
<i>"..in deciding whether any person is in appearance obviously a white person or not a white person within the meaning of the definition of “white person” in subsection (1), his habits. education and speech and deportment and demeanour in general shall be taken into account;
(b) it shall, in the absence of proof that any person is generally accepted as a white person or a Bantu, be assumed that he is generally accepted as a coloured person except where such person is in appearance obviously a member of an aboriginal race or tribe of Africa;</i><br />
<i>(c) a person shall be deemed not to be generally accepted as a white person, unless he is so accepted in the area in which or at any place where he—</i><br />
<i>(i) is ordinarily resident;</i><br />
<i>(ii) is employed or carries on business;</i><br />
<i>(iii) mixes socially or takes part in other activities with other members of the public,</i><br />
<i>and in his association with the members of his family and any other persons with whom he lives;"</i></blockquote>
<br />
This was by no means the limit of ridiculousless that Apartheid legislation reached - see here about "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honorary_whites">Honorary whites</a>"<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoPJwSfC_abxcSQqUbtTvW4xKrRkHFf_Pq7t90k_aNJdX5VamyLc_SozPJ4T1fJ-hLTZRyjmqQLwf2mr4HxFKU_51OHosZDR1KkSGlKnCfo6p0I2GxrWbSTqwyNwb_SbPWD9FBENA1p1uk/s1600/thin+black+lines.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoPJwSfC_abxcSQqUbtTvW4xKrRkHFf_Pq7t90k_aNJdX5VamyLc_SozPJ4T1fJ-hLTZRyjmqQLwf2mr4HxFKU_51OHosZDR1KkSGlKnCfo6p0I2GxrWbSTqwyNwb_SbPWD9FBENA1p1uk/s320/thin+black+lines.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lumaina Himid "Thin Black Line(s)"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Lastly but not leastly, an interesting "underground" map of Black artists by <a href="http://lubainahimid.uk/">Lumaina Himid</a><br />
<br />
*****************************<br/><br/>
<u><b>Update Jun2014</b></u><br />
Saw this rather awesome mural at the Great Notts Bike Ride....<br /><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx_GC4r5mbdDOn2l1svKlvkBYdNjfy3trL2tAz-btF9HONmMoGhdJgMXdXHtnhyaMDmooJA6ps4A84KSfuefU09i8BPgLdrUffcIBbAwShaEMxTLy8vk-onv-xmdIGvVmJtdnlY6ACvRG2/s1600/sustrans.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx_GC4r5mbdDOn2l1svKlvkBYdNjfy3trL2tAz-btF9HONmMoGhdJgMXdXHtnhyaMDmooJA6ps4A84KSfuefU09i8BPgLdrUffcIBbAwShaEMxTLy8vk-onv-xmdIGvVmJtdnlY6ACvRG2/s1600/sustrans.JPG" height="197" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Awesome mural at the 2014 Great Notts Ride</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /><br />
<u><b>Update May 2016</b></u><br />
Been meaning to get a picture of this mural in Forest Fields for a while now....<br /><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7bYzM4Bvwzb92ZW7wCfVyvvA7dBETsgAO2ryVMDSSpsp9H-3jQBOC0uKwbM6SozX6L6hXKrLNJB-N0ngvc_0Dpivr-pTa_a2YoE3lzUKWNGS81ewaYOm2HhYN3k6IzltI_dMGyYTz2A2p/s1600/mural+forest+fields.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7bYzM4Bvwzb92ZW7wCfVyvvA7dBETsgAO2ryVMDSSpsp9H-3jQBOC0uKwbM6SozX6L6hXKrLNJB-N0ngvc_0Dpivr-pTa_a2YoE3lzUKWNGS81ewaYOm2HhYN3k6IzltI_dMGyYTz2A2p/s400/mural+forest+fields.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mural in Forest Fields, Nottingham</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<a name="9"></a>
<u><b>Update Oct 2017</b></u><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoMd6vHaAsJPhyphenhyphenSvYw3zGDEnMKzIRVHwOKY9vIbzHAKhqKjgJ9R0LJ4W1CNwmxdZH6tC6mHo8xbzfbYTjFG7eGXoFkzJrfX-qjYp3rtUBjKraB9qtyUWI9AmUdYm8LVQudYfm3L6ryU4Jk/s1600/mural.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="700" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoMd6vHaAsJPhyphenhyphenSvYw3zGDEnMKzIRVHwOKY9vIbzHAKhqKjgJ9R0LJ4W1CNwmxdZH6tC6mHo8xbzfbYTjFG7eGXoFkzJrfX-qjYp3rtUBjKraB9qtyUWI9AmUdYm8LVQudYfm3L6ryU4Jk/s320/mural.jpg" width="249" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mural by Nottingham Railway Station</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table style="width: 100%" border="0"><tbody><tr><td></td><td style="background-color:#DE9FF9"> </td><td></td></tr></tbody></table><br/><br/>
<u><b>Nov 2013 : Nottingham Tiltshifted</u></b><br/><br/>
BFTF has been entranced by the "Tiltshifted" images that have appeared in the media over recent months, and can't quite get over how they mess with your mind.<br /><br />
So, here a few pics of Nottingham taken by BFTF, and then tiltshifted via <a href="http://tiltshiftmaker.com/">TiltShiftMaker</a> so that they make Nottingham look like a dinky little model city! (All pics can be clicked to enlarge)<br /><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghOEuOTLH0dxomya160sTpOm-x6vdp1UaZRV0t9m_n1k5V2dky1OdR87g-oyOSYPZ4hJUu3FZJBdPqdYCDZS8EvCTaFHaptb0wqElZPavvprzQb779GidzaCvY1opOK5wlZkucZijPemph/s1600/tiltshift.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="629" data-original-width="490" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghOEuOTLH0dxomya160sTpOm-x6vdp1UaZRV0t9m_n1k5V2dky1OdR87g-oyOSYPZ4hJUu3FZJBdPqdYCDZS8EvCTaFHaptb0wqElZPavvprzQb779GidzaCvY1opOK5wlZkucZijPemph/s320/tiltshift.PNG" width="249" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Motorway, not near Nottingham, 2017</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMYeGJddAbyyGaW80ERkdYF-A-EZtpAVU1ACPLSXHms95l9ujbq7FlLDX3XW8Y3qmkV7812VpQjVNpjDYTYh0kPFWXA2nLmXxHR9OHZnVmUxNYNB_qbs-Xg5MtrpSz-ZEQc8UW5mYbxbAA/s1600/row2-tiltshift.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMYeGJddAbyyGaW80ERkdYF-A-EZtpAVU1ACPLSXHms95l9ujbq7FlLDX3XW8Y3qmkV7812VpQjVNpjDYTYh0kPFWXA2nLmXxHR9OHZnVmUxNYNB_qbs-Xg5MtrpSz-ZEQc8UW5mYbxbAA/s320/row2-tiltshift.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rowers, Trent, April 2017</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5lLtr7zsVkR5FPj6uKit46wYHarL-r8QAbBRJCMXwcAJBi6iYppbdtn8QwJk2zhDqjwZ9XZSZ5fYoLd0x-6UGoQD2Qi_4sLMXLcvedp6BkwHyFsaoP5SVk0yVb6w0zZv3JTH-tKIstAoI/s1600/A60-tiltshift.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5lLtr7zsVkR5FPj6uKit46wYHarL-r8QAbBRJCMXwcAJBi6iYppbdtn8QwJk2zhDqjwZ9XZSZ5fYoLd0x-6UGoQD2Qi_4sLMXLcvedp6BkwHyFsaoP5SVk0yVb6w0zZv3JTH-tKIstAoI/s1600/A60-tiltshift.jpg" height="320" width="311"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A60 Mansfield Road</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br /><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9911VMXNjLKK4Mp1tpt348j52VOZrdbEG1RcTTASYAWn01b2MqMw__c21oWORx3s9sX5T8iI6dxK-dP7C5AyIkQ5hjEXjhCS_aBOYuK2MfG_O9bDJt0UKyBtR37Ns1ceLFhXSgYz3KrDx/s1600/canal2-tiltshift.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9911VMXNjLKK4Mp1tpt348j52VOZrdbEG1RcTTASYAWn01b2MqMw__c21oWORx3s9sX5T8iI6dxK-dP7C5AyIkQ5hjEXjhCS_aBOYuK2MfG_O9bDJt0UKyBtR37Ns1ceLFhXSgYz3KrDx/s1600/canal2-tiltshift.jpg" height="303" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nottingham Canal</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3TSh4NUPobcZoIx75VbrVx6uSU1R9pI6uOjLlSs__q8-TwX48qCvXdJXiqvas4NlOoLSP9MZizyA2XQym9nH0sL8FZjud8QIhsb8Et9jhAhhyphenhyphenk7i4_Abf3SqCOWtI1zwts_B2ryintmWO/s1600/embankment-tiltshift.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3TSh4NUPobcZoIx75VbrVx6uSU1R9pI6uOjLlSs__q8-TwX48qCvXdJXiqvas4NlOoLSP9MZizyA2XQym9nH0sL8FZjud8QIhsb8Et9jhAhhyphenhyphenk7i4_Abf3SqCOWtI1zwts_B2ryintmWO/s1600/embankment-tiltshift.jpg" height="312" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Embankment</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigpcYASCHP0rDGprQZdvuEG9OKs04MMiNuBvZeaA77Rmd7AHUt0RcIMJQxFTZzzXueOecQ75cqmXPksebKCdnX38r4QtTqS9TW5qyqHtwI8BZ-KTnB8ZLJciO1GN2mv-mEFHWmMaoHD9UD/s1600/nott1-tiltshift.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigpcYASCHP0rDGprQZdvuEG9OKs04MMiNuBvZeaA77Rmd7AHUt0RcIMJQxFTZzzXueOecQ75cqmXPksebKCdnX38r4QtTqS9TW5qyqHtwI8BZ-KTnB8ZLJciO1GN2mv-mEFHWmMaoHD9UD/s1600/nott1-tiltshift.jpg" height="320" width="296"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">HMRC</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA7sYQpdXvI7NjnHpgnjcamEwZkgIqpcdv04PVFGgdRJ9mAS0kJPAnAzTbo1yELeMjNIV8jv5VFjjv-CnVkwN0P2jyki20f9TLN7tErijmG5uXTuu2oPZJ5qD0sGSwvsVanJwKw9cIbLrv/s1600/nott2-tiltshift.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA7sYQpdXvI7NjnHpgnjcamEwZkgIqpcdv04PVFGgdRJ9mAS0kJPAnAzTbo1yELeMjNIV8jv5VFjjv-CnVkwN0P2jyki20f9TLN7tErijmG5uXTuu2oPZJ5qD0sGSwvsVanJwKw9cIbLrv/s1600/nott2-tiltshift.jpg" height="240" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">British Waterways Building </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji4PqcW9qzKRb-6uMqGC8tirf9B8yfRZeKc62yUYW4Iew_qKfodvp7qC0rgsvfgreHLs_TWpfy-Swwefy4jESYN5NrxYbmyMk38xSmbJJO5rgsxRJ3zzqE_SAyHkT9yrQrnXweTN_1OgVi/s1600/DSCN3364-tiltshift.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji4PqcW9qzKRb-6uMqGC8tirf9B8yfRZeKc62yUYW4Iew_qKfodvp7qC0rgsvfgreHLs_TWpfy-Swwefy4jESYN5NrxYbmyMk38xSmbJJO5rgsxRJ3zzqE_SAyHkT9yrQrnXweTN_1OgVi/s1600/DSCN3364-tiltshift.jpg" height="206" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ring Road</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCGyHHLMzbck8nQYRYhyphenhyphenLZJn-IaTGWM05C2B3jaf7bZtc2JzmxwWqLfvDFkBhoYnvLwdD-4z6QSD4u5WLMjj-iwbAFO0SLMLdiO6oKJnyKms37dF6ayTSXnCN0Vm1OQjk_MMjm8tFaF5PA/s1600/train-tiltshift.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCGyHHLMzbck8nQYRYhyphenhyphenLZJn-IaTGWM05C2B3jaf7bZtc2JzmxwWqLfvDFkBhoYnvLwdD-4z6QSD4u5WLMjj-iwbAFO0SLMLdiO6oKJnyKms37dF6ayTSXnCN0Vm1OQjk_MMjm8tFaF5PA/s1600/train-tiltshift.jpg" height="240" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rushcliffe Country Park</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZkJAkQgnR1woLJIawTzAfYh0XC8WdmRk9hxCX2wksU2y5VJQ5ziHKVCjTuOYPNZkiAZhiVmGaELtDeVLLgSoAH8WjOWLUgoSDBXF3TfsinZop5cOtq8ChtImurVbnkl-Ka6KChPOulOf3/s1600/wollaton1-tiltshift.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZkJAkQgnR1woLJIawTzAfYh0XC8WdmRk9hxCX2wksU2y5VJQ5ziHKVCjTuOYPNZkiAZhiVmGaELtDeVLLgSoAH8WjOWLUgoSDBXF3TfsinZop5cOtq8ChtImurVbnkl-Ka6KChPOulOf3/s1600/wollaton1-tiltshift.jpg" height="240" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wollaton Park</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
*****************************<br/><br/>
<u><b>Nov 2015: Michael Powell Exhibition, <a href="http://www.surfacegallery.org/thegallery/">Surface Gallery</a></b></u> <br />
<br />
Checked out a really interesting exhibition of the work of <a href="http://michaelpowell13.wix.com/mapart">Michael Powell</a> at the <a href="http://www.surfacegallery.org/thegallery/">Surface Gallery</a> recently. <br />
<br />
BFTF was particularly glad to see these paintings as a counter to pretentiousness being strong in a number of Nottingham's other galleries that day.... <br />
<br />
Michael's paintings ranged in size A4 scale up to wall sized and were quite mesmerising. BFTF was really impressed by the way Michael had managed to make the tones transition subtly from one colour to another. As BFTF's eyes moved across the paintings the colours would sometimes hit a "trigger colour" that caused a long lost memory to surface - a particular shade of crayola crayon perhaps; or the characteristics colour of a fruit maybe...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVhJuaOeAl5t4Ar3CDMGZckpOmYE9CXl0xTSTck_5dSuRN31zeHv7Argse_-ENhhQJZ7tNdFWbJnjo14bWx36sBWEgpbNJweyf_GE5dIVec5z0rb0J9jMxzJKgniybPYTq3SDO3i31aTMa/s1600/conviction.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVhJuaOeAl5t4Ar3CDMGZckpOmYE9CXl0xTSTck_5dSuRN31zeHv7Argse_-ENhhQJZ7tNdFWbJnjo14bWx36sBWEgpbNJweyf_GE5dIVec5z0rb0J9jMxzJKgniybPYTq3SDO3i31aTMa/s320/conviction.jpg" width="250" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Conviction" - a wall sized painting</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUmdMK24zNe7eO-XcobnVcBWzavCLHhu-W5-RUkpaniOeOmJqM8LU5Kp7vV5l_1fLsbvmMp2aOyfymBN9383Mp3Vv9typGujffxAgcWSmc6TWzFG3YJYLA4dnJNaLJPCwaVk6Tk0nz7nVb/s1600/Left.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUmdMK24zNe7eO-XcobnVcBWzavCLHhu-W5-RUkpaniOeOmJqM8LU5Kp7vV5l_1fLsbvmMp2aOyfymBN9383Mp3Vv9typGujffxAgcWSmc6TWzFG3YJYLA4dnJNaLJPCwaVk6Tk0nz7nVb/s320/Left.JPG" width="252" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Left"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh74FeHXjkoiNF2K44CqNaEWvXYKM6OfbWlfO5Cp9bkZR6EDj6R0P-j7Do_AjOQ_mxTkrcBdxlP4yuSQp7V1CBZ7IKG48I-a_B2kEz4OU7R9u-G_w90p_6KnHbkgn_RbMCrZquog7BOl49b/s1600/Plunge.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh74FeHXjkoiNF2K44CqNaEWvXYKM6OfbWlfO5Cp9bkZR6EDj6R0P-j7Do_AjOQ_mxTkrcBdxlP4yuSQp7V1CBZ7IKG48I-a_B2kEz4OU7R9u-G_w90p_6KnHbkgn_RbMCrZquog7BOl49b/s320/Plunge.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Plunge"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7AXc_5e0MFqD072SPh0DOMLfxtLSvYF7a2nV5m4eiTR9MzK819drU3pKpGiyPQ9hXh3pc_b4l8kBcf2BXS8bPpsFczQ4B7Ucwv-wlBSyxOmhBw6YoVGI_6f7Vg-vqYuUH17l5gBooBwrb/s1600/closeup.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7AXc_5e0MFqD072SPh0DOMLfxtLSvYF7a2nV5m4eiTR9MzK819drU3pKpGiyPQ9hXh3pc_b4l8kBcf2BXS8bPpsFczQ4B7Ucwv-wlBSyxOmhBw6YoVGI_6f7Vg-vqYuUH17l5gBooBwrb/s200/closeup.JPG" width="184" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Plunge" detail</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table border="0" style="width: 100%;"><tbody>
<tr><td></td><td style="background-color: #de9ff9;"></td><td></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<u><b>Nov 2016 : Fighting Walls - Street Art in Egypt and Iran, <a href="http://www.nae.org.uk/">New Art Exchange</a></b></u><br />
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Remarkable <a href="http://www.nae.org.uk/exhibition/fighting-walls-street-art-in-egypt-and/110">exhibition</a> on at Nottingham's New Art Exchange (until 18th Dec 2016) called "Fighting Walls : Street Art in Egypt and Iran".<br />
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The exhibition describes some of the politically motivated graffiti that has appeared in these cities during times of civil stress.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV4uUlLZ0KNG4LQNrfVGq4OGRaPb7hK-eWDlCA4HjgvqKCseq0GMtrrAnPRGNRWTGnOfjwrEa2-fMO569zeplXrjYkIah96Gn6ltPYhXDHb-XS2Fep1Lv2eC7hQmLymiHVnyoJu0CVeP-U/s1600/overall+scene.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV4uUlLZ0KNG4LQNrfVGq4OGRaPb7hK-eWDlCA4HjgvqKCseq0GMtrrAnPRGNRWTGnOfjwrEa2-fMO569zeplXrjYkIah96Gn6ltPYhXDHb-XS2Fep1Lv2eC7hQmLymiHVnyoJu0CVeP-U/s320/overall+scene.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">General view of the exhibition</td></tr>
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<u><b>Egypt</b></u><br />
The "No Walls" campaign was initiated by Salma El-Tarzi in response to the barriers placed on major streets around Tahrir Square. This particular "opened wall" was painted by Ammar Abou Bakr<br />
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The barriers had a significant adverse effect on daily life and breaking them down only resulted in the authorities rebuilding them even stronger. <br />
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So artists "opened the wall" in a different way....<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisxy95engbaRFH0VpYCdfcWw7cIRrsKUP1dDS1JXR3gosBSVNuzhpuB-K4B9HNXjg4uT5FRLS4BmnZZPunscL5NYp8nZ64hNKWGEOLUrZc-LDhGbX9OPQRdTipsO5mIMQHjGKmGbSGc8dt/s1600/wall.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisxy95engbaRFH0VpYCdfcWw7cIRrsKUP1dDS1JXR3gosBSVNuzhpuB-K4B9HNXjg4uT5FRLS4BmnZZPunscL5NYp8nZ64hNKWGEOLUrZc-LDhGbX9OPQRdTipsO5mIMQHjGKmGbSGc8dt/s320/wall.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Opened Wall by Ammar Abou Bakr</td></tr>
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A number of Egyptian protesters lost their eyes to rubber bullets and shotgun pellets fired by police. One victim, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahmed_Harara">Ahmed Harara</a>, lost the sight in both eyes in separate incidents and became named "The Living Martyr". In another case, video footage showed a policeman sniping at protester and being congratulated by his colleague on hitting someone in the eye "In his eye! It was in his eye! Bravo boss!". Activists promised a reward for the identification of the "Eye Sniper" and he was eventually found to be a Lieutent El-Shenawy and was sentenced to three years in jail in 2013<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNGdoxIrLBTaQtKGYc-8u_RWGp7x9cephq0Q-FEv8aw24DZIbXJmE926JOMe6aE-pEoBenP1ulkVDK_4v3ezULY73SKV2t0cj5KwkHpVlM-XjO8wE820M_ntheCghzs3ccvFWIndjHPJtE/s1600/one+eye.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNGdoxIrLBTaQtKGYc-8u_RWGp7x9cephq0Q-FEv8aw24DZIbXJmE926JOMe6aE-pEoBenP1ulkVDK_4v3ezULY73SKV2t0cj5KwkHpVlM-XjO8wE820M_ntheCghzs3ccvFWIndjHPJtE/s320/one+eye.JPG" width="234" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Various Graffitiof protestors who have lost an eye</td></tr>
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Graffiti protesting the death of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emad_Effat">Sheikh Emad Effat</a>, an Al-Azhar scholar who had joined the protests and died from a gunshot wound.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMvWRMqq5JiWbKY2gprqpkgE24G_Z96FNt5GsS6847LvlO4b4ARo_dbFoSWgeFzcsh1z8444TyJ9MZ0VRQEIe5kltrzdJfg_QyVfHP_QCmDWcboGufkwNM7NjRsaUvloIIoSvNuDM6S9bT/s1600/effat.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMvWRMqq5JiWbKY2gprqpkgE24G_Z96FNt5GsS6847LvlO4b4ARo_dbFoSWgeFzcsh1z8444TyJ9MZ0VRQEIe5kltrzdJfg_QyVfHP_QCmDWcboGufkwNM7NjRsaUvloIIoSvNuDM6S9bT/s320/effat.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Graffiti protesting death of Sheikh Emad Effat</td></tr>
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This image, by artist Ammar Abo Bakr, in 2011 is of <a href="http://www.worldaffairsjournal.org/blog/alaa-al-aswany/egypt%E2%80%99s-revolution-revisited-who-killed-general-batran">Major General Mohamed Al-Batran</a>, Head of the Prison Investigations Department who was found shot dead at the prison. His sister reported that Al-Batran had refused to allow prisoners to flee the jail. After his death som 24,000 prisoners were allowed to escape from prison. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVSwKb_cKDyg32TUcjJrTeBM-n2agmM_InGIHcqRJ5QfifRtepYMe5Rn9KoYZY9F8EehP1d6f7BSBH3Esiw9dODG2mz3IGchogaZowvaTyiJqZ6H0uqykJd1oYFmV9CExZ5yaQwS1wv_04/s1600/major.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVSwKb_cKDyg32TUcjJrTeBM-n2agmM_InGIHcqRJ5QfifRtepYMe5Rn9KoYZY9F8EehP1d6f7BSBH3Esiw9dODG2mz3IGchogaZowvaTyiJqZ6H0uqykJd1oYFmV9CExZ5yaQwS1wv_04/s320/major.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Graffiti by Ammar Abo Bakr</td></tr>
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<u><b>Iran</b></u><br />
"Faryad", meaning "scream" or "shout", and written in persian script in the swirling hair, was painted in 2010 by artist FRITZ as a commentary on public anger and shock at the outcome of the 2009 election, and its aftermath when the police cracked down heavily on protests.<br />
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BFTF is really impressed by the way the artist has painted the "tiles" onto the plain wall, and the way the colour scheme erratically changes. Could look at this for a long time!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4b88vJdqi254VHR-LGA4BSO4lmr4rcquwdYeu0Y191krB6S07Ho3WinRBQfypl6G_aRJvpiOvu186sbN5YX6oKoUV3W7jHve-Zyj9YrX4cgJLVUHJ8sC2PqIvHKOL6lKTNjrara4dJLyy/s1600/tiles.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4b88vJdqi254VHR-LGA4BSO4lmr4rcquwdYeu0Y191krB6S07Ho3WinRBQfypl6G_aRJvpiOvu186sbN5YX6oKoUV3W7jHve-Zyj9YrX4cgJLVUHJ8sC2PqIvHKOL6lKTNjrara4dJLyy/s320/tiles.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Faryad</td></tr>
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Pretty clear message in this work called Hidden Reality by artist MAD in Tehran, 2011<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZBYm_5lqn8HPxMM2RLiVo3WP-7MxExXtmlKG6i6ZJ8G2rl5UIeXCC3k6OTPiYgr8XOMP5OIH_WhAK6rEvoG8G7bwiD_U_RGZIAuYkdJyeFRy0xKz8rl5kp3JdWC0q3YnuVlPt0jYrs6uk/s1600/soldier+puppet.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZBYm_5lqn8HPxMM2RLiVo3WP-7MxExXtmlKG6i6ZJ8G2rl5UIeXCC3k6OTPiYgr8XOMP5OIH_WhAK6rEvoG8G7bwiD_U_RGZIAuYkdJyeFRy0xKz8rl5kp3JdWC0q3YnuVlPt0jYrs6uk/s320/soldier+puppet.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hidden Reality by MAD, 2011</td></tr>
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There was also a computer game called "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1979_Revolution:_Black_Friday">1979 Revolution: Black Friday</a>" in which the player is a character who is involved in the events of the Iranian revolution and has to make decisions in order to survive.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji0RnKdMi5Uhf694r7952470SwrGj07-OTjDuJVB-e0TFD9EX7nflxBboQ8AoOxRLG_uPPf3Z5ICuYNanQpRBeebNWVQ0FTbTcffKPt_gAG_IY5lKn658HqcmOUpNnzR-GQSe4mGQqy4V1/s1600/game.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji0RnKdMi5Uhf694r7952470SwrGj07-OTjDuJVB-e0TFD9EX7nflxBboQ8AoOxRLG_uPPf3Z5ICuYNanQpRBeebNWVQ0FTbTcffKPt_gAG_IY5lKn658HqcmOUpNnzR-GQSe4mGQqy4V1/s320/game.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1979 Revolution: Black Friday</td></tr>
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Many buildings in Iran are covered in state sponsored murals, a number of which were shown in postcard form in the exhibition.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUbs8sIF03b_xotZYZvaQT1Np_3gJWLy_oPDC6jXoZip-9BoBVDOux18_0ntvd09cE_Bxh-M0sGAO4oNb_Alq3ZDSVYFyQUU4d-YDVJEMkI5C_6XS-l-6JP1pOM2J4cbvpiOP754dCMAKl/s1600/postcards.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUbs8sIF03b_xotZYZvaQT1Np_3gJWLy_oPDC6jXoZip-9BoBVDOux18_0ntvd09cE_Bxh-M0sGAO4oNb_Alq3ZDSVYFyQUU4d-YDVJEMkI5C_6XS-l-6JP1pOM2J4cbvpiOP754dCMAKl/s320/postcards.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Iranian State sponsored murals</td></tr>
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<u><b>Oct 2015 : Street Art Exhibition,<a href="http://www.surfacegallery.org/thegallery/">Surface Gallery</a> </b></u><br />
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Brilliant "Street Art" exhibition at the <a href="http://www.surfacegallery.org/thegallery/">Surface Gallery</a> in Hockley, Nottingham a while back...<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggUMitX8XDBqsocKtlNe8ZMmiTzDmf1PrRhQ1DbNgv983q7JPOzAxsVwPpxxQ4dYf2njNCfHZgeNSn_ExVDR2nK4YEdFxL4B881cIi4PlaC34J1L6nL3KJ4aDHSECDdlJj6e8GW-cPwIef/s1600/wall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggUMitX8XDBqsocKtlNe8ZMmiTzDmf1PrRhQ1DbNgv983q7JPOzAxsVwPpxxQ4dYf2njNCfHZgeNSn_ExVDR2nK4YEdFxL4B881cIi4PlaC34J1L6nL3KJ4aDHSECDdlJj6e8GW-cPwIef/s320/wall.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lots of interesting stuff</td></tr>
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Lovely work by <a href="http://www.leehendersonart.co.uk/">Lee Hendserson</a> entitled "Hosier Lane Graff Alley" which references a narrow, <a href="https://junesteward.wordpress.com/2012/10/05/beautiful-street-art-hosier-lane-melbourne/">graffiti covered, lane</a> in Melbourne, Australia.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio6YiDoDlapoSJW2m5fhRlsiryg6euNXGWUkgT6nxkpBxwLoD4qbr_5UhlOLYHg0xztsNFHThJV-ULYjKAXdLZvm26hjZwkHdNFlVo0GKeNQ13i37JMtAPcCN3mSl_f8JJ5J02oXiuHF60/s1600/alley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio6YiDoDlapoSJW2m5fhRlsiryg6euNXGWUkgT6nxkpBxwLoD4qbr_5UhlOLYHg0xztsNFHThJV-ULYjKAXdLZvm26hjZwkHdNFlVo0GKeNQ13i37JMtAPcCN3mSl_f8JJ5J02oXiuHF60/s320/alley.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hosier Lane Graff Alley - Lee Henderson</td></tr>
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Another item by Mr Henderson that caught BFTF's eye was this painting called "Goshawk": <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje7g2rwTHNs3tDV_7iA8TIjUaTQ5Qxbgmy8rlF1HCv0QOlphZhpft-KK2Jalyp1s0BGClDtj-drf0FL8RlsM1jgJloLGW_wPXUm4TdJA5fj1jW9y8FZF21381-oFX2ELVP9peARiy4vTEq/s1600/eagle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje7g2rwTHNs3tDV_7iA8TIjUaTQ5Qxbgmy8rlF1HCv0QOlphZhpft-KK2Jalyp1s0BGClDtj-drf0FL8RlsM1jgJloLGW_wPXUm4TdJA5fj1jW9y8FZF21381-oFX2ELVP9peARiy4vTEq/s320/eagle.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Goshawk by Lee Henderson</td></tr>
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The lovely copper coloured work below turned out to be by an artist called "<a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/InkieGraffiti?ref=hdr_shop_menu">Inkie</a>", who appears to be something of a street art phenomenon, check out his <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inkie">Wiki entry</a> to see why...<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKBq21Zj1TzaJ9Xo0Rve9JxSm-OTAFKA5MjWyet7V_kocNwYTGDN46b9osVKsx0A_TPy5BCYJrq4qV4aU9SJ2Km-dqv1L8AYry_-Hmhc6uR1nzk59SHQ5XsYguyVQ0fig051tqbyZOJPe1/s1600/copper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKBq21Zj1TzaJ9Xo0Rve9JxSm-OTAFKA5MjWyet7V_kocNwYTGDN46b9osVKsx0A_TPy5BCYJrq4qV4aU9SJ2Km-dqv1L8AYry_-Hmhc6uR1nzk59SHQ5XsYguyVQ0fig051tqbyZOJPe1/s320/copper.jpg" width="235" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Desire by Inkie</td></tr>
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Really liked this rather large stencil by <a href="http://globalstreetart.com/maseu">Maseu....</a><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCs24zePk_R624tmfuIvz0tIPnENiilcbxJPZSl_JouRPFQ3hiyjLJg0YT5GymXe9Pk4m04f05HzRS2Gk_J_BAyEb00mDddEMAKfJ6rL4_HUB2xN_bCHNTWzEVU9pjMmwhEOiuT_AHs804/s1600/grafitti.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCs24zePk_R624tmfuIvz0tIPnENiilcbxJPZSl_JouRPFQ3hiyjLJg0YT5GymXe9Pk4m04f05HzRS2Gk_J_BAyEb00mDddEMAKfJ6rL4_HUB2xN_bCHNTWzEVU9pjMmwhEOiuT_AHs804/s320/grafitti.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stencil Life by Maseu</td></tr>
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Also liked this incredibly detailed papercut artwork by Nottingham based artist Michael Lomax, who you can find out more about <a href="http://www.gola.co.uk/borninbritain/michael-lomax/">here</a>. And <a href="http://strictlypaper.com/blog/2012/02/butterflies-by-michael-lomax/">strictlypaper.com </a>is a place you may want to visit to find other examples of these painstakingly produced artworks.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyWOcKtwR_Gf7PvWhM_JJQKlbvHZ2x9jhMcCdKIuVaGwftU8HAu6XoDrogBh8-km95LYwz1Dd7CaSoe7GF-ZVjifGLZG2R62j1qJKDB2wn6GYocr10c3BoIA1jSK5t24SBfnrRi9uTDPWx/s1600/lineart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyWOcKtwR_Gf7PvWhM_JJQKlbvHZ2x9jhMcCdKIuVaGwftU8HAu6XoDrogBh8-km95LYwz1Dd7CaSoe7GF-ZVjifGLZG2R62j1qJKDB2wn6GYocr10c3BoIA1jSK5t24SBfnrRi9uTDPWx/s320/lineart.jpg" width="195" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Butterflied by Michael Lomax</td></tr>
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A sucker for bright colours, BFTF was transfixed by this work entitled "Cloudy with a chance of colour" by Nottingham based artist "<a href="http://www.jefeartist.com/#!about/c240r">Jefe</a>" (see also <a href="http://www.jefeartist.com/#!slideshow/cqsk">here</a>). BFTF still isn't quite sure how it was made, the catalogue describes it as "crayon, spraypaint" but seems like there is a little more to it than that. Anyway, gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6mJAGXeWdDFCSjUPWY1coaPHwBVcRirv-ubknSmBZ4Uv-Xm-nTa-gas03StUWucESUxHPZ92PoP41PTDsm0lTceFpaeyTBhTSX1jqp_1GB0dnkC-XKrqRuyrML8ZNDo8x0sa50uxfDQCv/s1600/rainbow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6mJAGXeWdDFCSjUPWY1coaPHwBVcRirv-ubknSmBZ4Uv-Xm-nTa-gas03StUWucESUxHPZ92PoP41PTDsm0lTceFpaeyTBhTSX1jqp_1GB0dnkC-XKrqRuyrML8ZNDo8x0sa50uxfDQCv/s320/rainbow.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cloudy with a chance of colour</td></tr>
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Finally, let's big up <a href="http://www.sendproject.com/topics/visual-art/">SEND</a> and their community art projects....<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE2EVqrJuIlDswOpE6_GHgU7_7XMjxO41zD5OXs_HLYWf1P0BrfKd_XEgpH50SRecU81Y99cFXzo04BTMG-XO18lOBG-u39Sg74AAwk4OzYmxecMVFaMiVDFD1xiONtkRdRrllziusM4QG/s1600/send.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE2EVqrJuIlDswOpE6_GHgU7_7XMjxO41zD5OXs_HLYWf1P0BrfKd_XEgpH50SRecU81Y99cFXzo04BTMG-XO18lOBG-u39Sg74AAwk4OzYmxecMVFaMiVDFD1xiONtkRdRrllziusM4QG/s320/send.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SEND</td></tr>
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<u><b>Nov 2015 : Recreation of the 1960s, <a href="http://www.nae.org.uk/">New Art Exchange</a></b></u><br />
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Loved the recreation of a 1960s-1970s decor in an <a href="http://www.nae.org.uk/exhibition/rockers-soulheads-and-lovers-sound/91">exhibition</a> for Black History Month...<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSpXJKtlnYBvvmaZEESUY74RsTSDEtjZtZZYxhMDwbOUsGCXAEO_NJdYHeSPFaeruxW4TKiv_8Wb2eCBzQplDZYxp9MIqDaANvvu4dUXLjbrSzQN5YRVu6ppFbdDC58uJQyxblV5apjJCW/s1600/room.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSpXJKtlnYBvvmaZEESUY74RsTSDEtjZtZZYxhMDwbOUsGCXAEO_NJdYHeSPFaeruxW4TKiv_8Wb2eCBzQplDZYxp9MIqDaANvvu4dUXLjbrSzQN5YRVu6ppFbdDC58uJQyxblV5apjJCW/s320/room.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loved this !</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBhnoJLqwnBprVviwnJg5rEfIonf5jiVqTfNJpRbkTYYq45nLzV_vvP_MDEvEYnooUvAKXzJTmH7jJ7uMVh1Q179yITBqzarw6TbnERy1TUiyWwuo51VoKtWOF6DxlLfGJmB15yA6H599r/s1600/music+station.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBhnoJLqwnBprVviwnJg5rEfIonf5jiVqTfNJpRbkTYYq45nLzV_vvP_MDEvEYnooUvAKXzJTmH7jJ7uMVh1Q179yITBqzarw6TbnERy1TUiyWwuo51VoKtWOF6DxlLfGJmB15yA6H599r/s320/music+station.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Music Station</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyyykKrCYTRbm_duVwLKITLyGLUDGBSgn7QXAYgxJGayKEhgPGJInzjOt8Fn00tB_KwricfcA4Vaga2fG9vsVZ7Y-xnvNUKV7Kym_JFijc0CF3_q8MQY0itlEy4VSftT8AmbSGdLrub38C/s1600/UB40.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyyykKrCYTRbm_duVwLKITLyGLUDGBSgn7QXAYgxJGayKEhgPGJInzjOt8Fn00tB_KwricfcA4Vaga2fG9vsVZ7Y-xnvNUKV7Kym_JFijc0CF3_q8MQY0itlEy4VSftT8AmbSGdLrub38C/s320/UB40.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The form that inspired the band...</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk5DoGEeL0eCC0LOeEVufPNOr-nTtPICsDU1-NU-tkxlQDDMVQWtDVjv-pATezeLaXY5VHvphtWEfgotSRk-JRScs80pIag51c-LFsIDmSddjjr9HM_vjjVuJpMZXrVWEREKgag8Ph50Hn/s1600/wallpaper.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk5DoGEeL0eCC0LOeEVufPNOr-nTtPICsDU1-NU-tkxlQDDMVQWtDVjv-pATezeLaXY5VHvphtWEfgotSRk-JRScs80pIag51c-LFsIDmSddjjr9HM_vjjVuJpMZXrVWEREKgag8Ph50Hn/s320/wallpaper.JPG" width="312" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whoah!</td></tr>
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<u><b>Mar 2016 : "Simon Starling", <a href="http://www.nottinghamcontemporary.org/">Nottingham Contemporary</a></b></u> <br />
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BFTF and No3 Son recently saw a fascinating exhibition of work by <a href="https://www.themoderninstitute.com/artists/simon-starling/about/">Simon Starling</a> at <a href="http://www.nottinghamcontemporary.org/">Nottingham Contemporary </a> (see also <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2016/mar/22/simon-starling-review-nottingham-contemporary">here</a>). Simon is an alumni of Nottingham Trent University and has won many awards, including the <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2005/dec/06/arts.turnerprize2005">Turner Prize</a> in 1995, for his work.<br />
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Below are a few notes on some of the items that particularly caught the attention of BFTF, together with a bit of added bloggage...<br />
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<u><b>The Nanjing Particles (2008)</b></u><br />
A big hit with BFTF and No3 Son, this was originally displayed at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (whose <a href="http://massmoca.org/about/history/">history</a> is fascinating in its own right btw), the sculptures are million-fold magnifications of silver particles extracted from an image of Chinese strikebreaking workers at the Sampson Shoe Factory in Massachusetts. Ironically, it was too expensive to make the sculptures in the US, so the job went to the Shanghai State Art Foundry in Nanjing (more info <a href="http://archive.boston.com/ae/theater_arts/articles/2009/03/15/a_very_laborious_production/?page=full">here</a>).<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgebT_hVMM8VwAbDUg1BMT1qQrjyj-DSwyTeyaQbGUnHkR03Ve5BfhbgMluEqiFN_as_V7ZkmnaFFnWu1ptywBxMn4q9-zqnGg7nvQ0VSEy9VjfFSaUvZKXSLxArxlYKMsftEOXknGvn5-P/s1600/strike.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgebT_hVMM8VwAbDUg1BMT1qQrjyj-DSwyTeyaQbGUnHkR03Ve5BfhbgMluEqiFN_as_V7ZkmnaFFnWu1ptywBxMn4q9-zqnGg7nvQ0VSEy9VjfFSaUvZKXSLxArxlYKMsftEOXknGvn5-P/s1600/strike.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The strikebreakers at the Sampson Shoe Factory, 1870 (via Wikipedia)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicI8wofbHj7I-8oRX9KWwVZY_hRukAM25HVi0JYHIo-aL8fevPOMzs4rP_AR7yXmdGQx3dEtcyxDb6NINbAxq-kjBFuZHpmOykIUSlph1L9kkG1NHp0OU2oNKbopa19c_mABK3jqitqCUr/s1600/particles.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicI8wofbHj7I-8oRX9KWwVZY_hRukAM25HVi0JYHIo-aL8fevPOMzs4rP_AR7yXmdGQx3dEtcyxDb6NINbAxq-kjBFuZHpmOykIUSlph1L9kkG1NHp0OU2oNKbopa19c_mABK3jqitqCUr/s320/particles.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1,000,000 x magnified Silver particles</td></tr>
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So many questions.... How did the silver particles get extracted? What did the electron microscope image look like? How was it converted to a 3D form? I guess to find the answers to these questions, one will have to buy the <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Simon-Starling-The-Nanjing-Particles/dp/0976427672">book</a> (don't like to link to tax-avoiding Amazon, but that's the only place BFTF can find it).<br />
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<u><b>The Alchemist and Recursive Plates</b></u><br />
An unusual take on the "science meets art" genre, this part of the exhibition showed Joseph Wrights original "The Alchemist" together with a recent Daguerreotype of the same painting. <br />
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The Alchemist (1771) is a famous painting (definition of "famous" : "one BFTF has seen before") but BFTF was surprised to find that it is normally found in Derby Museum and that Joseph Wright was a son of that nearby city. Alchemists were the predecessors of modern chemists and the painting shows an alchemist producing <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phosphorus">phosphorous</a> from boiled down urine. This was actually done by German Alchemist <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hennig_Brand">Hennig Brand</a> around 1669. The glow is caused by phosphorous vapour reacting with oxygen in the air. Indeed, the word "phosphorous" means "light bearer". Alchemists, however, were unaware of the actual chemistry that was happening.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvNrSKQeRQoD9Zv-ajb2wDmfkfBZIPfX6rcGPqJNF5ibvPyYrblTpKimc9ryUYLSKQJlIC5lu2EZ9J1Bz937-n6ftNm7M9aH7L9XthFRWX1mNM0Yf3P_rPeMMHdO8mfLBxd8tP7SVuMmwX/s1600/Alchemist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvNrSKQeRQoD9Zv-ajb2wDmfkfBZIPfX6rcGPqJNF5ibvPyYrblTpKimc9ryUYLSKQJlIC5lu2EZ9J1Bz937-n6ftNm7M9aH7L9XthFRWX1mNM0Yf3P_rPeMMHdO8mfLBxd8tP7SVuMmwX/s320/Alchemist.jpg" width="244" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Alchemist (via Wikipedia)</td></tr>
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In contrast, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daguerreotype">Daguerreotype</a>, one of the first photographic technologies was developed when chemistry was better understood (although discoveries of the electron and atomic nucleus were still to come). Daguerrotypes are produced on a silver plated metal sheet and are very fragile. In the image below, one can see reflections of the room (in colour) and also a faint, reversed, image of The Alchemist painting.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9fxStTLvWHUebkB_Uw8l59cD0kpBoNDu3-h57Dm26Ec4Uh09oi2cQF7n2XhD8mFqN58vCOTWbwuRHyoJKOu38CB7_899AE-0eEW-uUAueA65haE3z_6uRJu-OPL6P6iDikgmlzpu8SALe/s1600/dag.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9fxStTLvWHUebkB_Uw8l59cD0kpBoNDu3-h57Dm26Ec4Uh09oi2cQF7n2XhD8mFqN58vCOTWbwuRHyoJKOu38CB7_899AE-0eEW-uUAueA65haE3z_6uRJu-OPL6P6iDikgmlzpu8SALe/s320/dag.JPG" width="307" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Modern Daguerreotype of "The Alchemist" </td></tr>
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<b><u>"Project for a Rift Valley Crossing" (2015-16)</u></b><br />
This remarkable project, specially produced for Nottingham Contemporary, is still in progress. It involves taking some 1900 litres of water from the Dead Sea (which contains ~0.05% Magnesium), extracting the ~90kg Magnesium from it to make a canoe, and then rowing across the Dead Sea in that canoe.<br />
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The inspiration for the project came from the story of magnesium bicycle maker <a href="http://classiccycleus.com/home/kirk-magnesium/">Frank Kirk</a>, who extracted ~2.5kg of Magnesium from ~1.5m3 of seawater and made Magnesium bike frames.<br />
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The Industrial Bulk Containers (IBC's) that had contained the water were on show (each holding about a tonne of water) as was the resulting canoe - but the trip across the Dead Sea is scheduled for some point in the future.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDC6KaROSBtJn4BxUrqEk1XiLmUB5XuKxf2tleyULJKS7lOFH524Fxi9SmHHOINJvOKRxVR_pY2pN3R8JSmz9I7Vix9RssAix7Oy8NSwTNy2UusyQLAzthHe80nauBp8_UVtxZaxtqwaF2/s1600/mg+ibc.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDC6KaROSBtJn4BxUrqEk1XiLmUB5XuKxf2tleyULJKS7lOFH524Fxi9SmHHOINJvOKRxVR_pY2pN3R8JSmz9I7Vix9RssAix7Oy8NSwTNy2UusyQLAzthHe80nauBp8_UVtxZaxtqwaF2/s320/mg+ibc.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two IBC's, each capable of holding ~ 1 tonne of water</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLi1idxUARlk2Hz157Ao28XeEBiTK6qYO1Yy27nZuYzXLQiRpPrC1qFcLoIpit-5sUIc2K796Uy-gKsEnPs6Ygh3AjKkakV2g9lpFs1AlAjbFUmvQnsDm0TPrMclU1TUPPtqRRz2vwgCVK/s1600/mg+boat.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLi1idxUARlk2Hz157Ao28XeEBiTK6qYO1Yy27nZuYzXLQiRpPrC1qFcLoIpit-5sUIc2K796Uy-gKsEnPs6Ygh3AjKkakV2g9lpFs1AlAjbFUmvQnsDm0TPrMclU1TUPPtqRRz2vwgCVK/s320/mg+boat.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Canoe made from Magnesium extracted from Dead Sea water</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT3_oHdbMhdWORRcyi9lEapcvsVk3ceUB_ignvu-0qXs5C-6et47Jo39cF4YURUu0u2-iarm9CEooZOn1xHve3imqWfRthejvEOauSHXbLhe-_Q9_-epvRzuCka8azRvSFMLq38MyTl1Dr/s1600/mg+close+weld.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT3_oHdbMhdWORRcyi9lEapcvsVk3ceUB_ignvu-0qXs5C-6et47Jo39cF4YURUu0u2-iarm9CEooZOn1xHve3imqWfRthejvEOauSHXbLhe-_Q9_-epvRzuCka8azRvSFMLq38MyTl1Dr/s320/mg+close+weld.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Close up of Magnesium welds</td></tr>
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<u><b>La Source (demi teinte) (2009)</b></u><br />
Another hit with No3 Son, this display took a section from a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halftone">half-tone</a> image and converted the dots into glass balls. Nottingham Contemporary even provided a raised viewing platform to get a good view from!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqP5e_P-FcW1SbSf4Erm78tGorWQ7ECcOw1MWzA60-OGUVeXuwLRpQRmsH1VQvRifleceLHVTHDluhnVeWy_foTjKSvzNQTaAm-fZZeUa3R4vCaylnkSzOnhKYgYEl0AQhSboeY1cljg2N/s1600/balls1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqP5e_P-FcW1SbSf4Erm78tGorWQ7ECcOw1MWzA60-OGUVeXuwLRpQRmsH1VQvRifleceLHVTHDluhnVeWy_foTjKSvzNQTaAm-fZZeUa3R4vCaylnkSzOnhKYgYEl0AQhSboeY1cljg2N/s320/balls1.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">La Source from viewing platform</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjulQcdl8Q5bjhmi21DyIhixpbwiM2Ie6w-LTRs6sTmlIzkSBNyIzYeuO3NfhyG3kkQtdlCtXuqjMZzdIR9y8Lrh-b1H3JJ83-YYHOlLXufHTGm4P-nlMAYJhcsI8AFOz3JyjVm0t4xIQ9Z/s1600/balls2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjulQcdl8Q5bjhmi21DyIhixpbwiM2Ie6w-LTRs6sTmlIzkSBNyIzYeuO3NfhyG3kkQtdlCtXuqjMZzdIR9y8Lrh-b1H3JJ83-YYHOlLXufHTGm4P-nlMAYJhcsI8AFOz3JyjVm0t4xIQ9Z/s320/balls2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">La Source, close up</td></tr>
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All technically very clever, from the manufacture of the glass balls to the laying out of the balls to form the image.<br />
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<u><b>D1-Z1 (2009)</b></u><br />
No3 son thought that the 35mm projector running a film loop was "pretty cool", but for BFTF it was seeing what was projected - footage of one of the earliest programmable computers, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Z1_(computer)">Z1</a>, which was designed by Konrad Zuse in Germany in 1936. Remarkably, it was of a mechanical design, which leaves BFTF wondering whether this is the direction things could have taken in a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steampunk">SteamPunk</a> world.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEGJ_5ztiXt2dTinl9v2qzEMJWu3kL_0skkU8DrNp4W18jB8rlNpjXFtaHs6oM98FInUgc7vtIT-wNqIRwRp4qFTCFL3FoRpIxlSgQvWHt-awuvZsdqRaLzywsxMgMUTw1v8ib1eFve8_O/s1600/35mm+rear.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEGJ_5ztiXt2dTinl9v2qzEMJWu3kL_0skkU8DrNp4W18jB8rlNpjXFtaHs6oM98FInUgc7vtIT-wNqIRwRp4qFTCFL3FoRpIxlSgQvWHt-awuvZsdqRaLzywsxMgMUTw1v8ib1eFve8_O/s320/35mm+rear.JPG" width="208" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">35mm projector showing footage of the Z1</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXTJkPTrnjKIadGTHhqgflOdW9jph2IDCMTVFc3EuUb_WlBl-A3l1OWRScvFvscoNpEtDPGCsvSWZBfywaJLlHj-C0QF4AFqvCpTkFylRV74bAAoiykjQTHPzgQLZ_uvLFR4KtXbGItsI1/s1600/35mm+close.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXTJkPTrnjKIadGTHhqgflOdW9jph2IDCMTVFc3EuUb_WlBl-A3l1OWRScvFvscoNpEtDPGCsvSWZBfywaJLlHj-C0QF4AFqvCpTkFylRV74bAAoiykjQTHPzgQLZ_uvLFR4KtXbGItsI1/s320/35mm+close.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Close up of the 35mm projector</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEd31E-3K-Vf2y3TjzIa6DXfGnDiudACX5h2IJIWQSD_Bh9K97A2LDlIS_ii-TIcD81_z1A6OYJHvuon9ABtJfd1i9MJmfSzUYFiuaOSoZSe0x-L1_Xqm2GcF7WcJ52HKvjbgShKamQZ4-/s1600/Zuse_Z1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEd31E-3K-Vf2y3TjzIa6DXfGnDiudACX5h2IJIWQSD_Bh9K97A2LDlIS_ii-TIcD81_z1A6OYJHvuon9ABtJfd1i9MJmfSzUYFiuaOSoZSe0x-L1_Xqm2GcF7WcJ52HKvjbgShKamQZ4-/s320/Zuse_Z1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Z1 mechanical computer (via Wikipedia)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<u><b>Final note...</b></u><br />
Perhaps worth repeating that there was a lot of other stuff on display that is not covered here and also that the plum cake in the cafe is very nice.<br />
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<tr><td></td><td style="background-color: #de9ff9;"></td><td></td></tr>
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<br />
<u><b>Mar 2013 : Piero Gilardi and John Newling, <a href="http://www.nottinghamcontemporary.org/">Nottingham Contemporary</a> </b></u><br />
<br />
BFTF was picking Sons No1 and 3 from a Scouts trip to <a href="http://www.nottinghamcontemporary.org/">Notttingham Contemporary </a>recently and was fascinated by the rather wonderful exhibitions Piero Gilardi and John Newlings work that were being shown.<br />
<br />
But before talking about the exhibition, it is perhaps worth mentioning something about the architecture of the gallery itself.<br />
<br />
On this particular occasion, unusually, BFTF approached the gallery from the south side and noticed that the concretework on the sides of the gallery had a beautiful lace pattern. If you haven’t seen this, it is worth passing by the gallery next time you are in the town centre just to see the beautiful and intricate design. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAem_xDorWI3dNfDqs_J69U-3vvxxFXqKzMHxAvSfF1H8E1AZPeg1hEIFYqQ-T0puGw5x1iPmOb4jHEfYZ5Ek8VxZa-Vl-H5wYIeZChMTfo0iUpHXpJ63g52CfoM4y_ilSEg4sjQMhWTX2/s1600/gallery.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAem_xDorWI3dNfDqs_J69U-3vvxxFXqKzMHxAvSfF1H8E1AZPeg1hEIFYqQ-T0puGw5x1iPmOb4jHEfYZ5Ek8VxZa-Vl-H5wYIeZChMTfo0iUpHXpJ63g52CfoM4y_ilSEg4sjQMhWTX2/s1600/gallery.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nottingham Contemporary</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7wVV61gtgAOwLzjDsRkPBsr0HdsObG5AujZQYQzM67irqk6l_oUb4NIU0zOsCwvay1Pn5QKwJ14XESADO6rFoPePHLsLkqx2BNrF35YJMKXT-VMIMwvqGiz8FfcwPsmQ6I6Km_fs-8hUV/s1600/gallery+panel.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7wVV61gtgAOwLzjDsRkPBsr0HdsObG5AujZQYQzM67irqk6l_oUb4NIU0zOsCwvay1Pn5QKwJ14XESADO6rFoPePHLsLkqx2BNrF35YJMKXT-VMIMwvqGiz8FfcwPsmQ6I6Km_fs-8hUV/s1600/gallery+panel.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Close up of panel</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX72dmJP1SWLFYrdjPxE3N5QvvZZX8f8fuUqoqHuesvOP7c4CJfg8CHJySOzuQES1DSE_D3MuZ1c-fcMq36uEeb8Dhzx26Wv6wwmP5SqC32E-9O7uVn3gUbKCObuPVvPROlQa82Mek9hW0/s1600/gallery+lace+close.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX72dmJP1SWLFYrdjPxE3N5QvvZZX8f8fuUqoqHuesvOP7c4CJfg8CHJySOzuQES1DSE_D3MuZ1c-fcMq36uEeb8Dhzx26Wv6wwmP5SqC32E-9O7uVn3gUbKCObuPVvPROlQa82Mek9hW0/s1600/gallery+lace+close.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even closer up on lace detail</td></tr>
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<u><b>Piero Gilardi</b></u><br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piero_Gilardi">Gilardi</a> was a key figure in the development of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arte_povera">“Arte Povera” (poor art)</a> which attacked the corporate mentality with an art of unconventional materials and style.<br />
<br />
Much of the work at Nottingham Contemporary was made of brightly coloured Polyurethane Foam, carved and formed into the shapes of everyday natural objects.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMNzswwBA0Ko3UFmL95YZguyA47Qd4byNkDrMeBVvZCR3_v-pLKYgjzCpzNrNTjOjCufnsXRO95oQqK5X9EJCY04Eov8-ysJ3_sYUBcIeTSZzkNJVxYLte1AbD2DcsS0HQ2DynpoPmrjtw/s1600/green+stuff.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMNzswwBA0Ko3UFmL95YZguyA47Qd4byNkDrMeBVvZCR3_v-pLKYgjzCpzNrNTjOjCufnsXRO95oQqK5X9EJCY04Eov8-ysJ3_sYUBcIeTSZzkNJVxYLte1AbD2DcsS0HQ2DynpoPmrjtw/s1600/green+stuff.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Angurie'/'Watermelons', 1967</td></tr>
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<br />
BFTF liked it tremendously. In particular the technical skill of making the cartoon-like artifacts, the brightness of the colours used and the playfulness of the works really entranced BFTF.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4aeczD-MlyzX5Pz1XM6mMDjjtdQ_iV88U_0BkD1v7gh58NOCGRFcTUJ-5BizYYbfJdJMUm-Dn0ov7EVYNjNiUyPOqimbj5YTmr-7rJR7-cMpmj6-RKGnpbU8jcxD3gnrsb0oowWYAAVda/s1600/pebbles.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4aeczD-MlyzX5Pz1XM6mMDjjtdQ_iV88U_0BkD1v7gh58NOCGRFcTUJ-5BizYYbfJdJMUm-Dn0ov7EVYNjNiUyPOqimbj5YTmr-7rJR7-cMpmj6-RKGnpbU8jcxD3gnrsb0oowWYAAVda/s1600/pebbles.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A relaxing rock and pebble artwork</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhORDGzcEb8-6z2uetak18LiGymSsb1N7UOlWMpLqj4Hl5QiD3lC7vqdfRTeGZsQkTt9LrT81yN7Y-D27T2udOuFsgXGuuUKQ6BEhUoqAccj5d57sDZkZz_tv4Cjyu1RrJjHqsilcD6g1EZ/s1600/rock+thing.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhORDGzcEb8-6z2uetak18LiGymSsb1N7UOlWMpLqj4Hl5QiD3lC7vqdfRTeGZsQkTt9LrT81yN7Y-D27T2udOuFsgXGuuUKQ6BEhUoqAccj5d57sDZkZz_tv4Cjyu1RrJjHqsilcD6g1EZ/s1600/rock+thing.JPG" width="246" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Domestic Totem, 1964.
Apparantly, when originally exhibited, people were encouraged to lie under the work, with the rock swinging gently above them</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMFmZ8Y6j2q5QE-Nju5V7coXHlMaSXH4PaekMRzJBzegy19zVxUTh2cfEOxdEwYxRt5hwEUtdGX26bvbno0pfhMf_GsahgjSytJqOp2_88jkw3PoNtGCcGfMlu1Ltf2yGgI3RFgdeMY0te/s1600/suit+tropicla.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMFmZ8Y6j2q5QE-Nju5V7coXHlMaSXH4PaekMRzJBzegy19zVxUTh2cfEOxdEwYxRt5hwEUtdGX26bvbno0pfhMf_GsahgjSytJqOp2_88jkw3PoNtGCcGfMlu1Ltf2yGgI3RFgdeMY0te/s1600/suit+tropicla.JPG" width="145" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nature Suit</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The staff explained that the works had originally been designed to be touched and that people were even encouraged to lie down on them. Whilst this was no longer allowed, due to the fact that the works were now quite valuable and the artists wasn’t making them anymore, the gallery did have one piece that was specifically designated as being “playable” do BFTF did !<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-CTh_vt4UVFqWFj3vjlBAdQnkj95MWv7eD3DDUO-VuY_Zfoz5mpS-FL2t2synA02BZXITDHd3vwYna82Qr6KIz5D1xUslpAu69Zdstc0eZ78-5HJB_BlyIW2vtQ0yke6HLqa8pzlYsMUx/s1600/play+mat.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-CTh_vt4UVFqWFj3vjlBAdQnkj95MWv7eD3DDUO-VuY_Zfoz5mpS-FL2t2synA02BZXITDHd3vwYna82Qr6KIz5D1xUslpAu69Zdstc0eZ78-5HJB_BlyIW2vtQ0yke6HLqa8pzlYsMUx/s1600/play+mat.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This "hands-on" piece could be taken apart and the rocks arranged to your hearts desire</td></tr>
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<br />
Gilardi was a very political artist and in the 1960’s he became a “creative facilitator” for a range of radical causes.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFi-n5VqqFQPpG7VpIJi5c8BIfyG7-zDeUjG-avWO1yDJmk9c6hJrzWzFhS2iVoF6-UIPenCLrwcUuRm7cRCQWiaJGZb4Cm3inCb_DNMRA00wSlMZwdkKcUASOTZCPILNttjn81BIl18Yd/s1600/merkel+whole.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFi-n5VqqFQPpG7VpIJi5c8BIfyG7-zDeUjG-avWO1yDJmk9c6hJrzWzFhS2iVoF6-UIPenCLrwcUuRm7cRCQWiaJGZb4Cm3inCb_DNMRA00wSlMZwdkKcUASOTZCPILNttjn81BIl18Yd/s1600/merkel+whole.JPG" width="209" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A political artwork used in demonstrations</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiFWnLHxuHT7ZjfNe-IdZHnH3KCu-q3HbtmdITtvyS-mBN_wWlH7ig5WxRV61KEDGTXsgyzctZeacORq38l5xmi_kCQyPW26fPsoiu0XhMXY9Vdw3j5fhNReQa64W6DidlJJEdtV2aXfaz/s1600/merkel+not+happy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiFWnLHxuHT7ZjfNe-IdZHnH3KCu-q3HbtmdITtvyS-mBN_wWlH7ig5WxRV61KEDGTXsgyzctZeacORq38l5xmi_kCQyPW26fPsoiu0XhMXY9Vdw3j5fhNReQa64W6DidlJJEdtV2aXfaz/s1600/merkel+not+happy.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Angela Merkel not happy</td></tr>
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<u><b>John Newling</b></u><br />
Nottingham based <a href="http://www.john-newling.com/">Newling</a> is interested in public art with a social purpose and has recently retired as Professor of Installation Sculpture at NTU.<br />
<br />
The <a href="http://www.john-newling.com/2011/08/miracle-trees-nottingham-contemporary-2011/">“Miracle Trees”</a> exhibit particularly attracted BFTF’s attention. In this work, Newling is growing <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moringa_oleifera">Moringa Oleifera</a> trees - these are plants that have the potential to improve nutrition, boost food security, foster rural development, and support sustainable landcare.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJbSICxkw8wtdGkHQk7Q_GC650HSwKTr0zg_MbOaznppe3wrRRyx1sW1C-TanOuiu_qAkBKHgzMXQCkD2TCmcptKb7Sh1YKH91BJmzDEVrrI2AZEnanWS_aCO9AeC5VQo83fGtPn_KaTxk/s1600/plants.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJbSICxkw8wtdGkHQk7Q_GC650HSwKTr0zg_MbOaznppe3wrRRyx1sW1C-TanOuiu_qAkBKHgzMXQCkD2TCmcptKb7Sh1YKH91BJmzDEVrrI2AZEnanWS_aCO9AeC5VQo83fGtPn_KaTxk/s1600/plants.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Miracle Trees growing in a sealed environment</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
But some of the other work rather went over the head of BFTF, For example the piece “Common Sense” (2011) is described as being :<br />
<br />
<blockquote>
"…A pyramid of “constructed soils” is stacked on top of a pile of copiesof the Rights of Man. The soils are made from composted copies of the same book…by composting Rights of Man… Newling suggests that it can nurture the groth of new ideas. The work also addresses an idea fundamental to his most recent body of work - that of humans co-existing in greater harmony with nature. Perhaps another revolution is needed, he seems to imply…"</blockquote>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7T8Y06s_qIMZu1d3sIER6eT5EPo6jkJVyf7xvl7zz90ettri4bECatZSnJuc5CUMe_4Jttjka7DJzhXRVHIJvn56Wbgjj5pdPAmTmg-sa_hLbFhelA9FOWvEusGe74jm0WZOaX1jRy8Mj/s1600/rights+of+man.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7T8Y06s_qIMZu1d3sIER6eT5EPo6jkJVyf7xvl7zz90ettri4bECatZSnJuc5CUMe_4Jttjka7DJzhXRVHIJvn56Wbgjj5pdPAmTmg-sa_hLbFhelA9FOWvEusGe74jm0WZOaX1jRy8Mj/s1600/rights+of+man.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Common Sence" - didn't work for BFTF</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidvNbwH_AAAxaI1V7ySzyeBzgwuu5rFykit6whKL6T-8BNoAJTS109Sd05YTZZPEzWoiK2mHxz0GLDtE8xtvAOuHWR3t20gJ2N1Ue1QU3W95hT0b9-f8oeNbqdCZxr6iuSZ05i5VtqG8xr/s1600/cashpoint.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidvNbwH_AAAxaI1V7ySzyeBzgwuu5rFykit6whKL6T-8BNoAJTS109Sd05YTZZPEzWoiK2mHxz0GLDtE8xtvAOuHWR3t20gJ2N1Ue1QU3W95hT0b9-f8oeNbqdCZxr6iuSZ05i5VtqG8xr/s1600/cashpoint.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New architecture 1991 (casts from cash points)</td></tr>
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<br />
<u><b>May 2011 : Jean Genet, <a href="http://www.nottinghamcontemporary.org/">Nottingham Contemporary</a> </b></u><br />
<br />
The Nottingham Contemporary Gallery has had some interesting exhibitions over the last year or two, and a recent feature on Jean Genet <a href="http://www.nottinghamcontemporary.org/art/jean-genet">(see here)</a> was certainly one of these. <br />
<br />
Jean was an artist and civil rights campaigner, the latter most notably for the Palestinians and for the Black Panthers (a Afro-American rights organisation that believed that the non-violent methods being used by Martin Luther King would not deliver results). The exhibition contained work by artists related to both these causes.<br />
<br />
Art is a funny thing, as it were.<br />
<br />
On the one hand, BFTF feels that any art that could easily be done by your average layperson probably isn't really art - but on the other hand Latifa Echakhch's piece provided food for thought, and this work simply comprised which comprised large two or three digit numbers that had been drawn on to the gallery walls in charcoal, each number being a UN resolution on the Arab-Israeli conflict.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPLHZV-ShigBdvx0J5P75MwEGo02ogKJog2E9-rjx6Zhh9JumLHtzIqz8EXFRpLmm1CWBdj4n29zNNSygy31-XVAZOidHDuSwOM2dZ-H9eez0Rn4M_QslRM5qWQkfyKUPOg7ytWI1_AEXi/s1600/LatifaEchakhch.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPLHZV-ShigBdvx0J5P75MwEGo02ogKJog2E9-rjx6Zhh9JumLHtzIqz8EXFRpLmm1CWBdj4n29zNNSygy31-XVAZOidHDuSwOM2dZ-H9eez0Rn4M_QslRM5qWQkfyKUPOg7ytWI1_AEXi/s320/LatifaEchakhch.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Installation by Latifa Echakhch</span> </td></tr>
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<br />
But back on the first hand, one of the exhibits by Mona Hatoum, which comprised a table of pottery hand-grenades did not really move BFTF at all. Surely a table of real (disarmed) grenades would have caused a greater reaction in the viewer, and made them really think about the devastation that these weapons cause, or a picture of the injuries that they can cause, or testimony from people who have used them, or a diagram showing how far their lethal fragments travel - all of these alternatives would seem to have the potential to do a better job of provoking a reaction in the viewer.<br />
<br />
Given that sculpture of people and animals is frowned upon in the Islamic tradition, it was interesting to see the work of Abdul Hay Mossallam. His distinctive bas-relief work is clearly 3-dimensional, yet has been acclaimed in the Arab World, where he has had over 20 solo exhibitions. You can find out more about him and the conditions he has worked under <a href="http://www.pbart.com/abdul-hay-mosallam-amman-jordan/">here</a>.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpLIZwqKsBLM9Ux8HYXk3mwWThlJGs2PsguYsUNSqjhUERPiMI8NLu2bXtu8OClvGMKekSi1IrdYdfNYO4r6izPBPCFSekR7bvSLQULWWTNG_EGY4T-WphFY-rDEELnGxtGqcwsEjyfbFk/s1600/AbdulHayMossallam.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpLIZwqKsBLM9Ux8HYXk3mwWThlJGs2PsguYsUNSqjhUERPiMI8NLu2bXtu8OClvGMKekSi1IrdYdfNYO4r6izPBPCFSekR7bvSLQULWWTNG_EGY4T-WphFY-rDEELnGxtGqcwsEjyfbFk/s320/AbdulHayMossallam.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Exodus from Beirut to the Sea, Abdul Hay Mossallam, 1984, sawdust mixed with glue on wood.</td></tr>
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<br />
The most interesting part of the exbihibition, for BFTF, was a selection of Black Panther newspapers from the 1960's. It was fascinating to read the soviet-style revolutionary language, the open support for armed action, and the clear grievences regarding Police brutality. In a great example of all that is good about the internet age, you can read them yourself online (<a href="http://www.itsabouttimebpp.com/BPP_Newspapers/bpp_newspapers_index.html">see here</a>).<br />
<br />
</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3010474775078886324.post-79711710793446452392017-11-12T12:10:00.002-08:002019-01-22T13:48:55.530-08:00Social Justice Interviews<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
A few interviews brought together into one post.<br/><br/>
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<a name="ncvs"></a>
<u><b>Mar 2013 : Ferg Slade of NCVS </u></b><br/><br/>
Couple of points mentioned in an interview with <a href="http://www.nottinghamcvs.co.uk/news/article/week-ncvs-21-september">Ferg Slade</a>, campaigns officer at Nottingham CVS (and also blogger on the <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/ferg-slade/">Huffington Post</a>!), discussing ways of challenging local and national government. <br /><br />
Amongst much else, Ferg gave the following advice to those who were challenging government or other organisations:<br /><br />
i) Make your point in the first four lines<br /><br />
ii) Be specific about what you want (don;t just say "what are you going to do about this?")<br /><br />
iii) Ask that, if they are not the right person to contact, can they advise who is?<br /><br />
Also, he related how he had once asked Nottingham South MP Lilian Greenwood why she got involved in politics - her reply had been simply that she "was angry" at the injustices she saw around her and wanted to do something practical to help improve the situation.<br /><br />
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<U><B>Apr 2012 : Morris Samuels (Unity Project)</u></b><br/><br/>
Notes from an interview with <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/dec/16/christmas-charity-appeal-unity-gangs">Morris Samuels</a> about the <a href="http://www.cnxnotts.co.uk/unity/">Unity project </a> trying to get young people out of gun and gang culture.<br /><br />
<b>BFTF : Morris, lets go back to 2004, could you tell us what really provoked you into starting the Unity Project?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><blockquote>
Morris : I’ve lived in St Annes since the age of six and I’ve seen how the estate revolved, how people, when they are young, have really good intentions of being good citizens and getting on but as they get to the age of 14, 15,16 they don’t get employment, they lack education, and then their good intentions turn to something else. You can use your imagination about what I’m trying to say.<br />
<br />
All through those times I’ve been a guy in the community, a very physical guy that looks after myself and my family. The reason I’m saying this is that when you are looking to set up things, if you have credibility within the community it sometimes helps to get things moving on.<br />
<br />
As a semi-professional footballer, by 2002 I had got to the stage where I was thinking about retiring because the legs won’t move anymore and I was thinking that 1999 to 2002 was a really critical time for Nottingham in terms of the gun and gang crime that was blighting Nottingham, resulting in the word “Shottingham”. Unfortunately a number of young people were injured or killed and I just felt that it was my time to do something in late 2005.<br />
<br />
So I started to look around to see what I could do. At the time my forte was football but I knew that a lot of young people from the three areas that were involved in this crime - St Annes, Meadows and Radford - liked playing football. So I started trying to get young people together but I had to target one or two of the main people to get this project running. I think the difficult elements were “When they meet up, what happens then?” I can recall a young man who was a prominent guy from Radford called Ali Scott who came in to help me behind the scenes. People like Mohammed Yaseen, Jean Pardoe (Chief Executive of <a href="http://www.futuresnn.co.uk/about-us/">Connexions</a>) and Neil Parnell -they were an integral part behind the scenes making things happen. I think it’s very important that I had the backing behind me.<br />
<br />
Because of my semi-pro background with Ilkeston Town, I was able to get Ilkeston Town to sponsor everything and we were able to play at Ilkeston Town under lights in front of about 200 people. So the guys now aren’t focussing on themselves, they’re thinking “Oh my God, we’re playing in front of 200 people - we’ve got to be one. We’ve got to be a family or we are going to get hammered on the pitch”. BBC news came down, filmed half the game, interviewed some of the lads and it blossomed from there really.
</blockquote>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1vW_u19fmSzdNuhguGHaDxAx2zm4mqhA9w0nh00nT-M99j5auztRWVoyWMCnLTxxmJnEK3nfm3ex7O5XdNZajKI1cwV_OoVw9yvZvc4-UWuODBhkbDJ49igBL7UyUyVIrdJZ8Ddof_pvz/s1600/240px-Erithacus_rubecula_-Norway_-singing-8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1vW_u19fmSzdNuhguGHaDxAx2zm4mqhA9w0nh00nT-M99j5auztRWVoyWMCnLTxxmJnEK3nfm3ex7O5XdNZajKI1cwV_OoVw9yvZvc4-UWuODBhkbDJ49igBL7UyUyVIrdJZ8Ddof_pvz/s320/240px-Erithacus_rubecula_-Norway_-singing-8.jpg" width="240"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ilkeston Town are known as "The Robins"</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzr9OU65FmyVEbXTb4AW5buVoym1hXpLaViOIr7Bujvw1EE_2r1HvVHUAt9R59b5aghOAjxHYRWp16YQndCNKUVIXIGqzYWjKHGQ0eIFZOAKkNoZu7zXe-XU0iAzlewfqhGz-dk67-uCvs/s1600/300px-Petroica_boodang_male_-_Knocklofty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzr9OU65FmyVEbXTb4AW5buVoym1hXpLaViOIr7Bujvw1EE_2r1HvVHUAt9R59b5aghOAjxHYRWp16YQndCNKUVIXIGqzYWjKHGQ0eIFZOAKkNoZu7zXe-XU0iAzlewfqhGz-dk67-uCvs/s320/300px-Petroica_boodang_male_-_Knocklofty.jpg" width="300"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">but should not be confused with the Australian Robin, which is rubbish at football</td></tr>
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<br />
<b>BFTF : I’m perhaps not as outgoing as you and I’d be a bit nervous about approaching people to get involved in this project. So I’m interested in asking “what was your pitch!”</b>
<blockquote>
Morris: When you know that someone you know has been shot, you are not bothered about being rejected, that’s the least of your problems, the problems are that people are saying “We’re not happy with this, we are going to get revenge”. You can feel the atmosphere and that drives you, that takes you through all the worries, the “I don’t want to approach people”. I will approach people because I want Nottingham to be the best city in the country. I’m no different to a lot of people in Nottingham, the only difference is, I’ve gone and done it. I can honestly say is that when I set Unity up my aim was to work with everybody, We didn’t want to be rivals with anybody. We’ve worked with Nottingham Forest in the past, Notts County have just come on board. Last night our U16’s played against Chesterfield.<br />
I believe that when Unity has no use or ornament to the community, I’m more than willing to go and work in ASDA because that will be my time done. I haven’t done it to earn loads of money. I’ve done it because I want young people to understand that we don’t have to fight. Blacks, Whites, Asians - we can all get on. <br />
<br />
Also, I don’t want to keep these young people. They come to Unity because they are at risk, by this I mean they may have problems with education, employment, staying in school, homelessness, have a gang problem that they want to get out of. And one thing you have to remember is that if I was a drug dealer or I was in the gangs and guns and I wanted to get out, how can I say it ? I can’t stand on top of Victoria Centre and shout “I’m coming out of a gang” - it just doesn’t work like that. <br />
<br />
But if you are in Unity, you’re saying that “I’m playing for Unity. I want to get on with Meadows, I want to get on with Radford, I want to get on with Broxtowe, I want to get on with everybody. I’ve done wrong and I want to get out”. Joining Unity is one of the ways of saying all that. <br />
<br /></blockquote>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLt8njF9aBML54m2WeaQ9klDBzD0UYbnbKJiRnxwKfb7-WpdtZnaWAnIzTYrqVG-BLt_dahUYyc3nK4XGpyysMyJC-VrPDv858-WhtkyDt0ig_db8upsc6VQSPFleqj4wls2bm73DKlUmb/s1600/DSCN0801.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLt8njF9aBML54m2WeaQ9klDBzD0UYbnbKJiRnxwKfb7-WpdtZnaWAnIzTYrqVG-BLt_dahUYyc3nK4XGpyysMyJC-VrPDv858-WhtkyDt0ig_db8upsc6VQSPFleqj4wls2bm73DKlUmb/s320/DSCN0801.JPG" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nottingham - A Great City</td></tr>
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<br />
<b>BFTF. I think you have used Unity as a springboard to give people some of the skills they may have missed out on. Can you give us a little more information on that ? </b>
<blockquote>
Morris : The beautiful thing about Unity, the reason why it works, is that we use workshops to address all the social issues that we have at present. Let’s say, for arguments sake, that it was brought to my attention or some of the staffs attention that there was a massive homelessness problem, the next workshop would be on homelessness. We wouldn’t’ talk about guns and gangs if that wasn’t prevalent or relevant to what is happening now. <br />
<br />The reason I say homelessness is that, at the moment, this is one of the biggest issues that young people are facing. <br />
We would get agencies to come in and talk about homelessness, give them (the youngsters) leaflets and forms and educate them about where they should go if they become homeless. <br />
Everybody who plays for Unity has to turn up in a shirt and tie, they sit in on an hour workshop and we talk about issues that are relevant. And that should give them sufficient tools to address the needs that are facing at that moment. </blockquote>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEMgbtS3X-y4HmowWmU5cpPWrRw_S7H0CAcTePFyl4TAZ518tF3bcCpsmgudn5nrWuKUUHh6-TiOTF0wbxq38rTFm6-eRTgBav-2cskDXn6HOWIoYeAzCiHXnIcjoCiHL2jjw-MsVeIXXu/s1600/800px-Marks_%2526_Spencer%252C_Briggate%252C_Leeds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEMgbtS3X-y4HmowWmU5cpPWrRw_S7H0CAcTePFyl4TAZ518tF3bcCpsmgudn5nrWuKUUHh6-TiOTF0wbxq38rTFm6-eRTgBav-2cskDXn6HOWIoYeAzCiHXnIcjoCiHL2jjw-MsVeIXXu/s320/800px-Marks_%2526_Spencer%252C_Briggate%252C_Leeds.jpg" width="295"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Get a shirt and tie if you want to play for Unity</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b>BFTF: Can you give a flavour of the success Unity has had on the outcomes for young people who have been part of the organisation? </b>
<blockquote>
Morris : If we look at unemployment, about three years ago there was a niche for people to be employed as door supervisors (for clubs etc) and so what we did was to set up a partnership with South Notts College and a security company called Elite Security so that we could run courses for people who wanted to be door supervisors. They would go to college, do the course, get the qualifications and there would be an interview at the end of it, guaranteed. In 2009 we won an award as best employer in terms of going through that method in Nottingham. What we have seen is that you walk round the streets of Nottingham in the evening, we have something like 52 young people that are working on the doors. Sometimes you see them and it can be a guy from Meadows and a guy from St Annes - to me that is not relevant but someone else might think that two years ago they were arguing, people who have come through Unity now get on. <br />
<br />
Also we have set up young people to be self-sufficient, to give them interviewing techniques, to let them come into our office and look for jobs, to give them mock interviews. And we try and niche the market in terms of getting people the opportunity. But it’s got to be right, some young people think they can do a job, and they probably can, but before they go into the workplace they are wearing jeans and a sweatshirt when really, appropriately, they should be wearing trousers, a shirt and a tie - and we pay for that. <br />
<br />
Unity is about trying to shape society so that we have good role models, but with that has to come opportunity. If people don’t see opportunities they are going to do what they feel they need to do. <br />
<br /></blockquote>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLH4RZNJfoxqh0mpJ7ohn5yuxa7VH2_q7jQxKfY6Zk-lvGS0AHX2aXUUBP-_3mhxyGDKFLswvyabTf4wQ1ippj44_QPXyc1ApjzBCvjm8QnV_5iLByNWllUGlqYFjZ_YFuHPOItatSsazp/s1600/nelson+Ogunshakin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLH4RZNJfoxqh0mpJ7ohn5yuxa7VH2_q7jQxKfY6Zk-lvGS0AHX2aXUUBP-_3mhxyGDKFLswvyabTf4wQ1ippj44_QPXyc1ApjzBCvjm8QnV_5iLByNWllUGlqYFjZ_YFuHPOItatSsazp/s320/nelson+Ogunshakin.jpg" width="72"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.engineeringuk.com/about_engineeringuk/biography.cfm?cit_id=382835">Nelson Ogunshakin OBE</a> - A role model for us all.</span>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></td></tr>
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<br />
<b>BFTF : So where is the Unity project now?</b>
<blockquote>
Morris : We are starting to get accolades, starting to get a reputation. We have moved on from 300 young people in 2006/78 to now having 1,400 young people at the start of 2012. We have two full time staff, seven part time staff and three or four volunteers. To be honest, it’s still not enough to cater for the young people that we have. We want more Asian people, coaches and players because I do believe there is talent in the Asian community. We certainly want to educate and support Asian Football coaches. If people are interested but are already playing in a league, it is worth knowing that we don’t play in a league, we just play friendlies. <br />
<br />
In 2009 we won an award for the best project in the East Midlands out of 47 projects that applied. The award was for how sport has helped change young people. We have had the Chief of Police come on national TV and say that the Unity project has been a success in its own right in terms of breaking down crime. <br />
<br />
We recently started a Youth Work course with South Nottingham College, expected a maximum of 20 people to show interest and had 44 turn up for the induction day. <br />
<br />
Anybody can join Unity, as well as the high profile games against professional football clubs, we do a lot of community events, a lot of charity events. We do all that to raise money. For example, we recently linked up with Notts Police to raise over £1,000 for the QMC. In this way we have one or two ex-gang members going back and giving something back to the community. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
It’s also worth saying that there are a number of other similar projects going on in various parts of the city and they all deserve a pat on the back. </blockquote>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.cnxnotts.co.uk/unity/Unity%2010%20Reasons%20to%20Celebrate.pdf">Click here</a> to see what Unity has been up to. . .</td></tr>
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<br />
<b>BFTF: Moving onto something a little different, my own perspective of the voluntary work done by the Black Community is that it is done in a very focussed, very professional manner and I just wondered what your perspective of the Asian community was, from the outside as it were? </b>
<blockquote>
Morris : From my own point of view, and some of my colleagues point of view, we think that the Asian community is well organised because you have your own businesses and you put a percentage of that, I believe, into setting up your own projects so that you can be self-funding -and then you use some government funding. <br />
<br />
I think some parts of the Black and White communities do similar things but one thing I notice about the Asian community is that you stick together and built it within - and that is a skill that is good practice within any culture. </blockquote>
<b>BFTF : Thinking about young people who are listening and thinking about getting involved in voluntary activities, what tips can you give them on making projects a success? </b>
<blockquote>
Morris : All you have to do is to have the confidence to do it! Volunteering is the best way of getting into a job because there is no pressure, you are not getting paid - so it allows you to make mistakes, to suss out what is going on. And then, when you feel comfortable, you can apply for a job. Any youngsters out there - don’t think a job is going to come to you, you have to go out and seek it. </blockquote>
<b>BFTF : And taking that a bit further, some youngsters think that because they have tried something once and it hasn’t worked, they can now give up. But the reality is that to achieve success you may need to come at a problem from two or three different angles before you achieve what you are after. In short, you need Sabr (patience). What is your view on this? </b>
<blockquote>
Morris : When we were setting up Unity, I faced a lot of barriers. We had high powered people saying that there wasn’t a gun or gang problem in Nottingham in 2005. We had certain community leaders who I went to on a one-to-one who wouldn’t even give me two pence. Then when you look behind the scenes there are other rival football schemes that were trying to close the door, say we don’t want another project in Nottingham. But we weren’t coming at this from a football sense. Football within the Unity project is just a hub, to get the people in. All the spokes are the other activities we do - working with people at risk, employment, training, aspiration building, self esteem, mentoring, youth work. <br />
<br />
I don’t want these young people to stay with me, I know projects that want to keep these young people as gangsters so that they can pull in money. I don’t want them to be gangsters, I want them to go and get a job, to look after themselves so that when I get to sixty, I can walk down the road and not be fearful that something is going to happen to me, my children or my grandkids. </blockquote>
<b>BFTF : Thank you for those heartfelt words. Lastly, all guests on the show get asked “The Special Question” - What do you think is the best thing about living in the UK? </b>
<blockquote>
Morris : I think it’s diversity. I think we have moved a long way, I can remember when I was a youngster that racism would be right in your face. People may argue that it is a bit covert now but the thing is you can go down streets now and go in houses and see dual heritage family with blacks and whites living together with, from previous relationships, a black child, a white child and then a dual heritage child that they have had together. We are going to have our setbacks, but it is getting better. <br />
<br /></blockquote>
<u><b>Image source : </b></u>
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Erithacus_rubecula_-Norway_-singing-8.jpg">Robin</a>,
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Petroica_boodang_male_-_Knocklofty.jpg">Australasian robin </a>:
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Marks_%26_Spencer,_Briggate,_Leeds.jpg">M&S</a><br/><br/>
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<a name="eti"></a>
<u><B>Nov 2011 : Julia Hawkins (ETI) (2008)</u></b><br/><br/>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4uv2rQUwaasuFEuyuzVgsiy09WBZNdgOfdngM4BtRUykp-L_nj-RdQlFfsdtK1eumGoiTXb0xR5hnHUlsNanqVQ8AOVi2UfwP-h7aynr9S-SJMPhUUNewT8KxHcY9_Vk3me9STCKPOPL3/s1600/julia1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4uv2rQUwaasuFEuyuzVgsiy09WBZNdgOfdngM4BtRUykp-L_nj-RdQlFfsdtK1eumGoiTXb0xR5hnHUlsNanqVQ8AOVi2UfwP-h7aynr9S-SJMPhUUNewT8KxHcY9_Vk3me9STCKPOPL3/s200/julia1.jpg" width="163"></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br /><br/>
Notes from a 2008 interview with "<a href="http://www.ethicaltrade.org/">Ethical Trading Initiative</a>" spokesperson Julia Hawkins.<br /><br />
<b>To start at the beginning, could you give us a little background about the Ethical Trading initiative?</b><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><blockquote>About 10 years we all started to become much more aware that the big brands were sourcing much of their production from factories in lots of far flung places across the world, for example in south east Asia and there were stories of exploitation, of workers being paid poverty wages, of children working and generally of poor conditions. The result was a lot of negative media coverage and consumer campaigns demanding to know what the companies who were sourcing these products were doing about this worker exploitation. The first response of the companies was generally to deny that they had any responsibility for these workers because they weren't directly employing them, then companies started to accept that they did have a responsibility but campaigners and others felt they weren't taking their responsibility seriously - for example they would adopt a code of labour practice, stick it up on their website and not really do much else. <br />
<br />
The way ETI came about in 1998 was that a bunch of companies, charities and campaigning organisations got together to say 'Look, we know there are these problems, we know that companies have a responsibility towards workers, so lets work out what companies should be doing to address their conditions given that simply adopting a code of conduct is insufficient'.<br />
<br />
So that was why ETI was set up - to work out what companies should be doing; to try and make sure that the workers who were actually making the products, (whether they be food or garments or shoes) were actually treated in accordance with international labour standards. That's what we are basically about.</blockquote><br />
<br />
<b>It's quite unusual to have companies and campaigners around the same table. How did you persuade them all to come aboard?</b><br />
<blockquote>That a good question! I think one of the major achievements of ETI in the early days, was to get these diverse organisations together around a table and I think it was just as hard to get the campaigners and the labour organisations to engage with the companies as it was to get the companies to talk to the people they are normally at loggerheads with. I think that the companies involved realised that this was not an issue that was going to go away and that there was a value in engaging with the people who were their critics, to actually understand their agendas and to work together with them rather than fighting them. I think that the companies with foresight realised that if they wanted to protect their reputation and protect their workers they needed to engage with the people who understood the issues of the workers and how to improve workers rights because this is an area that most companies don't focus on, they focus on making a profit. So its a way of going to the experts and saying that we are committed to doing this but we need your help in showing us how.</blockquote><br />
<br />
<b>I understand that the ETI has a "base code" which is what the whole system revolves around, could you please give us a little background on that?</b><br />
<blockquote>The ETI base code is a set of principles, for examples that that workers should not be forced to work overtime, or be harrased, that they should be paid a decent wage and that there should be no child labour. The code also covers basic health and safety so that workers can work in an environment that is safe and hygienic. They key thing that people sometimes forget is that this code is all derived from international labour standards and that it is the International Labour Organisation, which is a UN body, that sets these labour standards through UN conventions. These conventions are very wordy documents, and the base code is a way of putting those conventions into a code that companies can actually implement.</blockquote><br />
<b>To take one part of your code, that part that talks about workers being paid a living wage (which covers living costs as well as providing some discretionary income) rather than any prevailing minimum wage, I understand that some companies have left the ETI because you they were unable to work towards this criteria. Could you give us some more information on this please?</b><br />
<blockquote>I guess that you are referring to Levi Strauss, who recently resigned from the ETI over the issue of the living wage. Their position is that they won't incorporate the living wage criteria in their corporate code because they can’t see the workers in their supply chain being paid a living wage in anything like the near future and one of the reasons for this is that they do not believe it will be possible to come up with a suitable definition of what a living wage is, or a formula for working it out. Also it is difficult because if a company goes to a supplier and says that they must pay their workers a living wage then suppliers are going to be very worried that they will be lose out to their competition if they are the only ones who have to increase their wages so it has to be done on a very gradual basis. Our position is that a lot of the base code is very difficult to achieve in some countries and that it is not just the living wage aspect that can be hard to action. For example, one of the clauses is that workers must be able to join a trade union - but in China there are no independent trade unions so it is really difficult for a company who is sourcing from China to put that clause into practice. No company is probably going to achieve all the clauses in the base code in a short period of time but we expect them to aspire towards. We can't have companies picking and choosing which parts of the code they want to include or not.</blockquote><br />
<b>Can you give some examples of how the ETI code has practically helped some of these workers in the developing world?</b><br />
<blockquote>A major research study on our members activities was published last year and that study pointed to the fact hat in some cases workers are benefiting from a safer working environment, in some cases workers are being paid more than before. The study also found that there are fewer children working in the upper parts of the supply chain. There is still a long way to go with other parts of the base code, for example the parts that deal with freedom of association. To look at specific examples, one thing that our member companies recently did in Bangladesh was to call on the government to increase the minimum wage because, as you may be aware, the minimum wage in Bangladesh has not been increased since 1994 and is the equivalent of about £7/month which is pretty scary, even taking the low cost of living in Bangladesh into account. The minimum wage has now been increased to about £13/month, which is still not adequate but at least you can point to it as being something concrete that the ETI member companies have helped to achieve. One reason they have done this is that they see a long term future for their business in Bangladesh but still want to make a difference.</blockquote><br />
<b>It's interesting that you mention Bangladesh as there has been a lot of strife in the garment industry in that country over health and safety, pay and so on - but the disputes have not had any particular impact in the media here in the UK. I wondered if you had any comments about that and any advice as to what we, as consumers, could do to help the workers over there.</b><br />
<blockquote>As you say, there was minimal if not zero, coverage of the garment protests in May and June last year despite that fact that the ETI sent out press releases saying it was a wake up call for everybody involved in the Bangladesh garment industry to address shockingly low pay and poor working conditions. It was quite staggering that there was no coverage until War on Want released a report in November on conditions in factories that supplied various UK companies that the issue moved up the agenda.<br />
<br />
In terms of what can we do as members of the general public, I think that one thing that is really important is that where you have a country like Bangladesh, where 20 million people are dependant on the garment industry, it is really important that companies keep sourcing from that country, despite the fact that there will be further media exposes, because you can't solve these issues overnight but what companies can do is to stay there and continue sourcing and to use their buying power to get leverage with the Bangladeshi government and with the manufacturers to work together to improve conditions. As consumers I think it is very difficult for us to have the kind of information that you need to be able to make informed decisions but I think what is important is to keep on asking questions of the companies - what are conditions like for employees in your supply chain? Are you monitoring their working conditions? Are you working with other companies and with other organisations such as trade unions? Also you can ask them if they are a member of the ETI or a similar organisation.</blockquote><br />
<b>What is your perception of the response from companies to consumers who make these kinds of demands? For example we can look at the food sector and see how quickly the supermarkets responded to consumer pressure on GM foods. Do you see a similar effect taking place in relation to worker rights and conditions in the garment industry?</b><br />
<blockquote>I think that issue about GM foods is very straightforward, either something is genetically modified or it isn't. It is the same with Fair-trade, either something is Fair Trade or it isn't. But in the case of ethical trade it is just a bit more complex than that because we are looking at a companies overall behaviour towards all the products in their supply chain. For example as a consumer, I want reassurance that whatever I buy, whether it is a t-shirt or a pair of jeans, is made by workers who were not exploited and unfortunately, at this point in time, we can’t provide any guarantee of that and actually, to us, what is more important is that a company stays sourcing from a supplier who may not be perfect but is willing to improve rather than just cutting and running to source from somewhere else because you are not helping the workers concerned if you do that. The challenge for organisations like us is to try and get that message across to consumers, that the problems of low pay are endemic across many countries and what is important is that we try and get companies to use their buying power to make a difference wherever they can.</blockquote><br />
<b>We often hear about clothing companies who do the exact opposite of what you just mentioned, who chop and change suppliers all the time and seem to have a policy of preventing long term relationships being developed. What can we do as consumers to move against this?</b><br />
<blockquote>I think one of the challenges for any company is that, if you are only buying products from a supplier for one season and perhaps only purchasing 2% of that companies’ output then how on earth can you have any leverage over that supplier to improve conditions? It is certainly true that if you have long term relationships with suppliers then you can build trust and confidence and invest in providing management training and advice, but if your relationship is very fleeting it is difficult to do that. This isn't just a problem for budget companies, and companies are certainly starting to look at how they can build longer term relationships with a few key suppliers whilst still getting the right products in store at the right time.</blockquote><br />
<br />
<b>What do you think you have achieved over the last few years and what are you focussing on for the future?</b><br />
<blockquote>The first few years of the ETI were really a process of learning what kinds of tools and methodologies were most appropriate for the kind of audits we were likely to be undertaking. In terms of our achievements, the first thing to mention is that getting agreement on the ETI base code was no mean feat! But also getting consensus about the best approach to auditing and developing tools for companies to use. Since 2004 we have started to shift focus towards giving companies practical tools to help them do their jobs, increasing our membership and also trying to ensure that the member companies are taking on board the learning that we have developed as part of ETI and are implementing it throughout their supply chains. We are also trying to increase our presence in major sourcing countries, for example we now have a full time representative in China to help our member companies to do the work they are performing on the ground there perform their auditing and we are about to recruit a full time representative in India as well. We are also much better able now to use our collective weight to lobby governments and broker solutions. In fact we have helped to resolve some really quite major disputes in our member companies sourcing factories over the last twelve months and I think that is a rally good, really practical achievement.</blockquote><br />
<b>Now, I know the ETI is not just about the garment industry, so could you give a little flavour of the other kinds of products that it gets involved in?</b><br />
<blockquote>The main areas are foods, toys, the garment industry, flowers, shoes, electrical goods and so on. The focus is on industries where there are a large number of workers who are being paid very low wages. These are industries where the processes involved are relatively simple - wages and conditions tend to be better in the more complex industries such as car manufacture. In terms of asking questions, a good rule of thumb is that the companies that are honest about the problems they are facing are the ones that are most trustworthy. If a company says that their supply chain is 100% perfect - that's just not true. Take for example the case of Nike who were vilified in the press and by campaigners. Nike were one of the first companies to admit that their supply chain is not perfect. And they have put the details of all their suppliers on their website so that you can check them out for yourself if you want to - a really good step.</blockquote><br />
Lastly, every guest on the show gets asked the “Special Question” : What do you think is the best thing about living in the UK?<br />
<br />
<blockquote>I think I always say to my friends who are complaining about things in this country such as commuting or the weather that we are just so lucky to live in this country, we have water, most of us have enough food, enough clothes, we are not in fear for our lives, we can vote governments in and kick them out and that is actually quite rare in the world and I feel incredibly lucky to be born in this country and to be living in this country. I've lived in countries where you don't necessarily have the same freedoms and I think that it is just something to feel really happy about.</blockquote>
</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3010474775078886324.post-48618358183350032772017-11-12T11:29:00.002-08:002019-01-06T13:36:54.389-08:00Eco Interviews and Links <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><a href="#9"> </a><a name="9"></a>Interviews with experts on various green and eco issues, and links to some sustainable living related articles.<br/><br/>
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Interesting article by <a href="https://twitter.com/naylor_tony">Tony Naylor</a> in the Guardian about misconceptions on the environmental benefits (or harms) of a number of products, from Cod to tinned chcikpeas to clingfilm.Most useful take-away for BFTF was that almond milk is very resource hungry and a more sustainable alternative is oat milk.<br/>
<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/food/2018/sep/05/ditch-the-almond-milk-why-everything-you-know-about-sustainable-eating-is-probably-wrong">https://www.theguardian.com/food/2018/sep/05/ditch-the-almond-milk-why-everything-you-know-about-sustainable-eating-is-probably-wrong</a><br/><br/>
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<u><B>Aug 2011 : Kaye Brennan from the Woodland Trust</u></b><br/><br/>
BFTF recently had the chance to interview Kaye Brennan from the <a href="www.woodlandtrust.org.uk">Woodland Trust</a>, but before providing some information on that, it is perhaps worth mentioning the story behind the interview. . . <br />
<br />
Several years ago, I was in the car with Number 2 son when he said excitedly that he had just seen a very fast car (a Porsche perhaps, I can't actually remember). We were traveling down a tree lined avenue at the time and I wondered whether he could recognise the trees as well as he could recognise cars.<br />
<br />
It turned out that he had no idea what type of trees were around us.<br />
<br />
Then it struck me that, actually, I didn't recognise the trees that were passing me by. Oh dear, this wasn't good. <br />
<br />
So, a week or two later I bought myself a Collins "Gem" book of Trees and started trying to identify trees as we were out and about in parks and the countryside. It has to be admitted that this wound up the family no end as, when on a walk, I would keep stopping to gaze intently at a tree whilst thumbing through my book to try and identify it.<br />
<br />
Very quickly, I was able to recognise many of the common trees that can be found in our parks and woods. I even managed to pass on some of this new found knowledge to the youngsters.<br />
<br />
Similarly, it was the sheer joy at now being able to recognise the trees around me, and to start learning about their characteristics, that provoked BFTF into trying to disseminate this information more widely via the "Just 5 Trees" project, which can be found here.<br />
<br />
Then, one day, I found myself in a park where I didn't seem to be able to recognise a single tree. It was very strange. What was I doing wrong?<br />
<br />
I emailed the Woodland Trust for help. They pointed out that many parks are planted with non-native trees and that this might be why they were not shown in my little book. They also kindly agreed to talk about British Woodlands on the radio - hence this interview.<br />
<br />
Kaye initially described how the Woodland Trust had been formed in 1972 by Kenneth Watkins and some friends who were concerned about the rate at which small woodlands had been lost during the second world war and also to softwood plantations. <br />
<br />
Since then the organisation has bought many other woodlands and is now custodian of some 1000 woods in the UK. You can find out more about the history, governance and funding of the Woodland Trust at their website <a href="http://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/en/about-us/past-present/Pages/past-present.aspx">here</a><br />
<br />
Kaye also mentioned that the UK has a relatively low level of forest cover at only 12% (a post interview search of t'Intranet revealed that coverage was 31% in France, 32% in Germany and even densely populated Belgium managed 23%)<br />
<br />
A key message that Kaye wanted to get across was the the Woodland Trust woods are numerous and close by - you can find out where your local woods are (and what kind of acivities you can do there) by visiting the <a href="http://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/en/visit-woods/Pages/get-involved.aspx">"Visit Woods"</a> section of woodlandtrust.org.uk or by visiting <a href="www.visitwoods.org.uk">"www.visitwoods.org.uk" </a>. <br />
<br />
One interesting snippet of information that Kaye mentioned was that the <a href="http://www.veggies.org.uk/sumac/">"Sumac Centre" </a>, an independant community and social centre, had a <a href="http://www.partnershipcouncil.co.uk/images/uploads/fruitnotts.pdf">" 'Fruit and Notts' "</a> project involving planting fruit trees in Nottingham - respect to the team there for making the effort to do this!<br />
<br />
The Woodland Trust constantly campaigns to protect the country's woodlands, and people can get involved firstly be letting their local MP know how important local woods are. Further volunteering opportunities are available, of course, on the website.<br />
<br />
After the Interview, Kaye sent an email with a link to a section of the Woodland Trust Website that has a <a href="http://www.british-trees.com/treeguide/">"Tree Guide"</a>, so you don't even have to buy a book to get started!<br />
<br />
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<u><b>Oct 2011 : Amy Mulkern from the FSC (2008)</u></b><br/><br/>
The interview was with Amy Mulkern of the Forest Stewardship Council. The FSC is a stakeholder owned organisation formed to promote responsible management of the world’s forests. It sets international standards for responsible forest management and it's product label allows consumers worldwide to recognize products that support the growth of responsible forest management worldwide. <br />
<br />
As of 2008, over the past 13 years, over 90 million hectares in more than 70 countries have been certified according to FSC standards while several thousand products are produced using FSC-certified wood and carrying the FSC trademark. FSC operates through its network of National Initiatives in 45 countries. <br />
<br />
Forests have a significant effect on the worlds climate and are host to many communities of plants and animals that live there. <br />
<br />
It is worth mentioning that cheap paper products are cheap for a reason - in many cases that reason is that they have been produced from wood from cleared natural forests, often tropical rainforest.<br />
<br />
To start with, Amy gave us some information of the history of the FSC;<br />
<br />
<blockquote>“we've been around since 1993 and through the 80's and early 90's there was a real awakening and realisation that there was a problem with the world's forests, we all saw the images of the Amazon rainforest being burnt and seeing inappropriate plantations in the United Kingdom and started wondering and asking questions about where our wood was coming from and whether we were fuelling this problem, this illegal forest clearance happening all over the world - problems in Russia, in Canada, in south-east Asia, and in South America, in west and central Africa. And a lot of companies started asking questions about where their wood came from, and it was the first time they had asked this question. And a lot of them were quite upset with the answers that came from suppliers and they weren't really too sure what to do about it. So they needed a solution, a way to ensure that what they were doing was giving value to forests by their timber purchases, so giving them a reason for people to keep them, to make them economically viable but also to look after how they were being managed. So in 1993 a founding assembly of 120 organisations and individuals from around the world got together in Toronto, Canada. Our membership comes from big companies like B&Q and Ikea but also indigenous people's groups like first nations peoples and tribes peoples from Canada, also indigenous peoples groups and civil rights groups from South America, from west and central Africa, from south-east Asia. We're really a global organisation, we also had environmental organisations like WWF and Greenpeace and they all got together and they said we've got this terrible problem with what's going on with forestry around the world, we want to make sure we're giving value to forests, make sure forests are working, they're not being cleared, they're not being converted. So what are we going to do? We need a system like FSC, what we need is a truth label, so that when people see a label on wood products, whether it's paper, whether it's timber, whether it's charcoal or whether it's a book, we know that it actually does come from a well managed forest and not from illegal forest destruction. So that's what we were set up to do.”</blockquote><br />
Amy went on to give a feel for how an FSC forest is managed by pointing out that<br />
<blockquote>“Each forest will have a forest management plan and that forest management plan will meet the international principles and criteria of FSC. Responsible forestry has been interpreted at the national level by local people about what's really the quality forestry that they can have in their country. So, you might have areas where they do clear blocks at a time, then they'll do rotational block clearing. They'll also have areas where they are more towards continuous cover. It will depend on the forestry and what's good. Certain types of bird species, for example, in the UK need cleared forest areas for their nesting sites, so it's not as simple as clearing blocks of forest is necessarily bad and keeping continuous cover is good. It would depend really on what the situation is at the very local level. And that's where the expertise of forest management and standard setting comes in.”<br />
</blockquote>Later, Amy described in more detail how companies had woken up to the fact that they didn't know where their wood was coming from, <br />
<blockquote>“I've heard speakers from B&Q and BBC saying that the questions were being asked through consumer pressure, through the NGOs, it was simply questions they'd never asked before. It was just paper, it was just wood. You know, they just bought it. But, they're also consumers, they're also individuals, they're also people. Once the question was asked, they thought to themselves, ‘God, I wonder where our wood does come from’? And then they started asking questions through their supply chain. B&Q themselves say we were not happy to find out that we didn't know where our wood came from and we realised that we had to sort this out.”</blockquote><br />
Amy also gave an example of what one publishers had to consider when auditing their supply chains,<br />
<blockquote>“Alison, their production director, said very honestly, ‘we looked around and we looked at where our paper was coming from and we found that some of it couldn’t be proved that it had been legally harvested, let alone responsibly managed’. They were really worried about some of their sources of paper. And so, working with Greenpeace and WWF, and then later on working with ourselves when it got to a more technical level we looked at their supply chains, their pulp sources, so they wanted to exclude all the illegal fibre and then work to move as many book titles as they could to FSC certified. So you’ll find with companies what they’re doing is ensuring legality, not illegally harvested, not using indentured labour, is an absolute benchmark and then shifting over to responsibly managed FSC certified forests as fast as they can, working with our supply chains, moving things over because while avoiding illegal is vitally important, what we’ve also got to do is support and give value to responsibly managed forests."<br />
</blockquote><br />
And FSC is not just for printer paper, as Amy explained <br />
<blockquote>“Paper used for printing and publishing, wood so that's sort of timber and furniture, garden furniture, kitchen utensils, all the building materials - plywood, chipboard, MDF. Companies like B&Q, Coop, even go down to your local garage and have a look at the charcoal bags there and see whether you can see our logo on it. Publishers of course like Bloomsbury and the Harry Potter books were printed up FSC certified. You can get certified greetings cards. If it comes out of a forest, it can carry the FSC logo.”<br />
</blockquote><br />
Amy went on to explain that the consumer also has a big role to play in this endeavour <br />
<blockquote>“people are being concerned about where their products come from. We’re all starting to ask questions, as consumers, as members of the public. We want to make sure our money is going towards the right thing. And organisations like FSC give people an opportunity to be able to do that.” </blockquote><br />
Perhaps surprisingly, the issue of not just related to tropical forests, as shown by Amy's comments that:<br />
<blockquote>“I was reading an interesting report a few months back from Greenpeace where they’ve caught a number of European pulp and paper mills and timber mills using paper that has come from Russia where there are a lot of problems with illegal harvesting and gang controlled harvesting and a lot of it gets smuggled over into Europe and then ends up in our mills that way. So it can be more of a complicated issue. Like I say, Greenpeace and WWF are really the experts on this but I’m afraid to say illegal harvesting and forest clearance is not just a tropical issue.”<br />
</blockquote><br />
We went on to take the specific example of IKEA, where we had asked staff in the stores “‘where is this wood coming from?’ and have been shown a little logo or label saying that they “do not take from intact natural forests’. This seems a little confusing, I mean, if it’s partially gone, does that mean you can rip the rest of the forest to shreds? On other occasions we have been told “we have a special forest in Russia and it’s all sustainably managed’. <br />
<br />
Amy said that is was difficult to talk about specific cases, largely because <blockquote>“What you’ve got there is a company’s self-declared claim and it may be absolutely right, they may well be taking it from perfectly responsibly managed forests but I can’t comment on whether that’s accurate or not. The point about FSC certification is its independent third party guarantee, someone’s gone in and actually ordered that and checked that, who is not part of the company, who has not got a vested interest in it to say that it genuinely does. With company’s self-declared claims, it muddies the water because some of them are absolutely true and doing a lot, for example Ikea, they have got all their garden furniture FSC certified, or the vast majority of it. I do happen to know that they do use a lot of fibre in their unlabelled products but as to the rest of it and the full supply chain, I just can’t comment on it, simply because I don’t know. And that’s what you need to be doing as a consumer, you need to be saying well, how do we trust you, how do we take your word for it? Where is the proof? Where is the evidence? Where is the independent guarantee?”</blockquote><br />
Having had enough of doom and gloom, we then asked Amy which companies DID sell FSC certifeid products and were told that there were now quite a lot out there, including B&Q, Focus, Travis Perkins, Magnet...<br />
<br />
Moving on, we asked Amy what we could do in the political arena to promote sustainable sourcing of wood products. Amy replied that:<br />
<blockquote>“Don’t be afraid to ask. You’re voting these people in, they’re your councillors, they’re your MPs, they’re your MEPs and you have every right to ask them where the wood is coming from in any local building projects you see. The government has got a commitment. The only source of timbre for central government projects should be from legal and sustainable sources. Get your MPs to ask some questions in the House of Commons, challenge them about how they’re delivering on it because Greenpeace has caught them again and again using timber from unacceptable forest management - the Cabinet office have had two fairly recent cases where they have been found to be using plywood that had been traced using German laboratories to analyse the plywood and was traced back to rainforest clearance in Papa New Guinea.”<br /><br/>
Finally, we asked Amy about the future and what she thought it held for the worlds forests, to which she replied “We’re at very much a junction and it could go either way. I mean, the rates of forest clearance and forest destruction are pretty horrendous. We’re looking at about 33 hectares per minute being destroyed and when you have the Brazilian government themselves saying that 60% of the timber coming out of their country has been illegally clear-felled So we have got some huge challenges. But the other side of that is that FSC certified forests, responsibly managed forests, are growing exponentially. People are seeing valued forests. So we’re very much at the forefront of giving a future to the world’s forests, which is why it is so important that people buy FSC labelled products so that they can give the retailers, those people who are selling these products, the confidence that they are doing the right thing by taking this gamble, getting involved in FSC. If your listeners are then going out and saying to people, ‘oh, have you got an FSC certified whatever’? Then this is helping them to justify that they are doing the right thing because if we give value to forests we’re giving alternative to the land clearance, for agriculture, for mining, for urban development. So there is a future, there is a real future for the world’s forests and beautiful things are happening with forestry around the world. Whether it’s medicinal plants being grown under the canopies of FSC certified Eucalyptus plantations in South America, or whether it’s the work that’s been done up at my local forestry commission plantation on forest regeneration, there are some fantastic things going on and we all have got such a role to play in encouraging and supporting that, to prove to people that they are doing the right thing and moving forwards.”</blockquote><br />
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<u><b>Oct 2011 : Andy Guy - Dairy Farmer</u></b><br/><br/>
BFTF is sure that you have all heard of children who think that milk milk comes from ASDA, not from cows. <br />
<br />
Perhaps this article can help to correct any such misconceptions by providing an insight into the life of one of Britain's Dairy Farmers.<br />
<br />
The farmer in question is 2005 “Farmer of the Year” Award winner Andy Guy who, together with his other half Sue, run a specialist dairy farm with some 110 cows on around 80 hectares near Southwell in Nottinghamshire.<br />
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As part of the <a href="www.leafuk.org">LEAF network</a> (linking Environment and Farming) they are champions for farming and have had visits from groups as diverse as Anglican Bishops and School children.<br />
<br />
BFTF kicked off the interview by asking Andy for a little more information about LEAF. He told us that <br />
<blockquote>“LEAF is a charity which promotes environmentally responsible farming and so it’s a farming system means that we try to consider the environment with everything that we do on the farm”</blockquote><br />
Andy then went on to describe the type of cattle that he had on the farm. <br />
<blockquote>“We keep about 100 milking cows, pedigree Holstein cows, that’s the black and white cow that you’re probably familiar with...”</blockquote><br />
At this point BFTF jumped in, sure from it's primary school education that black and white cows are in fact called “Fresians”, but Andy explained that <blockquote>“A Holstein is a development on from a Friesian. A Friesian is more of a dual purpose cow. It produces quite good beef but quite good milk, but in these days of specialisation farmers have improved the breeding over the years and created almost a new breed and that’s the Holstein cow, which is really a specialist milking cow”</blockquote><br />
Now thoroughly confused, BFTF asked whether the cows we saw wile driving up and down the Motorway were Fresians of Holsteins? Andy patiently explained that<br />
<blockquote>“Mostly these days they’ll be Holstein cows … still some Friesian cows about … they’re not a rare breed or anything like that … but mostly they’ll be Holstein cows these days”</blockquote><br />
Having got that cleared up, the conversation moved on to how the cows spent their time...<br />
<blockquote>”During the winter we keep them in the building. When the grass stops growing and the ground starts to get muddy and that kind of thing you can imagine 100 cows going through a gateway or getting to a water trough it makes a pretty good mess so it’s a necessity really to keep them in but actually they’re quite soft as well and I think they really appreciate it once the weather gets really wet and windy. They don’t mind cold but they don’t like rain and wind so once the weather gets really grim in probably late September or early October they’ll be housed for the winter and we’ll provide them all their dietary needs and things in the farmyard."</blockquote><br />
And what might these housed cows be eating ? <br />
<blockquote>“In the winter they eat silage which is basically pickled grass and that makes up probably three quarters of their diet and the rest we balance up just like you and I do they need a balanced diet so they have to have all the right amounts of protein and energy and that kind of thing so we balance it up with other sources of protein and energy so they’ll get a little bit of soya and whole crop wheat silage which is silage that we’ve made out of wheat during the summer time, sugar beet pulp, that kind of thing. All natural vegetarian stuff - The days of feeding them fish meal and meat and bone meal and things are long gone … we’ve learned from mistakes in the past”</blockquote><br />
BFTF wondered whether this was the case for all farms and were told that<br />
<blockquote>“It’s illegal and barmy to feed them anything but wholesome vegetarian stuff nowadays so you could be confident that any of the milk or dairy products that you’re buying in well any shop in the UK, as long as it’s come from UK sources anyway, is produced to those sort of standards. - The UK dairy market now is pretty well regulated and nearly all the dairy farmers are producing to what’s known as the national dairy farm assured scheme and your listeners will be familiar with the little red tractor logo I suspect and that’s what we need to produce to in order to meet that tractor logo standard so nearly all the producers are working to those standards now, you can be confident that if it’s bearing that symbol then it’s responsibly produced these days.</blockquote><br />
Having got an outline of the way he cows were looked after, it was now time to turn our attention to the milk. BFTF first asked for a little introduction to how the market had changed from the days of the Milk Marketing Board,<br />
<blockquote>“It’s changed a lot since those days, the milk marketing board was a monopoly and was operated by the government since, well really since the 1930s and it was brought in to produce a stable market and a regular supply of wholesome milk and dairy products. It was brought in for a good reason but these days monopolies are not really the thing that any government supports, that’s not a party political statement, any government would work against a monopoly I think, and so the market was deregulated and nowadays there’s lots of people and lots of companies buying milk from dairy farmers and processing it and selling it on to the supermarkets, but supermarkets are making up probably something in excess of 80% of the market place now. They sell retail most of the milk and dairy products so it’s a slightly out of balance market I think, we’ve got four or five big supermarkets buying all of the milk from thousands and thousands of small farms and unfortunately that does have an impact on the dairy farmer. It’s very difficult to negotiate a good price with such a big organisation like that.”</blockquote><br />
Moving to a sustainability point of view, BFTF asked how comsumers could support dairy farmers in such an unfair market? <br />
<blockquote>“The biggest thing you can do is vote with your feet, or at least with your purse anyway. If you’re buying liquid milk then it’s nearly certainly to come from British farms because it’s very difficult to transport it very far, but you can make a big difference when you’re buying yoghurts and cheeses and things like that and if you make sure that those are British produced and they’re either carrying the little red tractor logo or they say on the label that they’re produced in Britain from British milk then that makes a difference and sends a message to the supermarket because ultimately what the supermarket wants is to sell products, they don’t actually care very much whether it comes from Brazil or Venezuela or New Zealand or England.”</blockquote><br />
Andy felt that this kind of action really did make a difference, saying that <br />
<blockquote>“at the end of the day I think what the supermarket is most interested in is what goes through the till at the checkout - They don’t care what you buy as long as you buy so Buy British “</blockquote><br />
Touching on another topical...er....topic, BFTF asked about organic milk and it's alleged benefits, <br />
<blockquote>“Of course. Well organic is another farming system and it’s a strictly regulated farming system, there’s a rule book that goes with it and the result of the rules that are applied to farmers means that output from farms is generally lower than it would be under conventional techniques and therefore produces a more expensive product at the end of the day. Now we’re not organic and we’re farming in a way which we believe is environmentally responsible and the welfare of our animals is very high on our list of priorities so I think ultimately it all depends on why a consumer or a buyer wants to buy organic products. If they’re buying them for environmental or welfare reasons well I personally don’t believe that organic milk is any better than my own. My milk is wholesome, there’s no antibiotics in the milk that we sell ... no residues or anything like that and it’s a wholesome product, but at the end of the day it’s up to the choice of the consumer isn’t it. If they want a product that’s produced in a particular way and they understand what those rules mean then I think they can buy that product, it’s a free market isn’t it?</blockquote><br />
And what is Andy's view about "Food Miles"?<br />
<blockquote>“Food miles really don’t work do they if you’re going to import an organic product all over the world especially if it’s something that can be produced perfectly well in this country. It’s different if you’re importing mangoes or something that doesn’t grow here, but if we’re talking about milk and cheese really it should be produced here shouldn’t it? My own feeling, we don’t buy organic products ourselves because we’re consumers of course as well, we don’t buy organic products because I don’t really feel that they’re better than the conventionally produced products.”</blockquote><br />
Moving to something completely different, BFTF asked Andy to tell us a little more about the history of the farm. Andy began his response by explaining how things were before the war,<br />
<blockquote>“there were four or five people working here still using horses on the land, they had dairy cows actually, we’ve always had dairy cows as long as the family’s been farming here but back before the war there was about 20 dairy cows on this farm and they also had beef and sheep and goats and geese and all sorts of things, a real Old McDonald sort of thing. And over the years it’s gradually specialised more and more in what it does best really. The soils and the climate that we’ve got here suits dairy farming quite well and is less appropriate for arable farming and producing potatoes and that kind of thing. The soil is a heavy clay so you can imagine that trying to dig root crops up in a wet autumn.”<br />
</blockquote><br />
Andy then went on to tell us about how the amount of milk produced by the cows had changed. . .<br />
<blockquote>"Before the war they were producing maybe 3,000 litres per cow and now they average nearly 8,000 litres per cow, so a dramatic difference and a lot of that probably in the last 20 years, that’s the biggest change. Farmers have been able to understand genetics as well much better and breed for better cows. We’re not talking about genetically modified cows this is natural breeding and natural selection. And then there’s technology and being able to feed these cows. A cow producing 8,000 litres of milk is really working like an athlete, she’s working hard, and it’s the technology that has allowed us to feed the cows properly and analyse the nutrients that are in her diet and that kind of thing and you can make an analogy with an athlete maybe, say, Paula Radcliffe running a marathon, she doesn’t do it on fish and chips and Mars bars, she has a very carefully controlled diet and our cows are much the same these days. Cows are much easier than people they don’t like variety, they like the same thing every day so that makes life a bit easier.</blockquote><br />
BFTF then asked about the lifespan of the cows and were told that. . . <br />
<blockquote>“Well it varies of course. The oldest cow I ever heard of was 27 years old. We’ve got several teenagers in the herd, that’s not unusual at all. So they have a calf each year and they need to have a calf in order to produce milk, just like any mammal, so as long as we can still have a calf and we can produce wholesome milk from the cow then we’ll keep her in the herd and keep going. That’s one of the nice things about dairy farming actually because you get a real relationship with the cows. It’s 100 cows and to the untrained eye they all look the same but we get to know the characters and we know who each cow is and how she’s going to behave and what she’s going to do so it’s quite nice to build the relationship with the herd like that."</blockquote><br />
Calves was something that BFTF wanted to know a little more about so we asked for a little more info. . <br />
<blockquote>“They stay with their mums for the first two or three days I guess on this farm until they’ve had their first milk that gives them all the antibodies and things to set up their immune system and by that time by the third day mum’s producing a lot more milk than the calf needs so we take mum away at that point and she joins the herd she’ll come back to the calf at night time and look after the calf at night maybe for the rest of that week. At the end of the week we take the cow away, she’ll go back to the herd and we’ll start feeding the calf milk manually. It’s still whole milk, it’s coming from the cows but it’s maybe not her mum’s milk, it’s just surplus milk from the milking herd and the cow joins the rest of the herd and they’re gregarious animals so they’d rather be with the herd than just on their own."</blockquote><br />
We had head a lot about the work farmers do to protect the environment so BFTF asked whether his work with LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming) was related to this?<br />
<blockquote>“We’re all the time with every farming decision we’re not just thinking about the commercial aspects of the business, those are the principal influences because we have to make a living, but we try at the same time to consider the implications for the environment and society around us all at the same time. The result of that is the careful management of hedgerows and the margins around our field, which is where most of the wildlife and wildflowers tend to live. It influences the way we manage those parts of the farm and the net result is quite dramatic, we’ve got I think 67 species of bird visiting our farm. We’re not a big farm we’re 200 acres, which is a relatively small farm but 67 species of bird on the farm and something like 23 butterfly species as well. It’s quite gratifying to see that thriving at the same time as our commercial farming operation."</blockquote><br />
This all sounded very impressive so BFTF asked how this compared to an ordinary farm? <br />
<blockquote>“I think that’s a little bit higher than you’d expect on some farms. I think certainly in the East Midlands most of the farms are much larger than ours and most of them actually don’t have livestock on them, they’re arable farms and so that limits the amount of habitat and the variety of habitat that you have on a farm. With a livestock farm like ours we do grow crops so you get all of the bird species and insect species that live in crop habitat but we’ve also got the grassland, we’ve got red clover growing on the farm and lots of other opportunities in the hedgerows and trees and that kind of thing, so we do get a bigger variety on a farm like ours than you would on a specialist arable farm.”</blockquote><br />
Lastly, BFTF asked for a little more information about the types of visitors they had had on the farm, <br />
<blockquote>“We’re open all year round, it’s absolutely free. As long as you can get a group, we’d like to have a minimum of ten people, that sort of thing. No maximum, so if all your listeners want to come they might have to come in shifts but we’ll share them all round. We’ve had a huge variety of people. We get everybody from the W.I. and the local primary schools, to a bunch of bishops from all around the world. They were in sandals and all sorts of things. It was quite bizarre! You’re very welcome to visit us and you can find out more from the LEAF website (<a href="www.leafuk.org">www.leafuk.org</a>).”</blockquote><br />
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<u><b>Spring Lane Farm Shop (2008)</u></b><br/><br/>
One way of reducing the amount of fossil fuels that are used in transporting fod produce is to buy fruit and vegetable that are grown locally. In fact, wouldn’t it be great if we all had a local farm from which we could buy fresh vegetables – ideally so fresh that sometimes they were only picked from the fields a few hours earlier? Wouldn’t it be even better if this produce was cheaper that buying from supermarkets? And wouldn’t it be the best if this allowed us to offer farmers an alternative to selling their produce to the powerful supermarket chains?<br />
<br />
Happily, many of us can do exactly this by buying from “farm shops”. These are shops that often sell produce from an attached farm, or provide an outlet to a number of local farmers. You can find them in the yellow pages, or on the internet.<br />
<br />
To find out more about Farm Shops, BFTF interviewed Mark Spencer, who is the owner of the “<a href="http://www.springlanefarmshop.co.uk/index.php">Spring Lane Farm Shop</a>” in Nottingham. <br />
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<br />
One of the attractions of Spring Lane Farm shop was the free range eggs that they offered. We asked Mark about the ethos that he had regarding the treatment of the chickens laying these eggs. . .<br />
<br />
<blockquote>“At the end of the day you know I think to be a farmer you have to love animals don’t you, and we just really treat our animals as we think they’d like to be treated. . . it’s our responsibility to look after them and to make sure their life is as enjoyable as it can be”</blockquote><br />
Mark went on to describe the conditions that the chickens lived under. . .<br />
<blockquote>“Basically there’s a thousand chickens in one shed and when I tell you that shed is actually on wheels. At night time we lock them in so that they’re safe from foxes, and then they’re let out every morning. They’re fed a diet pretty much of solely cereal based food. We also feed them a little bit of like a granite grit, which assists with their digestive system and helps them break down the food to give a stronger egg shell, and then once a year we sort of move (the shed) across the field because they actually graze the grass all around the shed immediately, they can strip that part of the field almost back to the soil so we move the shed a bit further, so that they’re again surrounded by grass and we can then reseed the bit where the shed was and keep them moving like that. They’ve got five acres to walk in. That’s actually twice what they’re meant to have under the Soil Association free range egg rules if you like. It just happened that was the size of the field that we’ve got so they’ve got five acres for a thousand chickens to walk round in, and they do actually make use of all of that field. It’s quite humorous to watch them, when you let them out in the morning they’ll literally spread themselves right across that field to all four corners. There is a lot of space for them to walk round. The expression ‘pecking order’ is very much applied to chickens and they will fight if you keep them too close together, that they bully each other and they’ll fight over food so the more space you can give them the more room you give to their, to the chickens if you like at the bottom of the pecking order to escape their bullies. There are strict rules for egg production and if you label your egg as free range you have to have met those criteria. They have to have so many square metres per chicken to range in, and also the sheds have to have so much room for the birds to sleep in at night and to, and so much space for each nest box as well, so any of those eggs that are for sale in the supermarket will meet the strict criteria but they may have been produced on a larger scale, in a shed that maybe has 20,000 birds in it rather than a shed like mine that’s got 1,000."</blockquote><br />
After this fascinating snippet of information, BFTF went on to ask about the pricing and freshness of his eggs. . . <br />
<blockquote>Well if I were producing for a supermarket they’d probably be paying me between 60 and 80 pence a dozen. So I think at the moment our large in the shop are £1.40 a dozen, which is obviously cheaper than the supermarket sell them for, but that’s obviously a much bigger premium to me as a producer, and I mean at the moment we’re pretty much running hand to mouth with the eggs. Certainly at the weekend we’re selling the eggs collected on that day. Some of them are still warm as they’re going into the boxes”</blockquote><br />
BFTF had heard that Spring Lane Farm Shop even took returned egg boxes and reused them, again cutting down on the environmental impact of the farm:<br />
<blockquote>“We do, we have to buy them so we’re always grateful for anybody that brings the egg boxes back. The ones that we sell obviously are all papier mâché biodegradable, but there’s no harm in recycling the egg boxes and using them again and we appreciate those customers that take the trouble to bring them back”</blockquote><br />
Mark then talked about the differences between British and foreign eggs. . <br />
<blockquote>“I would say is that those eggs produced in the UK will be of higher quality than those that you buy that were imported. You’d be astounded at the amount of food in general that is imported into this country, and shipped from all over Europe and, particularly Eastern Europe now as the EU gets bigger, a lot of food products coming from Eastern Europe."</blockquote><br />
Moving on to the vegetable side of the operation, Mark gave an outline of the produce that the ho pstocked:<br />
<blockquote>“ Well at the moment we’re producing all of the potatoes that go through the shop as well as quite a few cauliflowers, brussels sprouts, broccoli, and my next door neighbour he’s doing all the carrots, parsnips, leeks and some cabbage for us as well. There’s a fair spread of vegetables there which are grown within three miles of the shop I would have thought."</blockquote><br />
Homing in on potatoes, we mentioned that the potatoes from the shop seemed to be cheaper and better tasting that those of supermarkets – and allowed us to support the local farmers. . <br />
<blockquote>"Well, it’s very kind of you to say that. We do grow varieties that are better in taste than looks. Maybe some of the supermarkets do focus on how good they look on the shelves rather than how nice they taste on the plate. We’ve tended to stick to the older varieties that we think are better tasting, and our customers have got used to."<br />
</blockquote>We asked Mark about this policy on use of pesticides, given the current popularity of organic produce. . .<br />
<blockquote>“The truth is chemicals are very expensive and we really don’t like to use anything that we haven’t got to use and if there are other methods of weed control for example, doing that mechanically, we much prefer to do that than we would use a chemical to kill weeds. And again obviously I’ve got children myself and they’re eating the vegetables I’m growing, so it’s quite important to us that they’re the best quality that we can produce. We don’t do organic ourselves, but I think there is a market out there for organic produce. You do get a much lower yield (with organic produce) and it’s whether the consumer is willing to pay the extra price for receiving food that’s not produced using any chemicals, and again that’ll be right for some people but not for others. That’s for consumers I suppose to choose isn’t it. We very much try and grow it with the minimum use of pesticides that we can, but we do use pesticides.</blockquote><br />
BFTF asked Mark about so-called “food miles” and what he thought of them . . <br />
<blockquote>“It’s becoming more of an issue, certainly, when you think about the environment, and environmental schemes. I always think it’s quite strange that this government want to pay me to plant trees and hedgerows and to take grass out of production so I don’t have as much beef, but they then allow Brazilian farmers for example to take up the rainforests and then to spend aviation fuel shipping beef over to this country. We’re very keen to source everything as locally as we can if we can’t do it ourselves, not only from a point of view of the distances travelled, but the nearer (the farm) is to the shop the fresher the produce becomes, and the taste, of course, is depreciating the longer it is since they were picked.”</blockquote><br />
We then asked Mark about his feelings about supermarkets, particularly as they have such a large market share and have been accused of bullying farmers. We wanted to know if he had seen any benefits to working outside the supermarket system?<br />
<blockquote>“We don’t produce anything for supermarkets at all. They tend to deal with much larger farmers than ourselves and we wouldn’t be able to compete, it wouldn’t be economic for us to grow the produce we do and to accept what they’d be willing to pay us. Really you ought to speak to someone who is producing for a supermarket. I suppose they’re a business and they’re there to make money, but it sometimes feels as though they like to squeeze every last penny out of the producer and take the largest margin that they can. Of course some of these producers have put in a lot of capital to get their businesses to a size that’s viable, and they’ve borrowed a large amount of money, they’re almost trapped because they can’t go to another supermarket because there are clauses in the contracts that stop them dealing with other people, so they (supermarkets) do have tremendous power."</blockquote><br />
We asked Mark what his advice to consumers would be in terms of where they bought their produce from. . .<br />
<blockquote>“The one thing I would say to all consumers really is that they should think long and hard where they source their food from and if they go to a supermarket then ask that supermarket where the food is coming from. Is it produced in the UK and how far has it come from? What they purchase has a direct impact on the countryside around them."</blockquote><br />
Finally, Mark gave a comment that brought home the human dimension of farm shops as opposed to supermarkets when he said:<br />
<blockquote>“That’s the beauty of going to a farm shop in that you often get to speak to the chap that’s grown the produce.”</blockquote><br />
BFTF certainly learnt a lot from Mark’s comments and we hope that you, dear reader, have also found something of interest in his comments.<br />
<br />
<b><u>Be a “Locavore”</u></b><br />
In a similar vein to some of the points mentioned in Marks comments, the “New Scientist” magazine recently ran an article on being a “locavore”. Far from being some kind of extinct retile, “locavore” is a term coined up some two years ago by Californian Jessica Prentice (author of Full Moon Feast: Food and the Hunger for Connection). She and some friends decided to only spend a month only eating food that had produced within 100 miles of San Francisco. On her website she challenged others to do the same. Many took up the challenge and some are still going!<br />
In fact, eating only locally produced produce has become so popular that “locavore” was voted Word of the Year by the New Oxford American Dictionary. <br />
The New Scientist articles looked at the reductions in a persons “carbon footprint” that could be achieved by eating locally produced food and found that Western Europeans are each responsible for emitting around 12 tonnes of CO2 per year. Of this flying contributes about 1.6tonnes (showing how a few hours at 30,000ft can have a disproportionate effect on one “footprint”) while food accounts for about 2 tonnes.<br />
<br />
The CO2 contribution from food comes not just from its transport but also from its growing (manufacture of pesticides, heating of greenhouses etc) and processing (converting lettuces into bags of “salad leaves” etc).<br />
<br />
Eating only food that was grown locally and not processed or packaged saved around 0.7tonnes of CO2 from being released into the atmosphere.<br />
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Opting for locally grown organic produce (or going vegan) can save another tonne or so. So just by changing the way you buy your food you can reduce your carbon footprint by OVER 80% !! Now, that’s what I call an incentive!<br />
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<br />
Interview kindly transcribed by Ali Marsden.<br />
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<u><b>Interview - Ben Ayeliffe - Greenpeace (2006)</u></b><br/><br/>
One of BFTF's earliest interviews was with Ben Ayeliffe from Greenpeace back in 2006. With much of what Ben said being as relevant today as it was then, it seems like a good idea to put it online here on the blog. . . <br />
One of the topics covered early on was the effect that small individual actions can have, when they are performed by lots of people. Ben gave the example of GM food, saying. . <br />
<blockquote>“In the past I’ve also worked on the GM foods campaign and I think that more than anything else was an example of consumer power really and here we had a technology which was unproved it was untested. In Greenpeace’s view it was playing with nature at a very fundamental level and we had these big powerful American companies telling us we were going to eat this food, we were going to enjoy it , we were going to like it and there was nothing we could about it and yet almost overnight as soon as shoppers and consumer around the country really realised what was going on and said hang on we don’t want GM foods, the supermarkets reacted overnight and pulled GM from the shelves and that was in 1998 and today you can go to a supermarket and you won’t find any GM foods and yet you know, supermarkets are full of organic foods which Greenpeace believe is a decent alternative so that was a cracking example if you like of just how strong consumers can be.”<br />
</blockquote>BFTF dug a little deeper into this area by asking how many letters, emails etc it typically took for the head office of a company to start getting nervous. In response, Ben commented that . . . <br />
<blockquote>“I think actually it’s a lot less than your average person on the street might think. I would say that every little counts. I remember that we heard sort of off the record from one of the big retailers that for every letter that they receive from a customer on an issue they consider that there are another 1,000 people out there who feel the same way but haven’t taken the time to write so it might sound a mundane thing to do, and a slightly pointless thing to do but believe you me, the <a href="http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/tags/successes">effect</a> of people badgering supermarkets and companies in general really is phenomenal they don’t like having to justify their positions which many you know positions which people might find unpleasant or wrong to the people that shop in their stores.”<br />
</blockquote>This is certainly valuable information and BFTF hopes that it gives people the confidence to challenge retailers (and other organisations for that matter) if they are not acting in an ethical manner.<br />
Moving on, the interview next tackled the subject of fish, asking Ben’s opinion on fish that had been caught long distances from the UK. His feeling was that . . . <br />
<blockquote>“Really I think it’s quite simple you should really only buy locally caught fish and if it doesn’t say where it was caught on the label you should ask the retailer, and if they can’t tell you then the chances are that it’s come from half way around the world, it’s been flown over at great cost and. . . that does have a big impact on the environment.”<br />
</blockquote>Another topic that gets a lot of coverage is that of sustainably sourced paper, so BFTF asked Ben for an overview about why should we care where books and stationery and printer paper is made? <br />
<blockquote>“I think people really should care because paper grows on trees really and the paper that you buy, and the newspapers or the books that you buy, the paper will more often than not come from forests which are again a bit like fish, really under threat and we’ve seen that 80% of the world’s natural forests have been completely destroyed and the remaining 20% are under threat from industrial, and in many cases illegal, logging. Certainly in paper you find that an awful lot of the original source of this paper, the wood pulp, comes from areas like <a href="http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/media/reports/finland-forest-crime-file">Finland </a>and Finland has the last remaining natural European woodlands and this is really … it’s completely devastated up there, it’s massively under threat from illegal logging. The Finnish government is heavily involved in the industry and they’re making a lot of money by throwing up saw mills, they’re in conflict with the local Sámi people who herd reindeer in these snow forests, and a lot of the time this paper will end up here in the UK and what Greenpeace has been doing is saying to the industry well look, this is crazy, you have to get a more responsible paper policy and what we’re encouraging them to do as Greenpeace is to stop buying paper which is sourced from threatened forests throughout the world, and buy FSC paper. The FSC is the <a href="http://www.fsc-uk.org/?page_id=11">Forests Stewardship Council</a>, and basically they can guarantee that the wood or the paper that you use comes from responsible and sustainably managed forests and they will be … these forests will be basically … they have a future … they’re not going to be completely logged out, so we think this is a sensible long term way to go about getting new paper, and we’ve been running a book campaign recently so we’ve had people like Quentin Blake on side spreading the word through the publishing industr … people like J K Rowling who wrote Harry Potter, has also joined the campaign … that the books that they write need to be printed on this FSC paper and FSC and recycled paper, the paper that has already been used. And this has had a really big impact and already we’re seeing about a third of the UK publishing industry has agreed to go FSC, which is great news. “<br />
</blockquote>BFTF felt that this was fantastic news, to which Ben said . . .<br />
<blockquote>“It really is. And again it’s down to the fact that your average person in the street doesn’t want their paper or the book that they read at bedtime to come from trashed rainforests.” <br />
</blockquote>Ben also reinterated his earlier message about individual action by saying . . . <br />
<blockquote>"We’ve seen the Amazon up in smoke, the paradise forests of South East Asia are being felled to make plywood which is sold here in the UK which is sickening really, it’s stuff that makes advertising hoardings, and again I’ve said this before, consumers really will be amazed at the power that they have over the companies involved in this trade; they don’t like to be associated with illegal destruction of rainforests and people can vote with their wallets, they can stop shopping at certain DIY shops say, or at certain bookstores, and that has a really big impact. . . I think there’s a great deal to be said for kicking up a fuss and asking questions in these sort of places because it really puts companies on the spot.”<br />
</blockquote>One tactic that BFTF had heard some companies were adopting was to gain certification to the ISO14001 environmental standard (which does not actually mandate any specific environmental policies) and then use this as “evidence” that they were acting in a sustainable manner. BFTF asked Ben for his views on this, particularly in relation to paper producers such as <a href="http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/blog/forests/app-rehomes-tiger-after-cutting-down-its-forest-home-20110802">APP</a>. . <br />
<blockquote>“Again this is the thing, you speak to people like APP and they’ll tell you that it’s legal and sustainable, well their view of legal and sustainable I think would be very different from the average person’s view of what is legal and what is sustainable. Beyond people like APP we’ve seen within the timber industry that things like illegality, corruption, violence, human rights abuses is rampant really, and because of that we, Greenpeace say that the only way that you can be sure that you’re getting wood or paper that is legal and sustainable is to look for the FSC logo and demand that from whoever you buy your flooring from, your garden furniture, your books, anything like that, because otherwise these very shady timber companies do have a rather different view of what you or I might think of as legal and sustainable, and for instance we did an exposé recently on a company big Malaysian logging company operating in Papua New Guinea, and whilst they were telling people in the UK who were buying their timber to make plywood that it was completely legal, we actually went out and sent researchers out into Papua New Guinea, and found that they were paying the local police force to beat up people … when they said they managed the forest, what they meant was that they were sending bulldozers in, so what a logging company thinks of as sustainable isn’t always really sustainable, so look for the FSC logo"<br />
</blockquote>Taking a wider perspective, the interview now looked at some the other places the Ben had worked . . .<br />
<blockquote>“Certainly I was in … a few years ago I was in southern Tanzania which is quite a strong Muslim areas within Tanzania, and we were doing some research on fisheries, and I was amazed at the fact that these communities have been here for hundreds of years and manage to live in a relationship with the natural environment that we just don’t do here and it was a real eye opener to see how these fishermen would go out and they’d bring in huge hauls of fish but they wouldn’t completely kill off the fish in that local area, they would do it in a responsible and sustainable sort of way, and I’ve been lucky enough to go to places like South East Asia with Greenpeace and I’m always amazed, certainly going to places like South East Asia, at the vibrancy and the passion of local non Greenpeace groups out there who do care very passionately about the same sort of issues that we do, so be it illegal logging or genetically modified foods, that passion is out there. I think where we’re lucky here in the UK is that we actually have quite a well developed consumer and activist network which is perhaps missing from those areas, but that’s not to say that the people don’t care as passionately as we do, because I think they certainly do"</blockquote>Having talked earlier about individual action being a way to influence governments, the interview now moved on to asking whether individual action could also influence governments . . .<br />
<blockquote>“I think it does work and what I would say is keep your eye out for stuff that Greenpeace does because we do quite regularly ask people from around the world to act on a specific issue, so be it say write to the president of Thailand say on a certain issue, we can generate thousands and thousands of letters and emails. . . .I think Indonesia is a good example and we highlighted, I think it was in 2004, how again it was shockingly enough it was timber that had been illegally logged out of Indonesia that was coming to the UK as plywood so we got on the backs of the industry here in the UK, we got on the backs of the government here in the UK and told them to send a message to the logging industry and the government in Indonesia that what they were doing was not acceptable, and now you can see that the, certainly from speaking to people in the timber industry here in the UK, that the way that the Indonesians are operating is different, there’s a notable difference in the way they operate with regards to the legality and to going towards FSC say, and this is all down to the fact that people here in the UK and around Europe and around the world took the time and the effort to get involved in the activity so that Greenpeace and other campaigning organisations had on this issue so every little does help.”</blockquote><br />
It’s worth mentioning that this interview was recorded back in 2006, and the overall status of the wood and fishing industries may have changed since then. You can get up to date by visiting <a href="www.greenpeace.org.uk">www.greenpeace.org.uk</a><br />
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<u><b>Dec 2011 : Jane Burd from Greenpeace Notts</u></b><br/><br/>
BFTF was chuffed to have the opportunity to interview Jane Burd from the Nottingham branch of Greenpeace recently.<br />
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Starting, helpfully, at the beginning, BFTF asked Jane to give a short introduction to <a href="http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/">Greenpeace</a>. She responded by explaining that the organisation had its origins in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenpeace#Origins">1971</a> when anti-nuclear protestors campaigned against the underwater nuclear tests in Alaska, which they feared would cause a tsunami due to the geologically instabilities in the area. Initially called the “Don’t Make a Wave Committee” the protestors chartered a ship which they named “Greenpeace” and sailed towards the site of the test. Although they were turned back by the US Coast Guard, and were unable to prevent the test, the resulting publicity was critical of the US and caused further tests in the areas to be cancelled. Soon after, “Don’t make a Wave” officially changed their name to Greenpeace. Since then the organisation has grown into a world-wide organisation campaigning on global issues. The Greenpeace website describes their vision as “a green and peaceful world - an earth that is ecologically healthy and able to nurture life in all its diversity.”<br />
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Describing the essence of the problem that they are combating, the Greenpeace website states that<br />
</span></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><blockquote class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">“Until now, modern governments and businesses have treated the Earth as a commodity to be exploited and used up to serve human needs and desires. Our whole economic system is built on the belief that a thing is only of value if it creates money. By these standards a forest is worthless unless it is cut down and sold. When economists balance the books, they don't take into account the value of the work that forests do to provide rainfall, regulate the climate and provide habitat for most of the world's plants and animals, not to mention food and shelter for millions of local people.”</blockquote><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">To combat this view of the world, this Greenpeace is active in a number of key areas:<br />
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Climate : We're working to replace our hugely inefficient and carbon polluting energy system with a clean energy one so that our air will be clean and our climate will be stable and healthy. <br />
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Forests : We're working to protect the world's ancient forests and the plants, animals and peoples that depend on them. <br />
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Oceans : We want oceans that are protected and full of abundant, healthy marine life; oceans that are carefully managed, and sustainable fishing practices that don't put marine species at risk. <br />
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A Peaceful world : Governments and industry around the world must ensure that the Earth's finite resources are shared fairly, so people have what they need to live peacefully. That way there is simply no need to fight over dwindling food, gas, oil, and water, or to develop weapons of mass destruction. We tackle the root causes of global insecurity and promote a vision of green development which is vital for living peacefully on a finite planet. Read more about how we're promoting peace.<br />
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Jane also provided some information on the Nottingham branch of Greenpeace. She explained that it comprised about a dozen people, all volunteers, who spent a few hours a month campaigning, often by manning a stall in the city centre. The organisation tends to deal with one campaign at a time.<br />
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BFTF asked Jane how she had become involved in this kind of activism. She explained that when she had her first child, some 20yrs ago, she began to take a keener interest in the kind of world that they would be growing up in. Living in the North East at the time, she became aware that fishermen on the East coast were landing fish that were often diseased and contained tumours. The fishermen would then ship the fish to the West coast for sale, where people were less aware of the poor shape that the fish were in.<br />
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At the same time, fishermen on the West coast were catching fish that were radioactive (due to discharged from nuclear installations) and were shipping them to the East coast for sale (again, because the customers there were less aware of the radioactive nature of the fish.).<br />
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Becoming very unhappy with this situation, Jane happened to meet a Greenpeace campaigner on the street, a chance encounter that was the start of her involvement with the organisation. <br />
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Moving on to the subject of the UK fisheries (sustainably sourced fish being a recurring theme in this blog (see<a href="http://bftfblog.blogspot.com/2011/02/fish-delish.html">here</a> and <a href="http://bftfblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/new-research-on-cod-stocks-in-grand.html">here</a> ), BFTF asked Jane about the state of fish stocks around the UK.<br />
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Jane responded by saying that fish stocks around the UK were under severe pressure and, at current rates, would soon be severely depleted. A big part of the problem is that the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Fisheries_Policy">Common Fisheries Policy</a> (see also<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-14143606"> here</a>) is too vulnerable to lobbying from countries such as Spain, which has a <a href="http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/blog/oceans/notorious-spanish-fishing-baron-finally-brought-justice-20111129">very large fishing fleet</a>. The policy is set every ten years, the next review being in 2013) <br />
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In terms of what people should buy, Jane acknowledged that <a href="http://www.msc.org/">MSC</a> certified fish was a valuable step forward but pointed out that Greenpeace was interested in achieving change for all fishing grounds, not just the MSC certified ones. A visit to the Greenpeace website reveals that the organisation would like to see an end to the very destructive practice of <a href="http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/blog/oceans/deep-sea-destruction-funded-european-taxpayers-20111019">bottom trawling</a> as well as reform of the current rules to end the practice of discarding unwanted fish (more about that later). Some measure of the damage that is being can be seen by the comments of The UN Secretary General in 2006 that 95 percent of damage to seamount ecosystems worldwide is caused by deep sea bottom trawling.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bottom Trawling can wreck my environment, please buy your fish with care!</td></tr>
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A guide to lobbying your MP and MEP can be found <a href="http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/groups/edinburgh-d%C3%B9n-%C3%A8ideann/blog/your-ocean-action-urgently-needed-save-lives">here</a>.<br />
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To this end, and to BFTF’s utter surprise, Jane praised the current fisheries minister, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Benyon">Richard Benyon</a>, saying that he <a href="http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/2011/07/13/cfp-reform/">genuinely committed</a> to introducing sustainable fishing practices in Europe.<br />
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Jane also recommended “<a href="http://www.fishfight.net/">Hugh’s Fish Fight</a>”, a campaign being run by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall to reduce the levels of fish <a href="http://www.fishfight.net/the-campaign/">discarding</a> by European fishing vessels. As Hugh explains, <br />
“Around half of the fish caught by fishermen in the North Sea are unnecessarily thrown back into the ocean dead. The problem is that in a mixed fishery where many different fish live together, fishermen cannot control the species that they catch. Fishing for one species often means catching another, and if people don’t want them or fishermen are not allowed to land them, the only option is to throw them overboard. The vast majority of these discarded fish will die. The EU estimates that in the North Sea, discards are between 40% and 60% of the total catch. Many of these fish are species that have fallen out of fashion: we can help to prevent their discard just by rediscovering our taste for them.Fishermen are not allowed to land any over-quota fish; if they accidentally catch them – which they can’t help but do - there is no choice but to throw them overboard before they reach the docks”<br />
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If you visit the website you can sign up for the campaign and add your name to the letter that will be sent to Commissioner Damanaki, Members of the European Parliament and all member state governments, asking them to use their influence to stop the unacceptable practice of throwing discards away. Hugh points out that the large numbers of people who have already emailed their MPs to protest about discards has resulted in the issue being debated in the Houses of Parliament and funding being provided for a six month study into what would happen if a discard ban was introduced. <br />
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The discussion now moved onto electricity, specifically renewable energy generation. BFTF asked Jane what kind of renewable could fill the gap that will soon be left by the large number of coal and nuclear power stations that are scheduled to be closed down in the next few years. Jane suggested that wind power was the most mature of the available technologies and pointed out that off-shore wind farms had a number of advantages, including higher wind speeds, no “NIMBY” issues and the ability to build large “farms” of windturbines. <br />
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Gobsmackingly, Jane said that Denmark generates a full 20% of its electricity from wind-power (see <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_power_in_Denmark">here</a>), so it is clear that wind can form a significant part of the energy mix. To take just one example of what Denmark has been up to, let's look at the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nysted_Wind_Farm">Rødsand I</a> windfarm, built in 2003, with 72 turbines and a total capacity of 166 MW. Annual production is some 570 GW•h. Interestingly, this suggests that the widnfarm operates at some 39% of its theoretical capacity, well above the 15-20% that <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_power_in_Germany">Germany</a> achieves with its largely land based wind generating capacity<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Danish attempt to make the worlds largest "Battleship" grid was going well</td></tr>
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For an outline of worldwide energy production, get clicky <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_energy_consumption">here</a>.<br />
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Penultimately, BFTF asked Jane about lobbying MP’s or companies to encourage them to change their practices (for example, as shown here, here and here). Jane commented that her experience was that MP’s still valued a crafted letter (as opposed to a copy-and-paste letter) above emails and other communications and explained that people could find the contact details for their MP’s at <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.theyworkforyou.com">www.theyworkforyou.com</a><br />
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Jane also described how companies can change their policies very quickly indeed when they feel their reputations are under threat and that the publicity surrounding Greenpeace campaigns could sometimes be the catalyst to make this happen.<br />
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Lastly, as with all BFTF guests, Jane was asked what she thought was the best thing about living in the UK.<br />
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Her answer was instant and decisive ; “Tea, I’ve been to other countries around the world and in none of them was I able to get a cup of tea as good as it is made here.”<br />
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And who could disagree with that?<br />
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To find out more about what Greenpeace is doing in Nottingham, you can email them at greenpeacenotts@gmail.com<br />
<br />
</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3010474775078886324.post-38839988490572746262017-11-12T10:34:00.002-08:002019-07-10T14:57:37.307-07:00Arty Stuff <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
Various art related posts, brought together into one place. <br/><br/>
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Jul 2019 : Had a look in the Art Gallery in <a href="https://www.wymondhamtowncouncil.org/gallery">Wynmondham</a>, Norfolk and found an exhibition of textiles, photgraphy and art by Yr 11-13 students at Wynmondham High Academy. Was hugely impressed with their skill and imagination, a lot of interesting and thought provoking work. Wynmondham High Academy have kindly given permission for the images below to appear on this blog. BFTF wishes all the students well in the future! <br/><br/>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Artist : Annie Elliot </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Artist : Chloe Littlewood</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWqsGJIbeIRi5-8RRwUg5rrcbjWkQH_Q6DDDULwqLBhsF7U-VIlNRrdyh10-HTKLLEkWO5g9S8OGmAiDRwjiMKNGVuuQX44DkMw3lFN_HC99C2eNGdDg_ItCAFwXzs96LoaS4eAu0x1Nq_/s1600/ciaranobrien.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="703" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWqsGJIbeIRi5-8RRwUg5rrcbjWkQH_Q6DDDULwqLBhsF7U-VIlNRrdyh10-HTKLLEkWO5g9S8OGmAiDRwjiMKNGVuuQX44DkMw3lFN_HC99C2eNGdDg_ItCAFwXzs96LoaS4eAu0x1Nq_/s320/ciaranobrien.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Artist : Ciaran O'Brien</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4hAwyN_VLwy29JcGzu23xAhOEM4zK5giwFyt0FXM_oruKqW9VlobAQLbOEm30MjYJeLY1f08OB8S2Mcz5v4U3KvKehhAXgO3bjWZ7m1ZHFB2sMQn8DEBnAohFQOyB8P9viIDy5e97oTmg/s1600/kerikennett.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="686" data-original-width="509" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4hAwyN_VLwy29JcGzu23xAhOEM4zK5giwFyt0FXM_oruKqW9VlobAQLbOEm30MjYJeLY1f08OB8S2Mcz5v4U3KvKehhAXgO3bjWZ7m1ZHFB2sMQn8DEBnAohFQOyB8P9viIDy5e97oTmg/s320/kerikennett.JPG" width="237" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Artist : Keri Kennett</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiaEyWNix3gCCSHhd_w_i12-z2Ee8jF3I3wkMA3s2qSmm-qRvJXAEBHrYRuKkR-prdFJBU7bc4UoGNj_bFqBHqLHXnteULomKV8zH6Nd7pXz8HtNMarbLSbsj0Iqd9pWkaAy1aJpuShcz6/s1600/scarletsmith.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="685" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiaEyWNix3gCCSHhd_w_i12-z2Ee8jF3I3wkMA3s2qSmm-qRvJXAEBHrYRuKkR-prdFJBU7bc4UoGNj_bFqBHqLHXnteULomKV8zH6Nd7pXz8HtNMarbLSbsj0Iqd9pWkaAy1aJpuShcz6/s320/scarletsmith.JPG" width="233" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Artist : Scarlet Smith</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Rather liked these murals at the shopping centre in Luton<br/>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVul-sz8UcAuHPiAJQno64LjWypVvuYcuSjbc5fg9qX4fI9k5We0bPmOgc_-WXQC_IAmCTuAHRyEihPcEQC54pDWSXi7tqqRqdZsbL8R1knxyRpbZb_eDxNK8wSA6OvXlKXVNQFxjp3zTw/s1600/mario1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="1224" height="98" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVul-sz8UcAuHPiAJQno64LjWypVvuYcuSjbc5fg9qX4fI9k5We0bPmOgc_-WXQC_IAmCTuAHRyEihPcEQC54pDWSXi7tqqRqdZsbL8R1knxyRpbZb_eDxNK8wSA6OvXlKXVNQFxjp3zTw/s320/mario1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mural in Luton 1/2</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigT99UPKE2IgeqTQWeyLPg71l3sFNhy7jB-4ss6Wzh2rsrlYCPfFLv0KtPrOBzuTJ_EqTIm6HGxXKcWHGYyoFi7GwedQqs2pu8wDyt-U9aRp1tHxXn9ptnwi0KM9nUpr6PoWoPkwrBWnCi/s1600/mario2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="675" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigT99UPKE2IgeqTQWeyLPg71l3sFNhy7jB-4ss6Wzh2rsrlYCPfFLv0KtPrOBzuTJ_EqTIm6HGxXKcWHGYyoFi7GwedQqs2pu8wDyt-U9aRp1tHxXn9ptnwi0KM9nUpr6PoWoPkwrBWnCi/s320/mario2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mural in Luton 2/2</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Really liked this installation, entitled <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sentinel_%28sculpture%29">"Sentinel"</a> at Castle Bromwich, Birmingham - home to wartime Spitfire production.<br/><br/>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7HQt0QdPesGax_Xlj06vS81zKD09pdNBF6Aaw9ifiaAQBXhYi7uhPc9fWWh8sf9CRYnmWkTk_YF7YBdfJTGeY24TJxM5_eQa5kihnzQORw6pM0Gr_GlqQ6tnIZkLfa9JlDoU1its-Lwld/s1600/sentinel.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="402" data-original-width="641" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7HQt0QdPesGax_Xlj06vS81zKD09pdNBF6Aaw9ifiaAQBXhYi7uhPc9fWWh8sf9CRYnmWkTk_YF7YBdfJTGeY24TJxM5_eQa5kihnzQORw6pM0Gr_GlqQ6tnIZkLfa9JlDoU1its-Lwld/s320/sentinel.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Sentinel, Castle Bromwich, Birmingham</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table style="width: 100%" border="0"><tbody><tr><td></td><td style="background-color:#DE9FF9"> </td><td></td></tr></tbody></table><br/><br/>
Saw some artwork by Claes Gabriel recently - very interesting stuff. The picture below really doesn't really bring out that the little circles are like small domes in the surface. Check out his <a href="https://www.facebook.com/claes.gabriel.1">Facebook page</a>.
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNy5ZrmKSBe1HMKrL1hVRYseHc9HHfRZM5IUn6FWn2wZ_JaBEW1r1nB9L0H8ICHZQyAh4vF2Yq5NJI_flloIBVdw122PgOyGpAp4jU2MHO6UyECRNyTMKtWomNcxgSQyjnR1ryNZEnNaMb/s1600/claes1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="689" data-original-width="387" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNy5ZrmKSBe1HMKrL1hVRYseHc9HHfRZM5IUn6FWn2wZ_JaBEW1r1nB9L0H8ICHZQyAh4vF2Yq5NJI_flloIBVdw122PgOyGpAp4jU2MHO6UyECRNyTMKtWomNcxgSQyjnR1ryNZEnNaMb/s320/claes1.JPG" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Artwork by Claes Gabriel</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi91-QM7EWlNbKwCtev3qtQe26LfgbN5mBrN8CWNByzFQC4EdVrC0I-a30Hd0S9xPSUsklhxyNEeQbWjb91rVeSZhdgbY0nlQHm5tN14CHpbL0poOOib-4dof7ePVcryXM2QytZdLNna_Ji/s1600/claes+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="548" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi91-QM7EWlNbKwCtev3qtQe26LfgbN5mBrN8CWNByzFQC4EdVrC0I-a30Hd0S9xPSUsklhxyNEeQbWjb91rVeSZhdgbY0nlQHm5tN14CHpbL0poOOib-4dof7ePVcryXM2QytZdLNna_Ji/s320/claes+2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Close up showing 3-D ness of surface</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table style="width: 100%" border="0"><tbody><tr><td></td><td style="background-color:#DE9FF9"> </td><td></td></tr></tbody></table><br/><br/>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn8-uGHHCm0RbkDcPD9buqk-m1FXNBX_zwed2lcNcoRdZdWqbyOgCv_lSGAWBaEEePwf10X2NBLN5FWfIT9n1NjEHcPHUnVJLYTrRxTBDMEzHyGF4gzykTNwrnkpdGCYBF8qHsbpw-xEQE/s1600/origami.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="559" data-original-width="600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn8-uGHHCm0RbkDcPD9buqk-m1FXNBX_zwed2lcNcoRdZdWqbyOgCv_lSGAWBaEEePwf10X2NBLN5FWfIT9n1NjEHcPHUnVJLYTrRxTBDMEzHyGF4gzykTNwrnkpdGCYBF8qHsbpw-xEQE/s320/origami.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Complex (and surprisingly heavy) paper folding sculpture by Eliza</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table style="width: 100%" border="0"><tbody><tr><td></td><td style="background-color:#DE9FF9"> </td><td></td></tr></tbody></table><br/><br/>
<u><b>Aug 2016 : A visit to the Scottish National Gallery in Edinburgh</b></u><br/><br/>
BFTF recently visited Edinburgh and, almost by chance, took the opportunity while there to visit the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_National_Gallery">National Gallery</a>. It proved to be a good decision as there were some beautiful artworks there. Definitely a place to visit if you are in that great city. You can read more about their collections <a href="https://www.nationalgalleries.org/">here</a>.<br /><br />
Below are a few of the paintings that particularly caught BFTF’s attention, together with the thoughts and questions they provoked in BFTF’s mind…<br /><br />
<u><b>Niagra Falls from the American Side (Frederic Edwin Church, 1867)</b></u>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8hq7nSfkNkfARpA8uin21Qo_QeqLkTb0C9AaqYt9u8kG9GG6MZVW9azSj__R_H3WIMXj__0_PE0zUhZHA_Sk5AMAADRzoiYKaqgKFulWxUOFv_vud7ypBSdGa4r2RWWsVs-ZtmGQc47j2/s1600/Niagara+Falls+from+the+American+Side.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8hq7nSfkNkfARpA8uin21Qo_QeqLkTb0C9AaqYt9u8kG9GG6MZVW9azSj__R_H3WIMXj__0_PE0zUhZHA_Sk5AMAADRzoiYKaqgKFulWxUOFv_vud7ypBSdGa4r2RWWsVs-ZtmGQc47j2/s320/Niagara+Falls+from+the+American+Side.jpg" width="282" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Niagra Falls from the American Side</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Like all the paintings shown in this post, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niagara_Falls,_from_the_American_Side">this</a> was painted In an age when there was no video or cinema, and photography was monochrome and in it’s infancy – so paintings and prints were perhaps the only way people could get a feel for how far off places looked. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-_cAJvTeIyGUrY6al7cRm1ehKYq87MPV8X3EkzaVKEkuO3pS5m5b_mYUiAhkON5M8tLrPxeHWuMJKKX_l1Pvy00NbnlwMtXBrCjCQHastByoN3FtokWX97Y9g8VAlZolNjxiM6qGMf23W/s1600/Niagara+Falls+from+the+American+Side+detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-_cAJvTeIyGUrY6al7cRm1ehKYq87MPV8X3EkzaVKEkuO3pS5m5b_mYUiAhkON5M8tLrPxeHWuMJKKX_l1Pvy00NbnlwMtXBrCjCQHastByoN3FtokWX97Y9g8VAlZolNjxiM6qGMf23W/s320/Niagara+Falls+from+the+American+Side+detail.jpg" width="243" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Niagra Falls detail.<br />Expect they got a bit muddy getting to this observation point</td></tr>
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Intrigued by the couple in the small observation lookout. Who are they? Did they get their clothes dirty getting to the observation point? <br />
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<u><b>Poplars on the Epte (Monet, 1891)</b></u><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZb0uCrSKIfYt47k-iwBebmwrj0dm_jlIrsy_34xOwR8RlaVJKHy03EyVnTXxh6lretXnsUxIpAZQn6TnZCx1c76YNyDyTg0Ha829qwRU7Z_RAJYP9-UNA2vpkYmuQkuvJjn9khasJ1Nx-/s1600/poplars+on+the+epte.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZb0uCrSKIfYt47k-iwBebmwrj0dm_jlIrsy_34xOwR8RlaVJKHy03EyVnTXxh6lretXnsUxIpAZQn6TnZCx1c76YNyDyTg0Ha829qwRU7Z_RAJYP9-UNA2vpkYmuQkuvJjn9khasJ1Nx-/s320/poplars+on+the+epte.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Polpars on the Etbe, Monet</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
A nice painting but, on reflection, only really took a picture of it because it was by the famous Monet. (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poplars_(Monet_series)">more info here</a>)<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmBzxeCYucs9c78x67dXM2Fgagf_a6cNEWhyphenhyphenL-QzlDHYCCJUYlIf09pC5-K7xgGw7J_4e3303ge_EmnbxgedyP1BgYkyuT_N7razJrQ_RbjiD45uPDzTrccEZLsHviG022NeEFP5TCH0-O/s1600/poplars+on+the+epte+detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmBzxeCYucs9c78x67dXM2Fgagf_a6cNEWhyphenhyphenL-QzlDHYCCJUYlIf09pC5-K7xgGw7J_4e3303ge_EmnbxgedyP1BgYkyuT_N7razJrQ_RbjiD45uPDzTrccEZLsHviG022NeEFP5TCH0-O/s320/poplars+on+the+epte+detail.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poplars on the Edbe detail</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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A detail showing the paint strokes.<br />
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<u><b>Still life of flowers in a sculpted vase (Jan van Huysum, c.1718)</b></u><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0qbyDXvfS0YLeUAgBvYzwQPj0px0mM_NR9oLN077kC3_fCnCQ6tGEBYNEitzYGtOb-q8uXnVOqQFiJTMdP1CXDmLjDTo-TGPUgLHn4iOaRy4FcLHaw0jhanvw9l-uPIzRSwezmky0SlJC/s1600/still+life+in+a+sculpted+vase.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0qbyDXvfS0YLeUAgBvYzwQPj0px0mM_NR9oLN077kC3_fCnCQ6tGEBYNEitzYGtOb-q8uXnVOqQFiJTMdP1CXDmLjDTo-TGPUgLHn4iOaRy4FcLHaw0jhanvw9l-uPIzRSwezmky0SlJC/s320/still+life+in+a+sculpted+vase.jpg" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Still Life</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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An incredibly <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_van_Huysum%20http://www.codart.com/news/974/">detailed painting</a>, undertaken in oils on a copper base. Can’t help but be impressed by the technical expertise required to paint this. One wonders how, without todays speedy transport links, it was possible to get all those flowers in one place before the blooms had faded. <br /><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1YObl-CZxcsNjHeeiFzxxCMUs_QsBPdgK6miR57CaueWvaXlBpREI386UqT4bdmv4i1XLJiRZiWwCnBtd44Q_KBg9ctT8Jsk6ASaDw9aY83DAjumcb-pYvPVk13zRSYrZBb_SuR01zZli/s1600/still+life+in+a+sculpted+vase+detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1YObl-CZxcsNjHeeiFzxxCMUs_QsBPdgK6miR57CaueWvaXlBpREI386UqT4bdmv4i1XLJiRZiWwCnBtd44Q_KBg9ctT8Jsk6ASaDw9aY83DAjumcb-pYvPVk13zRSYrZBb_SuR01zZli/s320/still+life+in+a+sculpted+vase+detail.jpg" width="257" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Still Life detail</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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A close up of one of two of the flowers only makes it look even more awesome!<br />
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<u><b>Olive Trees (Vincent van Gogh, 1889)</b></u><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCD-OHj5lxEuXjXBG25LPm9IR8cU_QFOuvsJOZ-dhPlOkQcDrVX7nymExBUcWSkpVufdWmDwTFpHr_oG-eih4pvmKqRkYFqckQcGHzScn9SNzAPQTXf0lsXF-GpM4WoQKhXo7vrw727-2Z/s1600/van+gogh+oliviers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCD-OHj5lxEuXjXBG25LPm9IR8cU_QFOuvsJOZ-dhPlOkQcDrVX7nymExBUcWSkpVufdWmDwTFpHr_oG-eih4pvmKqRkYFqckQcGHzScn9SNzAPQTXf0lsXF-GpM4WoQKhXo7vrw727-2Z/s320/van+gogh+oliviers.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Olivers, van Gogh</td></tr>
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Certainly an arresting painting.(<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olive_Trees_(Van_Gogh_series)">more info here</a>).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQVkGbsTOOjM3p8hz97uTgZgVyyg9EV0U91HlV8b7VOvrQ5WuiBDYhthe2CKQDuw3IRrE9dj5diCAsdwsgToDU9bYDalzQHlftSVIwB0rAdQdIUkMfZvi2D44B5PfCxFCEi4iBi_IXWb9e/s1600/van+gogh+oliviers+detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQVkGbsTOOjM3p8hz97uTgZgVyyg9EV0U91HlV8b7VOvrQ5WuiBDYhthe2CKQDuw3IRrE9dj5diCAsdwsgToDU9bYDalzQHlftSVIwB0rAdQdIUkMfZvi2D44B5PfCxFCEi4iBi_IXWb9e/s320/van+gogh+oliviers+detail.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oliviers Detail - looks like Vinny was in a bit of a hurry!</td></tr>
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<br />
Paintstrokes really interesting to look at, one wonders how van Gogh choose the colours, what his palette looked like, how he chose his colours, whether he ever ran out of a colour(and what he did then)?<br />
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<u><b>The Riva degi Schiavoni (Venice) Antonio Canaletto, c.1745</b></u><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-gbB47FnRG_TrNzxIvq16NgXU6wP9uPYBsfUvwwS25emBbOvKyUvRMhchMQD39xv2dNTEKRVE94jGXtb9DIaKcFTXYjJ2xh6ymyX6oM6FuJNqeA72EW9SNC43DUlmBM49FEICpyopLXcV/s1600/canaletto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-gbB47FnRG_TrNzxIvq16NgXU6wP9uPYBsfUvwwS25emBbOvKyUvRMhchMQD39xv2dNTEKRVE94jGXtb9DIaKcFTXYjJ2xh6ymyX6oM6FuJNqeA72EW9SNC43DUlmBM49FEICpyopLXcV/s320/canaletto.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Riva degi Schiavoni (Venice)</td></tr>
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What a detailed painting! One can almost imagine stepping into it and talking to the characters on the waterfront. The building on the left is the Doge’s Palace, the local seat of power, which is now a museum, and across the Bridge of Sigh’s can be seen the Venice prison, which looks rather plush on the outside, although the interior is no doubt very different.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhodl8mUGhzWPNvMv8CQbyciiAbdrSX-tcLAezE1R2scQMtb_pmrt-pN9az6hyphenhyphenK37VtDRwoEIiSfJeTWjG139KJFaliua0HbtjpPUkhWyHBLqyrqV8o662q1r6lH2Tn7UBoAr6UnvL7rR7/s1600/canaletto+detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhodl8mUGhzWPNvMv8CQbyciiAbdrSX-tcLAezE1R2scQMtb_pmrt-pN9az6hyphenhyphenK37VtDRwoEIiSfJeTWjG139KJFaliua0HbtjpPUkhWyHBLqyrqV8o662q1r6lH2Tn7UBoAr6UnvL7rR7/s320/canaletto+detail.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Riva degi Schiavoni (Venice) detail.<br />"You sir, are a cad and a bounder!"</td></tr>
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Really like the detail and care taken over portraying the people in the scene. Wonder what they are talking about.<br />
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<u><b>A view of Verona with the Ponte delle Navi (Bernardo Bellotto,1746/7)</b></u><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUeTOdj1QkKe1G5hzlDrkKCtrPzQEMwSb8anmsIOBcu019U2tKj9fEu6QPnu6Nnkk7wGTOm2INGrgrWkJRK8HmqTWaXtT77X1b-jMIwflrvWU-0Nns8h-UZ1izb_qBRRAZwaq2e_KosNro/s1600/A+View+of+Verona+by+Bernardo+Bellotto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUeTOdj1QkKe1G5hzlDrkKCtrPzQEMwSb8anmsIOBcu019U2tKj9fEu6QPnu6Nnkk7wGTOm2INGrgrWkJRK8HmqTWaXtT77X1b-jMIwflrvWU-0Nns8h-UZ1izb_qBRRAZwaq2e_KosNro/s320/A+View+of+Verona+by+Bernardo+Bellotto.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A View of Verona by Bernardo Bellotto</td></tr>
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Bellotto was a nephew and student of Canelletto, and it rather shows in his style of painting.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh__OIG8PxBGdNe6jX6BcTTSBwFYUj_MXtxMTEOwfGrIjDIVh7fFQeUvzzw6656FZMjv_f0UwOKbgEz4LVRR27DcLpC3qkhgjGSH2E9l8rmbEG-i_-I3699u83ahabZBaXTwXU-KGLPfcj/s1600/A+View+of+Verona+by+Bernardo+Bellotto+detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh__OIG8PxBGdNe6jX6BcTTSBwFYUj_MXtxMTEOwfGrIjDIVh7fFQeUvzzw6656FZMjv_f0UwOKbgEz4LVRR27DcLpC3qkhgjGSH2E9l8rmbEG-i_-I3699u83ahabZBaXTwXU-KGLPfcj/s320/A+View+of+Verona+by+Bernardo+Bellotto+detail.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A View of Verona by Bernardo Bellotto detail.<br />
Mafia involvement resulted in yet another overdesigned footbridge...</td></tr>
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<br />
This painting brings out the engineer in BFTF ! How was the bridge and ramp made? How long did it take? How many people? More info <a href="https://www.artfund.org/supporting-museums/art-weve-helped-buy/artwork/2494/a-view-of-verona-bernardo-bellotto">here</a><br />
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<u><b>Art Cabinet with Anthony van Dyck’s ‘Mystic Marriage of St Catherine’, (Willem (Guillam) van Haech, 1630)</b></u><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3oPCdCldneV597PmNJMnTGtDGmH0HPa7BooJzCOcj7jZExCs2h3Mhmcw0O4_8rmIs0UnmbIDvsSTEQSdZyuED5MDN6sSLGH8VbG5wLzi7PXjIZTvRLxmgR6MW0cOGAhHuVX68dqlPj2Wc/s1600/complicated.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3oPCdCldneV597PmNJMnTGtDGmH0HPa7BooJzCOcj7jZExCs2h3Mhmcw0O4_8rmIs0UnmbIDvsSTEQSdZyuED5MDN6sSLGH8VbG5wLzi7PXjIZTvRLxmgR6MW0cOGAhHuVX68dqlPj2Wc/s320/complicated.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Art Cabinet, Willem van Haech</td></tr>
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There is an awful lot going on in this painting. Apparently Most of the artworks depicted in the painting can be identified, though the collection as a whole is an imaginary one. <br /><br/>
BFTF couldn't remember the name of this painting and was having trouble identifying it online, so called the Gallery. A VNL (very nice lady) instantly identifed if from my garbled description and advised the name of the painting and the artist. Good stuff, Scottish National Gallery!<br /><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3umrLaxM_A1omM08tiCAKBYRlSPi4epOErtdXJZ_jmdngcc1-BYpQnMsNUO2Tqw2XAykGKHhc8gOngEW3wIBkVYzatHn4YLXYHdaxBDXLKKg3wuLxvXj_oSWvcQktou5nHh0xXnUczyB_/s1600/complicated+detail+globe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3umrLaxM_A1omM08tiCAKBYRlSPi4epOErtdXJZ_jmdngcc1-BYpQnMsNUO2Tqw2XAykGKHhc8gOngEW3wIBkVYzatHn4YLXYHdaxBDXLKKg3wuLxvXj_oSWvcQktou5nHh0xXnUczyB_/s320/complicated+detail+globe.jpg" width="288" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Art Cabinet detail.</td></tr>
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<br />
Wonder what the Moor and the Italian are discussing regarding the globe, and noting the navigational instruments casually laid on the floor. <br />
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<u><b>Oct 2014 : Non Sign II</u></b><br/><br/>
BFTF has been fascinated to <a href="http://www.wired.com/2010/10/ghost-billboard/">read about</a> the "Non-Sign II" art installation at Blaine(WA) on the US-Canadian Border.<br /><br />
It is designed by artists Annie Han and Daniel Mihalyo at the <a href="http://www.leadpencilstudio.org/main">Lead Pencil Studio</a> (see also <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead_Pencil_Studio">here</a>) and is a kind of anti-billboard, consisting of white space through which the changing landscape is framed by an intricate network of welded 0.8"(20mm)
diameter blackened stainless steel rods.<br /><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL0_vzkEIe5kGwOGUNQBlHEy9Q0Pli_5OO0eihTyFFVRGIAaLdwUz_EfXRPiqkd5Pjqs5rGsZmZNCoXdachAKxiobNqceLxd3B0xpz8YGlbTR3AMSlyuJoPscWAcv8xyu4wnfaIOYYY4hi/s1600/00+intro+pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL0_vzkEIe5kGwOGUNQBlHEy9Q0Pli_5OO0eihTyFFVRGIAaLdwUz_EfXRPiqkd5Pjqs5rGsZmZNCoXdachAKxiobNqceLxd3B0xpz8YGlbTR3AMSlyuJoPscWAcv8xyu4wnfaIOYYY4hi/s1600/00+intro+pic.jpg" height="215" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Non-Sign II</td></tr>
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It ranks highly on any reasonable scale of awesomeness!<br /><br />
BFTF asked Lead Pencil how the installation was constructed and how the designers were sure it would not fall down.<br /><br />
They were kind enough to respond, saying that they had confidence due to previous experience with the technique and pointed out that whilst the steel rods were thin, the spans they crossed were short and that the structure had a high strength to weight ratio.<br /><br />
Lead Pencil also kindly allowed use of the images in this post, which come from a <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iangill/sets/72157625248985568/">gallery of pictures</a> by fabricator Ian Gill.<br /><br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/16234734">This video</a> (also by Ian Gill) gives some understanding of how the separate parts of the installation were prepared at the Lead Pencil studios and then joined together on-site (very cleverly, check it out at around 1m15sec).<br /><br />
Almost as interesting as the installation itself is the way it was funded - through the rather wonderful US Government's "<a href="http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/104456">Art in Architecture</a>" program. This is run by the US General Services Admininstration (GSA), who state that: <br />
<i><blockquote>"GSA reserves one-half of one percent of the estimated construction cost of each new federal building to commission project artists. A panel composed of art professionals, civic and community representatives, the project’s lead design architect, and GSA staff meets to discuss opportunities for artists to participate in the building project. This panel reviews a diverse pool of artist candidates and nominates finalists for GSA to evaluate. Artists who receive federal commissions work with the project architects and others as members of a design team to ensure that the artworks are meaningfully integrated into the overall project."</blockquote></i><br />
BFTF asked Nottingham Council whether they have a similar scheme and, if not, perhaps they should start one!<br /><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv-NbzLyn0_qpRHIpBxx1ZHvSXjvsVsnWYW5qMdHtqmBHlzK8yt2VgFs7J27Ar4yEJ2811WYVm08wIgDNwjks6Meg0EvnblgUy33VvIQ1migAK1FZWRi3yyXJ94lx7-qmGwxPD3BZYZfKe/s1600/04+welding+detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv-NbzLyn0_qpRHIpBxx1ZHvSXjvsVsnWYW5qMdHtqmBHlzK8yt2VgFs7J27Ar4yEJ2811WYVm08wIgDNwjks6Meg0EvnblgUy33VvIQ1migAK1FZWRi3yyXJ94lx7-qmGwxPD3BZYZfKe/s1600/04+welding+detail.jpg" height="342" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Detail during construction, showing welds between rods</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIVB_i68MKV1cGGrVn6dnBLFIbPzI2rTWfttarMKPr5fwvLFt7ee1OpZda3HfPopanBR77WaJGYH32AKAyNP3hS9Ke6SqL5LzHfh2R6vFw-35F0Ki5Ea92NLuULzGPSXXDnqygFYIc4X3c/s1600/07+finished+in+context.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIVB_i68MKV1cGGrVn6dnBLFIbPzI2rTWfttarMKPr5fwvLFt7ee1OpZda3HfPopanBR77WaJGYH32AKAyNP3hS9Ke6SqL5LzHfh2R6vFw-35F0Ki5Ea92NLuULzGPSXXDnqygFYIc4X3c/s1600/07+finished+in+context.jpg" height="266" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The completed installation - something for drivers to ponder<br /> as they queue at the Border Crossing !</td></tr>
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<U><B>Image Sources</u></b>: All used with permission from <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iangill/sets/72157625248985568/">Ian Gills Gallery</a><br /><br />
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<u><b>2013 : Some artists BFTF thinks are rather cool...</u></b><br/><br/>
<u><b>Simon Bull</b></u><br />
<a href="http://bullart.com/">www.bullart.com/</a><br />
Simon gained recognition early on in his career for his detailed etchings and watercolors, but in the early nineties the artist developed and began using bold colors and a more gestural painting style. This transition signaled a major turning point for Bull who has since been characterized as a colorist. He has held exhibitions throughout Great Britain and in cities ranging from Amsterdam to Hong Kong and currently lives and paints from his studio in the Monterey Bay area of California. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWIGydJIZfcsyRdPaS8HAEm0n5yZPIj3sycexY-rE6MjeMIb73nHjdRcW-RFCHXEdnBc4kMWD6APOGs3Tb6-oyvsu-c9ZGttEnehyphenhyphen0PhAp_LNyZaTyrRSuksVWJz_1aKf6eB8q-hPlKNin/s1600/bright+morning+dew.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWIGydJIZfcsyRdPaS8HAEm0n5yZPIj3sycexY-rE6MjeMIb73nHjdRcW-RFCHXEdnBc4kMWD6APOGs3Tb6-oyvsu-c9ZGttEnehyphenhyphen0PhAp_LNyZaTyrRSuksVWJz_1aKf6eB8q-hPlKNin/s1600/bright+morning+dew.jpg" height="320" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bright Morning Dew (used with permission from <a href="http://www.bullart.com/">www.bullart.com</a>)</td></tr>
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<br /><br />
<u><b>Carole Baker</b></u><br />
<a href="http://www.carolebaker.com/index.html">www.carolebaker.com</a><br />
Carole trained as a Graphic Designer and ran her own business in design and marketing for 18 years before becoming a painter full time in 2002. Her vibrant landscapes have been exhibited in gallery shows and open exhibitions throughout the UK. <br /><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtSyIjOh72IQQWG62znb7qBL6CHs-bHcd_SLTTNBHYAkFvjq4xaUJqlzYCNnXOTSsU60g3G3PQDx5iEoGVxNTkF9g9ChhAv9d42Nbr2_3yvDDLWKFi8quE1_WWdHL1MRZsBaUdUFyzaUSE/s1600/bright_secret2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtSyIjOh72IQQWG62znb7qBL6CHs-bHcd_SLTTNBHYAkFvjq4xaUJqlzYCNnXOTSsU60g3G3PQDx5iEoGVxNTkF9g9ChhAv9d42Nbr2_3yvDDLWKFi8quE1_WWdHL1MRZsBaUdUFyzaUSE/s1600/bright_secret2.jpg" height="320" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Bright Secret", used by kind permission of Carole Baker</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /><br />
<u><b>Ann Blockley</b></u><br />
<a href="http://www.annblockley.com/">www.annblockley.com</a><br />
Ann is inspired by flowers and nature, inspired by the gardens and countryside close to her Cotswold studio. Her work is exhibited in galleries throughout UK. <br /><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBv3A_zinJYI6OPcLXglq6zadlY84cKkjsJd-DM8mxWEmiOJ4LelP5QbDgwO16ghT6wVl8_Z7e1y-e8Hga-9nJkcEg_eceFA3EIyMMS7jtxv5FlqYX6fb2wxE3j1Mg5rxpGwe-2mYoOeIc/s1600/anneblockley.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBv3A_zinJYI6OPcLXglq6zadlY84cKkjsJd-DM8mxWEmiOJ4LelP5QbDgwO16ghT6wVl8_Z7e1y-e8Hga-9nJkcEg_eceFA3EIyMMS7jtxv5FlqYX6fb2wxE3j1Mg5rxpGwe-2mYoOeIc/s1600/anneblockley.JPG" height="320" width="238"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Foxglove Cottage", used with kimd permission of Anne Blockley</td></tr>
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<u><b>Lachlan Goodie</b></u><br />
<a href="http://www.lachlangoudie.com/">www.lachlangoudie.com/</a><br />
Lachlan paints some hautingly beautiful landscapes and cityscapes, somehow conveying a great deal of emotion in a very few brushstrokes.<br /><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgscIoxGEk1c0Jvv3hEolLtzU8jZ3vnY5QyiZH_C8isuJhQagp6jFflt1SShEDIS2V3L4Fiyoqryt3l-9azrvHuPY408syecATbsCP9H0PNYu_i9DyLFc1r-SWCrWd-AgaD7k4kVhMV8R9e/s1600/lachlan.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgscIoxGEk1c0Jvv3hEolLtzU8jZ3vnY5QyiZH_C8isuJhQagp6jFflt1SShEDIS2V3L4Fiyoqryt3l-9azrvHuPY408syecATbsCP9H0PNYu_i9DyLFc1r-SWCrWd-AgaD7k4kVhMV8R9e/s320/lachlan.JPG" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Summer day's harvest' (click to enlarge) Image by kind permission of Lachlan Goudie</td></tr>
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<u><b>Apr 2013 : Turner - Painting the Industrial Revolution</u></b><br/><br/>
Great programme on BBC2 (9pm, Fri 26th Apr 2013) entitled "The Genius of Turner - Painting the Industrial Revolution".<br /><br />
It described how the artist <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._M._W._Turner">J.M.W Turner (1775-1851)</a> lived through - and painted -the Industrial revolution. The introduction of steam power in factiries, trains and ships were all documented by Turner in wonderful paintings. <br /><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWFRqPCKGGiRKJe9jZoIThgdj0uWsRQ1YnC4w9onDiZt2S3arEYuV4NhfxfsJKbdYwyQ4ROYCr34YcjORrSFILbhZOnkt4a9bJsH-lcaQGgKdWAmWjUzhK7oIawUjULPlUs4zZYftfW3aE/s1600/ship.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWFRqPCKGGiRKJe9jZoIThgdj0uWsRQ1YnC4w9onDiZt2S3arEYuV4NhfxfsJKbdYwyQ4ROYCr34YcjORrSFILbhZOnkt4a9bJsH-lcaQGgKdWAmWjUzhK7oIawUjULPlUs4zZYftfW3aE/s1600/ship.jpg" height="238" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Fighting Temeraire tugged to her last Berth to be broken up (click to enlarge)</td></tr>
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It is worth remembering that the train he painted in 1844 was one of the first vehicles that could transport a man faster than a horse could run - truly this was the dawn of a new era.<br /><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBsxJmkvT4tyb6e8bm1rDJgV78Dgs4KX-4CXiVW59Jz5XhKzBINwPAI_YnFbr5kygkDV55fy8oOmvRjYZ_9rhoMudpXYfxLMQSjHJ_7H4EG2tETABhysMdwvlagY9HF1gw5A0Ry5o7D93r/s1600/Rain_Steam_and_Speed_the_Great_Western_Railway.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBsxJmkvT4tyb6e8bm1rDJgV78Dgs4KX-4CXiVW59Jz5XhKzBINwPAI_YnFbr5kygkDV55fy8oOmvRjYZ_9rhoMudpXYfxLMQSjHJ_7H4EG2tETABhysMdwvlagY9HF1gw5A0Ry5o7D93r/s1600/Rain_Steam_and_Speed_the_Great_Western_Railway.jpg" height="237" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rain, Steam and Speed and the Great Western Railway (click to enlarge)</td></tr>
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As this was a time when there was no distinction between the arts and sciences (and scholars were often interested in both), Turner used the latest scientific thinking in his paintings, for example the work of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Herschel#Discovery_of_infrared_radiation_in_sunlight">Herschel</a> on the nature of the Sun, and of <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2002/apr/15/features11.g23">Luke Howards </a>work in classifying clouds.<br /><br />
Top notch telly. Well Done BBC.<br /><br />
<u><b>Image Sources</b></u><br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Rain_Steam_and_Speed_the_Great_Western_Railway.jpg
">Rain, Steam and Speed and the Great Western Railway</a><br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Turner,_J._M._W._-_The_Fighting_T%C3%A9m%C3%A9raire_tugged_to_her_last_Berth_to_be_broken.jpg">The Fighting Temeraire tugged to her last Berth to be broken up</a><br /><br />
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<u><b>Feb 2013 : Star Wars, Pallets, Physics and Music at Light Night 2013</b></u><br /><br/>
BFTF and No3 son happened to spend a little time at the “Light Night” event in Nottingham City Centre recently and have to say that it was a rather wonderful event.<br /><br />
There were numerous outdoor and indoor events, of which BFTF was only able to visit very few (in particular, BFTF was gutted that he did not catch the Daleks in front of the Theatre Royal). You can get a flavour of the full extent of what was available <a href="http://www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=20308">here</a>,<br /><br />
No3 son was chuffed to see Star Wars characters by the Robin Hood Statue and even more chuffed that Darth Maul agreed to his challenge for a light sabre fight…<br /><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No3 Son vs Darth Maul, the Force was with the young Padawan...</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />
Another installation that BFTF caught was the “Physics Buskers” crew on the front of the Council House. These volunteers from the Physics department of the University of Nottingham were demonstrating, amongst other things, how light sources differ spectroscopically and why the sky is blue.<br /><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Magic, by Phyics...</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No3 Son, entranced by the spectrum of a lightbulb</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Physics Buskers was popular, could this be a Jim Al-Khalili effect?</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />
The Architecture department at the University of Nottingham had brought along their “Fleeting Retreat” installation that was made from pallets and binding, which you can read more about <a href="http://www.thefleetingretreat.co.uk/">here</a>.<br /><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Fleeting Retreat</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />
And, lastly, BFTF and No3 son were also at the, surprisingly good, school band performances at St Peters Church…<br /><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The School Bands played material ranging from O Fortuna to a song by Iggy Pop!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />
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<b><u>Jan 2013 : The Snow Art of Simon Beck</u></b><br /><br/>
Simon Beck, 54 hails from the south of England but spends his winters in the French ski resort of Les Arcs creating beautiful gemetric desings in the snowfields around the resort.<br /><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An example of Simon Beck's Snow Art</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />
An alumni of Oxford University, Simon works as an orienteering mapmaker (converting maps to a form suitable for orienteering) and, even as a young person, had an interest in geometric designs, commenting that “I used to draw a lot of geometric designs, used spirograph a lot, and made polyhedral.”<br /><br />
His internet home is on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/snowart8848">Facebook </a>where you can find pictures of his work as well as an interesting set of interviews, a few points from which form this blog post.<br /><br />
Simon made his first snow design in 2004 and his designs typically take about 10 hours to create from start to finish - making it a challenge to complete a design and still have daylight to photograph it, indeed Simon comments that “ and are often based on classic mathematical constructions such as the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandelbrot_set">Mandelbrot set</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koch_snowflake">Koch curve</a> or Sierpinski triangle, Simon suggests that a good beginners design are “<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sierpinski_triangle">Sierpinski triangle</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flower_of_Life">flower of life</a>, stars formed by surveying the corners of a polygon and joining them up”<br /><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A design based on the Kock curve</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />
<u><b>Sources</b></u><br />
All images used by kind permission of Simon Beck.<br /><br />
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<u><b>Nov 2012 : The Chair<br /></u></b><br/><br/>
The latest in the series of <a href="http://www.meetup.com/nottingham-culture-cafe-sci/">Café Scientifique</a> talks was quirkily named “The chair - Just somewhere to sit?” and was presented by <a href="http://lboro.academia.edu/CliveEdwards">Clive Edwards</a>, Professor of Design History from <a href=" http://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/sota/staff/clive-edwards.html">Loughborough University (School of the Arts)</a><br /><br />
Prof Edwards described how their was much more to a chair than just a place to sit, pointing out that they were also used for ceremonial, travel and other uses - and that other parts of the world used other ways (such as squatting or sitting cross legged ) of relieving pressure on the legs.<br /><br />
He then described four ways in which a chair could be viewed, namely :<br /><br />
Authority / Status : Consider the use of “Kings Throne”, “University Seat” or “Judges Bench” as examples of how specific types of chair have particular stus.<br /><br />
Identity : Consider how what the type of chair we buy says about us.<br /><br />
Discipline / Domination : For example, the use of the “electric chair” and the lack of chairs in Victorian prisons.<br /><br />
Comfort / Relaxation : Consider what shape of chair is comfortable, and the use of ergonomics to design comfortable chairs.<br /><br />
Prof Edwards went on to point out that Humans were not really designed for sitting in chairs and that it was only really in the 17th-19th centuries - with the advent of mass transit - that any significant thought was given to the ergonomics of chair design.<br /><br />
He also commented on how the genders prefer different types of chair, with males preferring tilting chairs while females prefer rocking chairs and added that one of the most ergonomic chairs (if not necessarily the most practical) was the “<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eero_Saarinen">womb chair</a>” which had been designed based on the observation that women often side curled up with their legs beneath them<br /><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Womb Chair</td></tr>
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To close out his talk, he mentioned that “The Chair” by Galen Cranz was an interesting book on the subject if people wanted to research further.<br /><br />
However, arguably the best bits of the event came in the Q&A session that followed….<br /><br />
In answer to a question about how long metal chairs had been in existence, Prof Edwards mentioned that the Romans had made a folding (!) bronze chair, of which an example survives and is known as “<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dagobert_I">Dagoberts Throne</a>”<br /><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI3hVvZL9OQgC5Du4uKr2fWxhsVaAVW1z81J7ZYCfo5bFZs_IJ2KCarNQ5DdBLTY4dht99_ia_vDovQSk5vA1s3EbgyEvVAMHRmz8QXdqO4sZjKneis8JIHqmYEXusqa8dLLGJG9n5UhWI/s1600/329px-Throne_of_Dagobert_bronze_Cabinet_des_Medailles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI3hVvZL9OQgC5Du4uKr2fWxhsVaAVW1z81J7ZYCfo5bFZs_IJ2KCarNQ5DdBLTY4dht99_ia_vDovQSk5vA1s3EbgyEvVAMHRmz8QXdqO4sZjKneis8JIHqmYEXusqa8dLLGJG9n5UhWI/s400/329px-Throne_of_Dagobert_bronze_Cabinet_des_Medailles.jpg"></a>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Throne of Dagobert</td></tr>
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Dagobert? That is a name that BFTF is sure he has heard before. . . <br /><br />
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In response to a question about the most ergonomic chair, the Prof mentioned the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kneeling_chair">Balans Chair</a>, in which one kneels (although the weight is still supported largely through the buttocks) <br /><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaWgnWGfXtNsMHdZTRvJx2yKDQ9F13zevy7hnf1oGKXBJ2WAgoc-zqnV01-psgPzvEvX2gkd9_DL9JTXBFtS91YczHvBHVS5itggqYCSCXOlUh6JOlvLLPSF_KezS3VMa8P6abYEtFq6_d/s1600/299px-Kneeling_chair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaWgnWGfXtNsMHdZTRvJx2yKDQ9F13zevy7hnf1oGKXBJ2WAgoc-zqnV01-psgPzvEvX2gkd9_DL9JTXBFtS91YczHvBHVS5itggqYCSCXOlUh6JOlvLLPSF_KezS3VMa8P6abYEtFq6_d/s400/299px-Kneeling_chair.jpg"></a>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kneeling Chair</td></tr>
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Incidentally, there is also a chair known as a “<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saddle_chair">saddle chair</a>” that aims to improve posture in a similar way. The Wikipedia entry states that the chair seat is either solid or divided and that, winningly, “A divided seat reduces pressure on the genitals and lowers the temperature in the genital area.”<br /><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Genital Friendly) Saddle Chair</td></tr>
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One of the audience commented that they had been given a very expensive chair at work, only to find it rather uncomfortable, and had switched to an £11 chair from IKEA which he found much better, and now uses a big rubber ball, which is the most comfortable of all, and allows him to move around his workspace easily. However, he is now working at home and wonders whether a big rubber ball would have been allowed at the office.<br /><br />
A rich vein of discussion was found in the topic of “chairs that are not comfortable” - and it seemed that architects were particular culprits of this crime, with (expensive) chairs from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Rennie_Mackintosh">Charles Rennie Mackintosh</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Lloyd_Wright">Frank Lloyd Wright</a> being mentioned, as was the 19th century <a href="http://www.museumofchildhood.org.uk/collections/furniture/deportment-chair-1835/">Astley Cooper Deportment chair</a>, which was designed to correct childrens posture - but was actually often used as a “naughty chair” in schools because it was not comfortable and did not allow children to slouch or move around.<br /><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhodQvBxbwbCkaaWeqXhYveZ91aNZRbhxz7lZjmL1lSMWKgfwXSTLWCOISYn5DgpcPO-l8GvekCr5-bfwXOMKu5tP9O4GbJQ1wyFfrnE_NGBI17hiPchU4HiuyWcoqXMYdmdbijQXBhoWAU/s1600/1280px-Room_de_Luxe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhodQvBxbwbCkaaWeqXhYveZ91aNZRbhxz7lZjmL1lSMWKgfwXSTLWCOISYn5DgpcPO-l8GvekCr5-bfwXOMKu5tP9O4GbJQ1wyFfrnE_NGBI17hiPchU4HiuyWcoqXMYdmdbijQXBhoWAU/s400/1280px-Room_de_Luxe.jpg"></a>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Charles Remy Mackintosh Chair </td></tr>
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On the other hand, some timeless, and very comfortable chairs discussed were the traditional wooden <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windsor_chair">Windsor</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Thonet">Bentwood</a> chairs, with 50million Bentwood chairs produced between 1859 and 1930. Another comfortable chair, and one that give the person using it a feeling of power is the “<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barcelona_chair">Barcelona Chair</a>”, so called because it was designed for the Barcelona exhibition.<br /><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuWZWhzDkTChyphenhyphenKpHqc3wPkPHWA4XeV9lAiLumC8lsdlRbzXerf_pOsMltOpJR7PSjDuYOT5pLR8Hr6e-VN_pVmuSwdAwSh7PkLi4oniAWFPX4HzJKxi26JI-JAvxmDymoWMz8wV9RiuOUR/s1600/bestwood+chair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuWZWhzDkTChyphenhyphenKpHqc3wPkPHWA4XeV9lAiLumC8lsdlRbzXerf_pOsMltOpJR7PSjDuYOT5pLR8Hr6e-VN_pVmuSwdAwSh7PkLi4oniAWFPX4HzJKxi26JI-JAvxmDymoWMz8wV9RiuOUR/s400/bestwood+chair.jpg"></a>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bentwood Chair</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Barcelona Chair</td></tr>
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As a parting comment at the end of the event, Prof Edwards mentioned that “<a href="http://www.chairblog.eu/">The Chair Blog</a>” was a place worth visiting to see more about chair design, adding that it did contain quite a few chairs whose primary purpose seemed to be to look unusual. <br /><br />
<u><b>Image Sources</b></u>
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Saarinen_Womb_Chair.jpg">Womb Chair</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Throne_of_Dagobert_bronze_Cabinet_des_Medailles.jpg">Throne of Dagobert</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Kneeling_chair.jpg">Kneeling Chair</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Satulatuoli.jpg">Saddle Chair</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Room_de_Luxe.jpg">Charles Remy Mackintosh Chair</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Windsor_Chair_Sack_Back_Armchair_cr.jpg">Windsor Chair</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mies-Barcelona-Chair-and-Ottoman.jpg">Barcelona Chair </a><br /><br />
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<u><b>Apr 2012 : Tour of the Theatre Royal Nottingham</u></b><br/><br>
BFTF had the chance to tag along on a fascinating tour of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theatre_Royal,_Nottingham">Theatre Royal</a>(official website <a href="http://www.trch.co.uk/">here</a>), Nottingham recently. With David Longford and Caroline Pope from the theatre’s education department as guides, the tour literally “went behind the scenes” of the theatre, gave a glimpse into its history and delved deep into its innermost workings.<br /><br />
David began the tour by explaining that, back in 1865 when the theatre was built, the view from it down towards Market Street would have been very different. The houses would have been dilapidated, almost slums and Market Street was a narrow, badly surfaced lane known as “Blood Alley” because of the risk of a slipping or sliding cart running over a pedestrian.<br /><br />
The theatre was built by John and William Lambert, local lace merchants who loved drama and wanted to give something back to the city. It cost £15,000 (equivalent to over £1.5million today) and was completed in the astonishingly short time of 6months.<br /><br />
The architect was <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_J._Phipps">Charles J Phipps</a> and the Theatre Royal was only his second commission. However, it was very well received and resulted in Phipps gaining a number of further commissions elsewhere in the country. Theatres at that time were lit by gas, and contained numerous gas pipes serving all the lamps in the building. This was something on a fire hazard and it was only a matter of time before tragedy would strike. . . <br /><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUVwlQrWkEyHp4HECH6b6WKXufMXyQU-3IWSKlX_C6VPjcuPIgH551bP95hgTTydJq1LlMwuwmP2mZ4b7tXqT3n4o8qOl-Dxe1edJECfoiz69rALESOdjll51eM_K7yP5LuOrhsdt_x3ef/s1600/theatre+royal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUVwlQrWkEyHp4HECH6b6WKXufMXyQU-3IWSKlX_C6VPjcuPIgH551bP95hgTTydJq1LlMwuwmP2mZ4b7tXqT3n4o8qOl-Dxe1edJECfoiz69rALESOdjll51eM_K7yP5LuOrhsdt_x3ef/s320/theatre+royal.jpg" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Theatre Royal</td></tr>
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The inevitable happened in the <a href="http://www.exetermemories.co.uk/em/theatre_fire.php">Theatre Royal in Exeter</a>, also designed by Phipps, which was built in 1886. Only a few months after opening, a naked gas flame ignited some drapes and fire spread quickly. Many people, especially those in the upper gallery, could not escape, while others were crushed in the stampede for the exits. In total, some 186 people lost their lives. <br /><br />
It provoked Parliament into introducing more stringent safety precautions in all British theatres. Nottingham responded to the disaster and legislation by hiring the well known theatrical designer <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Matcham">Frank Matcham </a>in 1897. Matcham introduced electrical lighting to the Theatre Royal, raised the stage and generally refurbished the theatre. He also designed the Empire Palace which was built on the site where the Royal Concert Hall now stands.<br /><br />
Whilst in the foyer, David pointed out that it would have looked very different on the opening night in 1865 - each of the doors was for a different “class” of ticket and a series of interconnecting staircases ensured that the classes did not have to suffer the indignity of having to interact with each other.<br /><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8qOZdr36nz_Ga6hilmIDmCgkGGflWVpl4l-GkLBF-apt1tIweo4YDhSh4CVFAUTHHfvvnfP8joISsoHMxmWB8S_vpkInxbxsBHhVpGPfYfBcz0WkmQRXBZomRxU_rBMaQLEkHpqtQ2cbx/s1600/1doors.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8qOZdr36nz_Ga6hilmIDmCgkGGflWVpl4l-GkLBF-apt1tIweo4YDhSh4CVFAUTHHfvvnfP8joISsoHMxmWB8S_vpkInxbxsBHhVpGPfYfBcz0WkmQRXBZomRxU_rBMaQLEkHpqtQ2cbx/s320/1doors.JPG" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Foyer area</td></tr>
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The common people, with the cheapest tickets, didn’t come through the front doors, instead, they had to come in through an entrance at the side of the building, then under the theatre to their places in the stalls, which were standing only and packed pretty tightly (the theatre held some 2,500 people when opened as opposed to the 1100 that it can accommodate in its current all-seater configuration.<br /><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWGDau5Yd3SzssLidFHwVYn7rx-nP32yxHE9jAW1QFHjl4WdLzNE6fqdtOy7yUtq4yChwBP3NFow81N3ZiTtLYNuusgcS2icR4KUzJHYNXMKmTQcYXtIisnHpZYNgfpFI9g6phklwu9SoR/s1600/theatre+auditorium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWGDau5Yd3SzssLidFHwVYn7rx-nP32yxHE9jAW1QFHjl4WdLzNE6fqdtOy7yUtq4yChwBP3NFow81N3ZiTtLYNuusgcS2icR4KUzJHYNXMKmTQcYXtIisnHpZYNgfpFI9g6phklwu9SoR/s320/theatre+auditorium.jpg" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Theatre Royals dead posh auditorium </td></tr>
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<u><b>May 2014 : Minecraft</u></b> <br/><br>
Some time ago, bought No3 Son (at his request) a licence (~£18) for the online game "Minecraft". The "creative" mode in the game is awesome and really allows ones imagination to run riot - for examples check out the creations <a href="http://mashable.com/2013/02/13/amazing-minecraft-creations/#gallery/25-minecraft-creations-that-will-blow-your-mind">here</a>. <br /><br />
Meanwhile, the Danish government has sponsored the creation of a <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-27155859">model of Denmark </a>in Minecraft! Genius!<br /><br />
No3 Son isn't quite at that level yet, but BFTF was impressed to see that he had made a pretty groovy roller coaster, which can be seen below. <br /><br />
There are almost no words to describe how badly BFTF wishes he had a spare week to spend making stuff in Minecraft (sigh) <br /><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMpq6EnW1gwb2ZQm0JWz5T05n6CPVM7bSCWErojH_QHoEl2uXGBerpbeCP4rZh1xKhcshnQ3zWPPTIO57qL0Qr2Nm2i8CwovGrmnrhhY24-l_9x3O6cecbehDy9JTarDKgHAU7RSnhO51o/s1600/saad+coaster.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMpq6EnW1gwb2ZQm0JWz5T05n6CPVM7bSCWErojH_QHoEl2uXGBerpbeCP4rZh1xKhcshnQ3zWPPTIO57qL0Qr2Nm2i8CwovGrmnrhhY24-l_9x3O6cecbehDy9JTarDKgHAU7RSnhO51o/s1600/saad+coaster.png" height="212" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A roller coaster - in Minecraft. <br />
BFTF wants to have a go!</td></tr>
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<u><b>Mar 2014 : Doodles</u></b></br><br/>
A post of doodles (like, you know, what did you expect?):<br /><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Admittedly, perhaps a bit more than just "doodling"</td></tr>
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<u><b>2012 : Piano Busker </u></b><br/><br/>
Just a note to say that I saw "The Piano Busker" in Notts town centre this weekend. He is VERY, VERY, VERY good.You can find out more about him at his facebook page: <br /><br />
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/pianobusker">www.facebook.com/pianobusker</a><br /><br />
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<u><b>Nov 2012 : Kings of Pastry</u></b> <br/><br/>
The unremittingly outstanding BBC4 recently aired a award winning documentary entitled <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kings_of_Pastry">“Kings of Pastry”</a> which covered the preparations of top French pastry chefs for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meilleur_Ouvrier_de_France">“Meilleurs Ouvriers de France” (MOF)</a> competition.<br /><br />
Part of the <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00rhbcv">Storyville</a> series, the programme focused mainly on Jacquy Pfeiffer, a chef working in Chicago as he prepared for the three day event, which is only held once every four years.<br /><br />
The MOF is a test of the chefs ability to work against the clock , making a range of confections ranging from small chocolates to ornate sugar sculptures a few feet tall and weighing several kilograms. <br /><br />
The chefs spend years preparing for the event, thinking about the confections they will produce and honing their skills - and for several months before the event they practice their recipes and check to see whether they can work within the timeframe allowed.<br /><br />
The event is not a tournament with just one winner, it is a competition to see who meets the standard required - and all those who are good enough receive the right to wear the prestigious blue, white and red striped collar worn on their chefs jackets.<br /><br />
The programme was mesmerising from start to finish, both for the dedication of the 16 contestants and for the skill and sheer physical hard work required to achieve success.<br /><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This isn't a sugar sculpture. . .</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">. . . THIS is a sugar sculpture</td></tr>
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Note : Spoiler Alert !<br />
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There was heart-stopping drama too, not least when, on day three, Philippe Rigollot was moving his beautiful sugar sculpture. As he gently placed it on the worksurface, a piece at the top of the sculpture fractured, toppled over and brought down much of the construction like shattered glass.<br />
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Understandably, Phillipe was distraught and walked out of the building. He considered quitting but then remembered some advice that he had been given “No matter what happens, see it through to the end” and returned to the kitchen to see whether he could reconstruct at least a token sculpture. <br />
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The MOF judges (all top chefs themselves), who had spent the competition looking over the contestents shoulders to see what they were doing now tried to help Phillipe regain his composure. One said “Phillipe, go for it. Your are good at making ribbons. Make one”. Another said “Phillipe, you know how to blow sugar, Do that, it will give your piece volume”. <br />
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Heartbreakingly, the judges had tears in their eyes as they made these comments, which only made it more difficult for Phillipe!<br />
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In the limited time available, Phillipe managed to prepare a sculpture that, to BFTF, looked pretty impressive. <br />
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But, given that there had been many comments from the contestants saying that any mistake would leave ones chances of achieving MOF status in tatters, it seemed pretty clear that Phillipe was now only along forth ride.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Phillipe and his sugar sculpture, just before disaster struck</td></tr>
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At the awards ceremony, the judges making the announcement said that he wanted to give all 16 contestants MOF status, but it had not been possible to do so. He read out the list of those who had made the grade : <br />
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David Capy, Arnaud Larher, Angelo Musa, Christophe Rhedon…and….Philippe Rigollot<br />
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Wow! BFTF certainly did not see that coming ! One of the judges explained that they had been impressed with Phillipe’s perseverance and his performance on the first two days had been good enough to make up for his below standard sugar sculpture on the final day.<br />
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Truly a great piece of programming. Perhaps one day, all telly will be this good.<br />
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<u><b>Postscript</b></u><br />
The programme closed by showing Jacquy Pfeiffer, now retired from MOF competition, back at his <a href="http://www.frenchpastryschool.com/">pasty school</a> in Chicago - and by mentioning that the Philippe Rigollot later opened his own patisserie, whose rather scrumptious website can be found <a href="http://philipperigollot.com/">here</a>.<br />
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<u><b>Acknowledgements</b></u><br />
Sugar Sculpture from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pulled_sugar_roses.jpg">Wikipedia</a><br />
Screenshot from Iplayer, used as "fairuse", copyright BBC<br />
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</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3010474775078886324.post-6681502044923745912017-11-08T16:19:00.001-08:002017-11-16T14:37:04.338-08:00Portrayal of Muslims in TV drama <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><a href="#9"> </a><a name="9"></a>
Some examples of the way Muslims are portrayed in TV Drama.<br/>
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<u><b>2016 : Assalamu alaikum</u></b><br/>
Assalamu alaikum (Peace be upon you) is a very common Islamic greeting. Across the UK it is said millions of times a day, children returning home from school; by husbands and wives coming home from work; by people meeting friends and acquaintances in the street.<br /><br />
It is ubiquitous.<br /><br />
But you will very rarely here it on TV drama containing Muslim characters, except in one specific set of circumstances - we'll come back to that in a moment.<br /><br />
So, anyway, BFTF was sitting idly at home next to Mrs BFTF, who was watching Silent Witness on BBC iPlayer ("Flight", Pt1, first aired 9pm 11 Jan 2016).<br /><br />
BFTF wasn't really paying attention until he heard the phrase "Assalamu alaikum" being spoken by one of the Muslim characters in a scene where someone had died.<br /><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Assalamu alaikum"</td></tr>
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BFTF: "How did that guy die?" <br /><br />
Mrs BFTF : "Stabbed" <br /><br />
BFTF : "Anything to do with terrorism? <br /><br />
Mrs BFTF :"No"<br /><br />
BFTF : "That's unusual"<br /><br />
BFTF then went back to scanning through Facebook on his phone until, literally WITHIN SIX MINUTES, he heard the gravelly voice of Detective Chief Inspector Michael Waite from the Counter Terrorism Unit appear on the detective show.
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Det. Chief Insp. Waite arrives</td></tr>
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Det Insp Waite was was soon launching into a monologue with all the usual catchphrases.<br /><br />
radicalised, Raqqa, Al-Britani, Jihadist, Falluja, Social media, recruiting sargent......<br /><br />
One rarely, if ever, hears "Assalamu alaikum" on Eastenders or other soaps - no matter how many times the Muslim characters meet each other - why does BFTF only hear it on dramas involvingterrorism, gang violence or wife beating? <br /><br />
Complaint to the BBC received this response (edited for conciseness):<br/><br/>
<i><blockquote>"We were contacted by a number of viewers who felt the terrorist storyline was inappropriate to show. To allow us to reply promptly, and use the licence fee efficiently we’re sending this response to everyone. We’re sorry we can’t reply individually, but we hope this will address most of the points raised or at least add some context behind the story....Writer, Graham Mitchell said: "The threat of Islamist terrorism isn’t something that’s explored very often at present in UK popular fiction...How have we managed to alienate some of our young people to such an extent? And how much are the actions of our governments to blame for this alienation.”... "So that’s what my story tries to do - to try, without judgement, to understand what motivates our two fictional jihadist characters and to ask some questions.”...With all this in mind we didn’t feel these programmes would be outside of most viewers’ expectations for the series, but we appreciate that you felt differently and your feedback has been circulated to the programme makers."</blockquote></i><br />
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<u><b>2016 : "Murdered by my Father" BBC3 Tue 29 March 6pm</u></b><br/>
The title tells you all you need to know about the storyline of this drama. As the context is negative, it is not a surprise to find that, 13m 35seconds into the 75min programme, we find the (soon to be murderous) father greeting a neighbour with a friendly "Assalamu alaikum" - a greeting that, in real life, Muslims use all the time, but on TV only use when they are bad people or in the context of a negative storyline...<br /><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Assalamu Alaikum"</td></tr>
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Complaint to the BBC received this response:...<br /><br />
<i><blockquote>"As you acknowledge “as-salaamu alaikum” is a commonly heard greeting. It follows then that it would be heard by ‘bad’ characters as well as ‘good’.
We’re sorry, however, that you feel it’s only ever used by ‘bad’ characters. But, given that it is a greeting that’s used all the time, we wouldn’t agree; it’s rather that drama, by its nature, might include more ‘bad’ characters or have a particular focus on them and bad events since they tend to drive many dramatic storylines.
‘EastEnders’, for example, is just one obvious example where ‘good’ Muslim characters can be regularly heard using the greeting.
Thank you again for your feedback. Please know complaints are sent to senior management and programme makers every morning and we’ve included your points in our overnight reports. These reports are among the most widely read sources of feedback in the BBC ensuring that complaints are seen quickly by the right people."</blockquote></i><br/>
BFTF is not at all sure that Eastenders is "<i>...one obvious example where ‘good’ Muslim characters can be regularly heard using the greeting."</i>"<br /><br />
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<u><B>2004: "Outsiders"</u></b><br/>
Back in 2004, Challenged the BBC in this, rather angry, email over an episode called "Outsiders" (<a href="http://spooks.wikia.com/wiki/Outsiders">Series 3 Episode 7, 22nd Nov 2004</a>). BFTF has no record of any response from the BBC. This was back in 2004. So far as BFTF can tell, nothing at all has changed in the intervening 10 years. BFF wonders why he is paying a licence fee to get demonised in BBC dramatic output. <br /><br />
<blockquote><i>...I have just had to endure a whole week of trailers that appeared to show messages from an "Islamic" Terrorist group....But it turns out that it's okay, because this time the Muslims didn't do it.Let me just get this straight. Are you saying that it is now acceptable to use the assumed guilt of Muslims as a plot line ??!!...I would point out, again, that the ONLY time the BBC portrays Muslims in its dramatic output is when they are either terrorists or asylum seekers...Why are Muslims only portrayed in negative terms in the dramatic output of the BBC?<br /><br /></i>
</blockquote>
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<u><b>2003 : Spooks</b></u><br/>
Challenged the BBC (via a phone complaint) on their claim that they had consulted with Islamic experts for the 9th June 2003 episode of Spooks "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nest_of_Angels">Nest of Angels</a>". A member of the Editorial and Investigation Team responded saying that :<br /><br />
<blockquote><i>"I am unable to divulge details of the Islamic Experts that were consulted for the programme. Ultimately the BBC takes responsibility for Spooks and we are satisfied that this episode was extensively researched and that the BBC's usual rigorous editorial policy and legal requirements had been followed"</i></blockquote><br />
<table style="width: 100%" border="0"><tbody><tr><td></td><td style="background-color:#DE9FF9"> </a></td><td></td></tr></tbody></table><br/><br/>
<u><b>2008 : NCIS</u></b><br/>Had an, ultimately fruitless, email discussion with Channel 5 back in 2008 about the overwhelmingly negative portrayal of Muslims on the US made NCIS drama...<br/><br/>
<blockquote><i>Dear Channel 5 <br/><br/>
I was deeply disturbed by the negative portrayal of Muslims in this episode of NCIS. Specifically: <br/><br/>
i) A group calling itself something along the lines of "Muslims for Peace" turned out to be intent on performing suicide bombings. The implication being that Muslims are largely two faced, and not to be trusted. Having a group called ""Muslims for Peace" also implies that all other Muslims are "for War". <br/><br/>
ii) Muslims were shown exclusively in a context of terrorism. <br/><br/>
ii) Muslims having beards of wearing prayer-caps were exclusively shown be resentful of the NCIS agents in a way that is rare for other characters to be portrayed. <br/><br/>
NCIS has a history of such portrayal. For instance in just three months last year it managed to rack up the following : <br/><br/>
23rd March 2007 : 2 detectives found themselves in a crate of terrorist related "Al- Qaida" cash <br/><br/>
24th March 2007 : Comments about Al-Qaida dropped into a conversation on a different topic <br/><br/>
20th April 2007 : A decapitated head in the boot of a car prompts Ziva to tearfully tell how her friend was beheaded by Hamas in Ramallah <br/><br/>
11th May 2007 : Ziva comments that "I've seen 12 yr old suicide bombers in Israel" in an eposide relating to a student who appeared to be a suicide bomber. <br/><br/>
I can recall no positive portrayals of Muslims In addition there are running stories relating to Gibbs search for the terrorist "Ari", and the last season ended with a terrorist attack on a US naval ship. <br/><br/>
I appreciate that this is a drama series and that terrorism is a legitimate topic. What is NOT acceptable is to link Muslims and terrorism repeatedly throughout a series - and to do so without any positive references to Muslims in storylines that are unconnected with terrorism. <br/><br/>
It is inconceivable that that any other minority would be portrayed in such a systematically negative fashion. I would welcome some evidence from C5 that it has a larger number of positive portrayals of Muslims than negative ones in its dramatic output. <br/><br/>
I would also ask C5 to consider the effect that consistently negative portrayals of Muslims have on community relations. Consistently negative portrayals of Muslims have an adverse effect on the perceptions that some non-Muslims have of Muslims. They also have the effect of demonstrating to some Muslims that the "establishment" is determined to portray them as the enemy within and that they will never be accepted in this country. <br/><br/></i></blockquote>
<i><blockquote>Dear Ash<br/><br/>
Thank you for your recent enquiry regarding NCIS and the portrayal of Muslims. <br/><br/>
We were sorry to learn that you feel that this series portrays Muslims in a negative way. Whilst we fully understand your sentiment based on your perception of the programme, we feel that you are mistaken. As the programme is set in a department of the US Military, it is entirely feasible that there will be mentions of terrorism related matters. The episode in question, titled Grace Period, features a number of Muslims but only two are found to be involved in terrorist activity. Indeed, other Muslims featured in the episode are either successful business owners, clerics working to promote peace or volunteer workers also keen on promoting peace. With the exception of the two terrorists in this episode, the portrayal of Muslims and interactions with NCIS staff was both positive and reverential.<br/><br/>
Nonetheless, we understand your concerns and have logged your comments for the attention of all relevant Five personnel. <br/><br/></blockquote></i>
<blockquote>
<i>Dear Channel 5<br /><br />
Thank you for replying to my comments. <br /><br />
Unfortunately, you're responses do not answer my questions, and are incorrect in some respects. Specifically: <br /><br />
1) You state "the programme is set in a department of the US Military, it is entirely feasible that there will be mentions of terrorism related matters" <br /><br />
I agree with you, as shown by by original statement "I appreciate that this is a drama series and that terrorism is a legitimate topic" <br /><br />
2) You state "Indeed, other Muslims featured in the episode are either successful business owners, clerics working to promote peace or volunteer workers also keen on promoting peace. With the exception of the two terrorists in this episode, the portrayal of Muslims and interactions with NCIS staff was both positive and reverential". <br /><br />
This is plain wrong. My recollection is that the "business owner" was found to be a terrorist. Also the workers at his office scowled at the NCIS agents and were certainly not "reverential". <br /><br />
3) My comment was that "What is NOT acceptable is to link Muslims and terrorism repeatedly throughout a series - and to do so without any positive references to Muslims in storylines that are unconnected with terrorism". I would welcome your confirmation that you agree with this. <br /><br />
4) My question was "I would welcome some evidence from C5 that it has a larger number of postive portrayals of Muslims than negative ones in its dramatic output". An answer to this would be gratefully received. And please note, having a token "good Muslim" in a programme that otherwise contains Muslims that are bent on death and destruction does not, in my mind, particularly count as a positive portrayal. <br /><br /></i></blockquote>
The conversation went on a bit further after this, but not to any significant effect<br /><br />
<table style="width: 100%" border="0"><tbody><tr><td></td><td style="background-color:#DE9FF9"> </a></td><td></td></tr></tbody></table><br/><br/>
<u><b>POSITIVE portrayals of Muslims in TV drama</u></b><br/>
<u><b>2013 : Comic Relief-BBC1-Thur 14th March</b></u><br />
A sketch by Peter Kay featured himself doing his bit for Comic Relief by travelling the country while sat on a Sofa that was pulled, somewhat unexpectedly, by a team of dwarves. In one part of the sketch, when he was feeling low due to the toll his excertions were taking on his body, he was given a pep-talk by his wife - who was portrayed as an Urdu speaking Muslim lady who wore the niqab (face veil).<br /><br />
BFTF is not a fan of the Niqab but it was great to see a characters "Muslimness" being simply part of who they were and not some kind of plot point that leads to a story about domestic violence, extremism or illegal immigration. <br /><br />
And so it was with happiness that BFTF sent off an email to the BBC saying well done for this.<br /><br />
<u><b>EastEnders - Winter 2012/3</b></u><br />
A story that ran through the Winter of 2012/3 was that of <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006m86d/profiles/ayesha-rana">Ayesha Rana </a>and her potential arranged marriage to suitor Rashid. It says something about the typcial portrayal of Muslims on TV drama that, in this case, it was a relief to see that the marriage was not used as a lead into a story about a manipulative male, illegal immigration or forced marriage. And it was good to see some aspects of Asian-Muslim culture getting some air time, including, if BFTF is not mistaken, the traditional Islamic greeting "Assalamu alaikum" (Peace be upon you). <br /><br />
Keen to encourage the Muslims as human beings and not as terrorists, BFTF sent an email to the BBC saying thank you for this storyline<br /><br />
</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3010474775078886324.post-33742761446766316022017-11-05T17:52:00.001-08:002019-01-20T10:51:49.063-08:00The NHS<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><a href="#9"> </a><a name="9"></a>All the BFTF NHS related posts, brought together in one place....<br /><br />
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<u><b>Apr 2018</U></b><br/><br/>
"The NHS trusts are claiming they should be classified as charities, meaning they would be eligible for a tax break. Charities enjoy an 80% discount on business rates, which is the equivalent of council tax for non-residential tenants of property. Universities already qualify for relief, as do some private healthcare providers, such as Nuffield Health, which is registered as a charity..." <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/feb/25/cash-strapped-hospitals-ask-for-a-15bn-rebate">- Link</a><br/><br/>
Asked local CCG why NHS had to pay business rates and whether any private healthcare companies in Nottingham or Nottinghamshire were getting businesss rate tax cuts by calling themselves charities.<br/><br/>
Asked local Conservative Party the same thing.<br/><br/>
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<u><b>Dec 2017 : Mental Health Treatment Trends</u></b><Br/><br/>
Seeing a lot of discussion about Mental Health Treatment, for example this from the Conservative Party:
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEied2c9ASwR8MwVsCE8B_NB2jAliZ03Lglg28qZAiOXuLNPTuDDUrnVMrnx2k_gcbJ2hyphenhyphenqBhg0-GflV0ff1nMc2rXk7NRQTUzyAvch4I9HZVvX5IeyPqbYH8CIGJt8JGbdDYRcIA9WNl-w7/s1600/mentl+health+3+dec+17.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="494" data-original-width="492" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEied2c9ASwR8MwVsCE8B_NB2jAliZ03Lglg28qZAiOXuLNPTuDDUrnVMrnx2k_gcbJ2hyphenhyphenqBhg0-GflV0ff1nMc2rXk7NRQTUzyAvch4I9HZVvX5IeyPqbYH8CIGJt8JGbdDYRcIA9WNl-w7/s320/mentl+health+3+dec+17.JPG" width="318" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Conservative Facebook Post Dec 2017</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/nov/23/children-with-mental-health-problems-guaranteed-treatment-in-four-weeks">Guardian</a> explains that this is in relation to a forthcoming Green Paper, but that trials will only start in 2019, it is not clear where the money is coming from; and the only aspiration is to have about 1/5 of children covered by 2022/23.<br/><br/>
It seems to be very difficult to find the data that shows the trends over time. It would be useful to know, for example, how the numbers of young people, the number of admissions, the treatment waiting times and bed occupancy rates have changed over time. Some partial data in the chart below:
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDqSOj1ysD2fvAj5iR2xrBRVdY9t-zrCForzLeQLUpwj-BWr2HAYPR2X-j-J8bkzDABC9P1ZBXlXKDY-TmzCgnGnOVtkNWuPUAWZSYKkJ1N3tx72H2-7yh04_jW-8G5tyTmZqT7yJFBfpL/s1600/admissions.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="464" data-original-width="504" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDqSOj1ysD2fvAj5iR2xrBRVdY9t-zrCForzLeQLUpwj-BWr2HAYPR2X-j-J8bkzDABC9P1ZBXlXKDY-TmzCgnGnOVtkNWuPUAWZSYKkJ1N3tx72H2-7yh04_jW-8G5tyTmZqT7yJFBfpL/s320/admissions.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some data <a href="http://www.nhsconfed.org/~/media/Confederation/Files/Publications/Documents/facts-trends-mental-health-2014.pdf" target="_blank">here</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
And also this <a href="https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/projects/general-election-2010/performance-targets">Kings Fund article</a> from 2010, which comprehensively lists the status of the various NHS targets at that time. <br/><br/>
Mental Health Waiting time standards were <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/first-ever-nhs-waiting-time-standards-for-mental-health-announced">introduced </a>only in 2015<br/><br/>
Most relevantly, <a href="https://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Childrens-Commissioner-for-England-Mental-Health-Briefing-1.1.pdf">this 2017 report</a> by the Childrens Commissioner comments that :<br/><br/>
<blockquote><i>
I have conducted a thorough examination of the current system of children’s mental health care. In particular, I was interested to compare the systems for adult mental health with that for children. The results are shocking. There are enormous disparities. NHS England lays out clear
expectations to local areas about what should be provided for adults, backed up by targets and benchmarks on success rates and waiting times. In contrast, there is no monitoring of how many children are seeking mental health treatment, no information on how many are accepted into
treatment, how long they will wait or what outcomes they achieve.<br/><br/>
There were no children’s mental health national targets until last year – now there are nine indicators, but these are not are top priority targets. . At a time when the NHS is under exceptional financial pressure, the system in place makes it all too easy for children’s mental health to be ignored. Nearly 60% of local areas are failing to meet NHS England’s own benchmarks for local area improvement.<br/><br/>
The picture is even bleaker when it comes to early help for children with emerging problems. There is no clear expectation placed on local areas about which services should be provided, or how ill a child needs to be before they should receive care. No information is collected on which local services are available, and the evidence that has been collected, by myself and a range of other bodies, reveals a postcode lottery of care.</i> </blockquote><br/><br/>
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/nov/23/children-with-mental-health-problems-guaranteed-treatment-in-four-weeks
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<u><b>Dec 2016 : Attempted Suicide rates</u></b><Br/><br/>
<a href="https://www.disabilitynewsservice.com/shocking-nhs-stats-show-nearly-half-esa-claimants-have-attempted-suicide/">Disturbing articl</a>e by the Disability News Service describes how NHS data shows that, although only one in 15 adults (6.7 per cent) in the general population had ever made a suicide attempt, that rose to 43.2 per cent for ESA claimants, and as high as 47.1 per cent for female ESA claimants. They also show that two-thirds of ESA claimants (66 per cent) had thought of taking their own life at some point, compared to 20.6 per cent in the overall adult population.
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<u><b>Dec 2017 : Virgin Health Care sues the NHS</u></b><Br/><br/>
Disturbing to <a href="http://www.keithtaylormep.org.uk/2017/11/29/surrey-mep-outraged-as-virgin-care-walk-away-with-328000-settlement-after-losing-nhs-bid-to-nhs-providers/">read</a> that Virgin Health Care has successfully sued six Surrey clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) after they chose to award NHS contracts to a consortium of NHS providers (see also <a href="https://leftfootforward.org/2017/12/virgin-care-just-sued-the-nhs-for-a-fortune-but-the-tories-and-lib-dems-made-it-possible/">here</a>) <br/><br/>
BFTF asked the local CCG, and Labour and Conservative Parties some questions : Why is money being taken off the NHS bottom line? Why was Virgin able to win its case? How much did the tender process itself cost? Why did Virgin's contract bid fail? How much disruption are these constant bidding processes themselves causing to the NHS? Was the Virgin bid "cherry picking" the easy parts from that part of the healthcare system?<br/><br/>
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<u><b>Dec 2016 : STPs</u></b><Br/><br/>
The Sustainability and Tranformation Plan for Nottingham NHS had been published at <a href="http://www.stpnotts.org.uk/">http://www.stpnotts.org.uk</a>. The plan has to provide for £628 million of cuts from the projected funding required over the next five years.<br/><br/ >
The local branch of the The Royal College of Nursing <a href="http://www.nottinghampost.com/the-600m-hole-in-nottinghamshire-s-health-services/story-29827398-detail/story.html">state</a> that :<br/>
<i><blockquote>"It's staggering that such significant plans that are going to change the structure of the NHS have been devised with barely a word of conversation with the public about what the change will mean...It is impossible to cut £500 million to £600 million from the NHS and somehow not having a significant and adverse impact on firstly the availability of health care services on which public depend and also the quality of those services in our view..."<br/><br/ ></blockquote></i><br/>
38Degrees are running a <a href="https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/stop-the-plans-to-dismantle-our-nhs">campaign</a> to halt the implementation of the STP's. The campaign quotes Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt saying that the NHS should be <i>"finding a way forwards to the kind of budgetary arrangements you would have in [US Healthcare companies] Valencia or Kaiser Permanente"</i>. 38Degrees also advised people to "..write to our CCGs, Councillors and MPs to say Stop the Contracts!..." <br /><br />
See also comments and other background at
<a href="https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/topics/integrated-care/accountable-care-organisations-explained">The Kings Fund </a>;
<a href="http://www.patients4nhs.org.uk/transformation-and-stps/">Patients4NHS</a>;
<a href="http://blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2016/08/05/tory-plans-for-nhs-privatisation-released-during-parliamentary-recess/#more-37180">a BMJ blog </a>; <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/nhs-patients-will-be-denied-latest-treatments-in-spending-drop-off-unprecedented-in-developed-world_uk_585162f3e4b08b39538f613c">HuffPo</a>. See also reports by the Health Foundation on:
<a href="http://www.health.org.uk/publication/international-comparisons">Comparisons to other Countries</a><br />
<a href="http://www.health.org.uk/publication/current-nhs-spending-england">Current NHS Spending in the UK</a><br /><br />
<br/><br/>
38 Degrees "NHS Crisis Tracker" <a href="http://www.nhscrisistracker.org/">here</a>. Nottinghams situation is that 21% of A&E attendees are only seen after 4hrs (max should be 5%) and there is a £628million funding gap)<br /><br/>
See also another <a href="https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/stop-the-plans-to-dismantle-our-nhs">petition</a> from 38 Degrees, this relates to fears that the Chief Executive of NHS England, Simon Stevens [previously global ops president for United Health of America] has created a plan to solve winter A&E crises by CLOSING more A&Es. He thinks if you close hospitals people will stop using them...To work [STP plans]they have to be able to prove they can clear their massive debts within a year. To do that they have to close services and sell land and hospitals.<br/><br />
...Simon Stevens says that to make the NHS affordable we, the public, must get used to no longer having a major hospital within easy reach...In 2013 there were 140 full A&E hospitals in England. We could be be left with between 40-70 A&Es. Closing A&Es is very bad for your health. <br /><br />
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<u><b>Nov 2015 : DoH "Consultation" on NHS Priorities</u></b><br/><br/>
Department of Health <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/nov/19/nhs-mandate-england-consulation-deadline?">VERY</a> reluctant to publise their ...er .... public consultation on NHS priorities (see also <a href="http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/government-blocks-e-mails-people-6866634">Daily Mirror</a> and the <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/nhs-mandate-consultation-expires-in-two-days-critics-argue-department-of-health-kept-it-quiet-a6743046.html">Indy</a>). <br /><br/>
BFTF notes that, between 29th Oct and 19th Nov (i.e. prior to the media attention), the @DHgovuk Twitter account managed to Tweet about this important consultation exactly once, on the 29th Oct. In contrast, they managed to find time for over 60 Tweets about the Junior Doctors contract issue. <br /><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Was news of the NHS mandate consultation buried? You be the judge.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<u><b>Oct 2015 : Commons Debate on NHS Staff Contracts</u></b><br/><br/>
Video of the debate can be seen <a href=" http://parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/d6fbba1f-282d-4027-82b7-754baad69ce6">here</a> and the Hansard record <br /><br />
Below are some extracts (from the <a href="http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201516/cmhansrd/cm150914/halltext/150914h0001.htm#15091415000001">Hansard record</a>) that particularly caught BFTF's attention. <br /><br />
<span style="color: red;">Helen Jones (Warrington North) (Lab):<br />
“……Ministers criticise spending on agency staff, but the Government’s first act on coming into office in 2010 was to cut nurse training places by over 3,000 a year."<br /><br /></span>
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<table style="width: 80%" border="0"><tbody><tr><td></td><td style="background-color:#DE9FF9"> </a></td><td></td></tr></tbody></table><br/><br/>
<u><b>Aug 2014 : A variety of questions</u></b><br />
Following the <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/aug/14/nhs-eye-operations-private-provider-musgrove">debacle</a> of private eye operations at Vanguard Healthcare, asked NHS Nottingham, the city's Clinical Commissioning Group(CCG) how they would ensure that private companies would not be allowed to socialise the costs of their mistakes, nor hide behind "confidentiality agreements". They (after being chased for over a year) responded with:<br /><br />
<i><blockquote>"In Nottingham City we hold contracts with a number of providers; NHS and private and we apply the same terms and conditions regardless. All providers of services (NHS and private) are tightly monitored, both in terms of their performance and the quality of the services they deliver. So should there be an issue of poor performance this would be picked up and managed.<br /><br />
Thankfully we have not found ourselves in a position where we have had to terminate a contract, such as the situation you describe in Cornwall. This is not to say that it could not happen but we work very hard to maintain the contracts we hold and prevent this from happening. Of course problems can occur with NHS providers, big hospitals for instance, so it is not necessarily connected with being a private profit-making concern.<br /><br />
We do not enter into confidentiality agreements with our providers and performance reports on our providers are presented to the CCG’s Governing Body and are therefore available to the public. If you are interested you can see these on our website on the Governing Body section.<br /><br />
There are a number of mechanisms for capturing any concerns about a provider. We receive regular performance and quality reports from our providers, there are hard data such as re-admission or repeat operation numbers which would alert us to any problems and then there are a number of sources of soft intelligence such as GPs and our patients who tell us when they think there is a concern about a service. We also work closely with other local CCGs, NHS England and the Care Quality Commission, all of whom are stakeholders in the business of ensuring good quality services for our patients."<br /></blockquote></i><br />
To a layperson like BFTF, this all sounds broadly reassuring. The CCG explains its role more fully in the NHS Nottingham "<a href="http://www.nottinghamcity.nhs.uk/images/stories/docs/About_us/Publications/Patient_Prospectus.pdf">Patient Prospectus</a>"<br /><br />
<u><b>Update Sep 2015</u></b><br />
Also asked the CCG how the managed conflicts of interest (for example, board members voting for services that they had a financial stake in). Very quickly received the following response:<br />
<i><blockquote>The CCG has developed a specific Conflicts of Interest Policy to ensure that arrangements are in place to manage any conflicts and potential conflicts of interest. The policy applies to all employees and appointees of the CCG, all member practices of the CCG (single-handed practitioners, practice partners, or their equivalent) and to third parties acting on behalf of the CCG. A key part of our arrangements is the maintenance of our Register of Declared Interests and the register for our Governing Body members is available to view on our website <a href="http://www.nottinghamcity.nhs.uk/images/stories/docs/Freedom-of-Information/PublicationSchemeDocs/Oi_CCG_Register_of_Interests_2015-16_Updated_Julyl_2015.pdf">[link]</a>.<br /><br />
The Governing Body and all Committees of the Governing Body (our key-decision making fora) all have an extract of the register (showing members' interests) included with papers at meetings. As an additional safeguard, we also have a specific item on every Governing Body and Committee meeting agenda to identify any conflicts of interest, or perceived conflicts of interest, in relation to any agenda item. This also ensures that any actions taken to manage the conflict are clearly documented.<br /><br />
To ensure awareness of this area, the CCG mandates training on conflicts of interest for all employees and appointees and we have previously run a Governing Body development session for Governing Body members on this area. The Conflicts of Interest Policy is available on our website at [<a href="http://www.nottinghamcity.nhs.uk/about-us-284/publications/policies-and-procedures.html">link</a>]<br /><br />
In addition, the CCG also has a Procurement, Patient Choice and Competition Policy that describes how the CCG will ensure that potential conflicts of interest are considered as part of the decision-making and procurement process. The CCG also requires that all potential bidders/contractors declare relevant interests as part of every procurement process.<br /><br /></blockquote></i><br/><br/>
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<u><b>Oct 2014 : Dysfunction in us Healthacare</u></b><br />
US academic <a href="http://history.unc.edu/people/faculty/molly-worthen/">Molly Worthen</a> has <a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/10/11/despite-obamacare-us-health-system-still-a-complete-mess.html">written about her experiences</a> of negotiating the privatised US healthcare system during her pregnancy. <br /><br />
It is not a happy story.<br />
<blockquote><i>"My husband and I pulled into the parking lot for our first prenatal appointment 15 minutes early, excited to see the first ultrasound of the gummy-bear-sized creature in my belly. But before we laid eyes on a nurse or an ultrasound technician, the receptionist ushered us in for a meeting with a far more important person: Tami, the “financial counselor.”</i></blockquote><br />
where an administrator handed them a worksheet and explained the $1,100 fee that they had to pay up front - and which did not include hospital charges or many other items. When Molly's husband asked how much they would have to pay in total, assuming it what a routine birth, the response was :<br />
<i><blockquote>“Oh, I couldn’t tell you that,” </blockquote></i><br />
Nor was their insurance company any more helpful, and neither could anyone give a cost for a specific treatment, saying that such information was <i>"confidential"</i>. This level of dysfunctionality, of course, does not come cheap - US citizens paid some $200 billion in excess administrative fees in 2009, much of which could be emininated if the US adopted a public single-payer system of the kind that most developed countries favor.<br /><br />
And the US system does not even really provide much healthcare - Molly found out that her family could have to pay up to $20,000 per year if a health crisis struck them after the child was born. Molly sums up her findings thus : <br />
<i><blockquote>"A truly free market requires all parties to have access to the same information—and the time and expertise to interpret that information. Healthcare, by contrast, is an economy of specialized goods that most lay people don’t fully understand, in which insurance companies and many healthcare providers have a vested interest in concealing prices from consumers....<br /><br />
...What we have here is not a free market, but a failed one. Healthcare seems to be the only unpriced good in America. Most of us wouldn’t even buy groceries without comparing prices first. Imagine a store with no price labels at all—only the products aren’t corn flakes and cantaloupe, but appendectomies and hip replacements. Even in non-emergency cases, when consumers might have the luxury of comparing hospitals rather than calling an ambulance, most of us would rather trust the advice of our doctors than shop around for, say, bargain-basement chemotherapy.<br /><br />
If I, with my fancy PhD and free time to spend on the phone with clerks and bureaucrats, haven’t been able to figure out the cost of something as commonplace as having a baby, how must other people fare? "</blockquote></i><br />
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<u><b>Aug 2014 : The Coalition Agreement - what is says about the NHS</u></b><br/><br />
The Coalition Agreement set out the how the Conservative and LibDem parties were going to govern the UK. It can be found <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-coalition-documentation">here</a>. Below is what it says about the NHS. You may wish to read it and decide whether the Government has done what it said it would do. A few of the promises shown below. <br /><br />
<blockquote><b><i>"The Government believes that the NHS is an important expression of our national values. We are committed to an NHS that is free at the point of use and available to everyone based on need, not the ability to pay. We want to free NHS staff from political micromanagement, increase democratic participation in the NHS and make the NHS more accountable to the patients that it serves. That way we will drive up standards, support professional responsibility, deliver better value for money and create a healthier nation.</b><br /><br />
<b>We will stop the top-down reorganisations of the NHS that have got in the way of patient care. We are committed to reducing duplication and the resources spent on administration, and diverting these resources back to front-line care.<br /><br /></b>
<b>We will significantly cut the number of health quangos.<br /><br /></b>
<b>We will cut the cost of NHS administration by a third and transfer resources to support doctors and nurses on the front line.<br /><br /></b>
<b>We will stop the centrally dictated closure of A&E and maternity wards, so that people have better access to local services.<br /><br /></b>
<b>We will give every patient the power to choose any healthcare provider that meets NHS standards, within NHS prices. This includes independent, voluntary and community sector providers."</blockquote><br /><br /></b></i>
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<u><b>June 2013 : Why is Lewisham A&E under threat?</u></b><br />
BFTF has been distrubed to read reports of proposals to downgrade the high-quality A&E department at Lewisham Hospital in South East London.
So far as BFTF can tell, this is being considered because the South London Healthcare NHS Trust (which runs the Queen Mary's (Sidcup), Queen Elizabeth (Woolwich) and Princess Royal (Orpington) is struggling to meet the PFI payments on the latter two hospitals. <br /><br />
Note that Lewisham Hospital is not part of this financially struggling group.<br /><br />
Politically, there is plenty of blame to spread around here, with PFI originally being championed by the previous Conservative administration, the specific Queen Elizabeth PFI contract being negotiated by the previous Labour administration, and with closure of the excellent Lewisham A&E being used as a sacrifical lamb by the present Conservative Liberal Democrat Coalition to save the struggling Queen Elizabeth Hospital.<br /><br />
Cyncially, while the NHS is prevented from using surpluses in one area to subsidise deficits in another (a rule imposed by the previous Labour administration) it is a very different story when cuts are being considered - which is why the excellent, and financially sound, Lewisham A&E is under threat (from the present Conservative Liberal Democrat administration).<br /><br />
According to the <a href="http://www.savelewishamhospital.com/why-close-lewisham-ae/">Save Lewisham Hospital</a> campaign, the reasons for the downgrading of Lewisham A&E are based on a deeply flawed <a href="http://www.savelewishamhospital.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/2013.03-27-Meeting-Mayor-Johnson-dossier-CCG.doc">interpretation</a>[Word File] of data. <br//><br/>
BFTF is fearful that something similar could happen in Nottingham and has sent an email to the local Labour MP and to the local Conservative party saying that they should both be ashamed of the part their parties have played in the causing the present situation in Lewisham.<br /><br />
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<a href="http://www.theguardian.com/society/2012/dec/20/nhs-service-providers-financial-positions">Example</a> of how private healthcare companies have taken on a lot of debt, and need to service this.<br /><br />
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In 2011 the former Tory leadership candidate Michael Portillo <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-12250186">admitted</a> that Cameron and the Tories had lied to the public about their intentions towards the NHS: "They did not believe they could win an election if they told you what they were going to do because people are so wedded to the NHS."<br />
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NHS: "no more top-down reorganisations"<br/>
Perhaps most infamously, the Conservatives repeatedly promised before the general election that there would be no more "top-down reorganisations" of the NHS (Andrew Lansley, Conservative Party press release, 11 July 2007). In a speech at the Royal College of Pathologists on 2 November 2009, Cameron said: "With the Conservatives there will be no more of the tiresome, meddlesome, top-down re-structures that have dominated the last decade of the NHS." The coalition went on to launch the biggest top-down reorganisation of the service in its history.<br /><br />
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Jan 2013 : Poor performance by SERCO<br />
A <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/sep/20/serco-nhs-false-data-gps">report</a> in the Guardian describes how SERCO, who had won the contract for the out-of-hours GP service in Cornwall presnted false data to the NHS on 252 separate occasions.<br /><br />
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Nov 2012 : Broxtowe Save The NHS - Public Meeting<br />
The newly formed <a href="www.broxtowesaveournhs.org">“Broxtowe - Save Our NHS”</a> group had a public meeting recently regarding the effects of the 2012 Health and Social Care Bill. There were three main speakers, and some of their points are outlined below.<br /><br />
<u><b>Nick Palmer (former Labour MP for Broxtowe)</b></u><br />
Nick began his talk by pointing out that when Labour entered office in 1997 the average waiting time for a hip replacement was 2yrs, and that patients were routinely told that they could instead have the same operation, by the same surgeon (!!!) privately within 2 months.<br /><br />
During Labours time in office, waiting times dropped dramatically. And the result of this was that fewer patients went private and the private healthcare companies lost a lot of business.<br /><br />
Nick went on to describe the three types of privatisation that he felt were now underway.<br /><br />
<b>Privatisation of Provision</b> - the fees that the government pays for each specific medical provision (from a hip operation to open heart surgery) are loaded in favour of the easier procedures that private companies prefer to undertake. In contrast, the fees for complex surgery do not cover costs. Traditionally, NHS hospitals could use the surplus from the easy operations to cover the losses in the complex ones - but with the easy operations being stripped out and handed to private companies this will no longer be possible. And as a result, NHS trusts will find themselves at much greater risk of going bust.<br /><br />
<b>Privatisation of Patients </b>- the amount of private work the NHS is allowed to perform was increased in theSocial Care Bill from the previous limit of around 5% to 49%. Supporters of the Bill claim that this money will go straight back into the NHS but Nick was concerned that NHS managers- under intense financial pressure - would use the money not for general care but to build more money-making private facilities - sending us back to the situation that existed in 1997.<br /><br />
<b>Privatisation of Preventative Care </b>- Unbelievably, the new Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG’s) do not have any responsibility for preventative health care, so this is being landed on councils, who do not have the funding or the expertise to undertake this work. To call this shortsighted seems something of an understatement. Nick pointed out that the Nye Bevin, the architect of the NHS, said at its inception that it was about prevention as well as cure.<br /><br />
So what is to be done? Nick felt that it was not necessarily wise to simply dismantle the whole Bill, should Labour be elected at the next election, and that there were two specific areas that, if addressed, would alleviate most of the damage that the Bill was doing. Firstly, that the financial pressure on hospital managers should stop and secondly the existing NHS provision should be given priority in any tendering competition. <br /><br />
The doctor said that some of the objectives that Landsley stated for the Bill (such as clinicians input into service provision) were things that doctors were happy to do for free - it did not need legisalation. What needed legislation were the elements of the Bill that enabled privatisation.<br /><br />
Dr Chopra felt that this profit motive was having adverse effects for the NHS, saying that GP practices run by private companies sometimes had only one permanent doctor, with the rest being made up of locums. This saved money but provided a poorer quality of service for the patient. Another example given was that of the report into <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winterbourne_View_hospital_abuse">Winterbourne View Hospital</a>, were patients were ill treated, with Dr Chopra stating that the investigation into the abuse there identified the profit motive as being a factor (BFTF has found a link to the report (<a href="http://hosted.southglos.gov.uk/wv/report.pdf">see here</a>) and it states that <b>“Castlebeck Ltd appears to have made decisions about profitability, including shareholder returns, over and above decisions about the effective and humane delivery of assessment, treatment andrehabilitation “)</b><br /><br />
ATOS won a contract for performing “Benefit Tests” and then promptly <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/oct/10/atos-outsource-medical-assessments">subcontracted </a>the work back to the Lanarkshire NHS - presumably after taking a profit.<br /><br />
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An extra-short version of recent interview wwith Prof Ian Shaw for the time poor / attention span challenged out there (<a href="http://bftfblog.blogspot.com/2012/05/interview-prof-ian-shaw-on-nhs.html">long version here</a>). <a href="http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/sociology/people/ian.shaw">Prof Ian Shaw </a>is the Professor of Health Policy at the University of Nottingham’s School of Sociology and Social Policy, and is also (amongst other things) a Non-Executive Director of NHS Nottingham City Primary Care Trust.<br /><br />
<b>BFTF: How can people find out more about what the directors of the NHS are doing?</b><br /><br />
Ian Shaw : The best thing to do at the moment, because we are in a period of transition, moving from PCTs being in charge of the buying and selling of health services. . .to the clinical commissioning groups doing it. If you google “NHS Nottingham City” you’ll get the website with both the CCG and the PCT and all the board papers are on there, published at least a week in advance and the public is welcome to ask questions which are read out in board and to attend the board meetings as well. <br /><br />
<b>BFTF: You have a very interesting blog and one of the posts was about the “<a href="http://blogs.nottingham.ac.uk/pressoffice/2012/03/20/the-health-and-social-care-bill-and-the-kidderminster-effect-a-classic-study/">Kidderminster Effect</a>” and how competition doesn’t always pan out to be a good thing. Can you give a little more information on this?</b><br /><br />
Ian Shaw : Kidderminster was a district general hospital, a bit like the QMC only a lot smaller, in Worcestershire. And Worcestershire had [but didn't really need] three district general hospitals serving around 526,000 people. . .so they decided to beef up two and close Kidderminster.And they did it BADLY. They didn’t tell people WHY they needed to close Kidderminster. . . it wasn’t explained to the doctors in the communities, they just decided to do it. And it was a misunderstanding about who owns the NHS. The managers thought they owned it. They don’t - the people own it.<br /><br />
<b>BFTF: Moving on a little to talk about competition. On the one hand superficially you can understand it, people are competing, they’ll try harder. But then you think about within an organisation - suppose you have an engineering company with five engineers - if they are all each keeping their good practice to themselves, they are hoarding their secrets, they don’t want to co-operate with the other engineers - that company isn’t going to last very long. How do those two drivers relate to the NHS?</b><br />
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Ian Shaw : There is what’s happened historically and there is what is going to happen in the future - so I’ll handle those separately.<br />
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What has happened in the past is that going back to 1997 . . . at that time there were people waiting for nine months on waiting lists - and that wasn’t uncommon so what the NHS did was say, here are some more resources, we want more facilities but also, if you can use the private sector sensibly where there are large queues to take the pressure until this new money in the NHS can build capacity then that is a sensible way to do it. <br /><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A&E Department, QMC, Nottingham</td></tr>
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So that was the situation before the introduction of the NHS and Community Care Bill. The situation after its introduction, which is now, is that all significant contracts are going to have to be put on open tender. That means that the private sector can compete with your local community NHS service for example or your out-of-hours doctors service to compete for that service. They will compete on costs and on quality and it is up to the primary care trust at the moment, CCG’s soon, to procure those services through a contracting procedure and monitor them once the contract has been done.<br />
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<b>BFTF: How does European competition law and the wish to balance cost and quality affect how decisions might be made?</b><br />
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Ian Shaw : If - IF - the contract continues to be based on quality so that it is the same quality going across and what you are doing is competing on quality then that is not necessarily a bad thing. . . It’s get into difficult waters if you start competing price, if you compete on price you are goinf to be driving the quality levels down. Competition has got to be done on quality and at the moment the safeguard is still there for competition to be done on quality but it’s literally a very small safeguard. . .<br /><br />
<b>BFTF: You have mentioned a House of Commons report that stated that transaction costs were 14% of NHS total costs, but that there was no evidence that these transactions delivered 14% more productivity. Could you just elaborate on that a little bit?</b><br /><br />
Ian Shaw : This was the House of <a href="http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200910/cmselect/cmhealth/268/268i.pdf">Commons select committee report</a> in 2009, which showed 14% of the total budget going transaction costs - they buying and selling of goods and services in the market, the contracting and the monitoring of these contracts . . .and there was no evidence at all that this was creating 14% of added value in terms of productivity or quality. . . . A big worry for me is that the level of management costs in these new commissioning groups is capped so it is going to be challenging to do all of the monitoring of the contracts, the quality assurance that they are going to have to do with increased numbers of providers.<br /><br />
<b>BFTF: Can ordinary citizens challenge their local Conservative or Lib Dem parties or the Dept of Health and say “Can you assure me, as a Citizen, that these contacts are going to be monitored adequately?”</b><br /><br />
Ian Shaw : . . The big thing is the Health and Wellbeing boards which are set up by local authority area and decide the health and social care strategy for the communities which they serve. The elected representatives, councillors, form a large group on that board so that the attitudes of the councillors are REALLY important for how this is going to role out within a locality.<br /><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Harltey Road Medical Centre, Nottingham</td></tr>
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<b>BFTF: Why am I hearing these clearly defined points from you? Why didn’t I hear it on the news? Why didn’t I hear it from the MPs? </b><br /><br />
Ian Shaw : That is a long argument. Twitter has been alive with criticism over the BBC particularly on their reporting of the NHS reforms and particularly the protests against the NHS reforms. There is not one single Royal College or Union which has not stood up to these reforms. They are trying to impose reforms on the NHS when all the Royal Colleges and unions are against it. . . Al Jazeera covered the NHS protests far better than the BBC. . .<br /><br />
<b>BFTF: One other point about the Bill, perhaps a bit of a technical point, but one that is often mentioned is that the Bill allows Trusts to take up to 49% of private work [compared to a 3% cap before]. What is the concern here?</b><br /><br />
Ian Shaw : The concern is two fold. Firstly, most of the big NHS Trusts are working at full capacity anyway, so where are they going to get 49% of free space to bring in private patients. . . And the second thing is, why on earth would someone want to go privately when they can have things done free, to a good quality, in a timely manner within the NHS where they also have choice. <br /><br />
<b>BFTF: Before we wind up the interview, is there any key message you want to get across to the public.?</b><br /><br />
Ian Shaw : There is concern about the direction of travel of the NHS. . . I am concerned that the “free at the point of use” bit - which is there now, it’s there with these new reforms but I think it might be under threat in the future. Bevan said that the NHS would be there so long as people defend it and I think that people need to be aware that it needs defending.<br /><br />
<b>BFTF: Do you think it might go the way of dentistry has gone?</b><br /><br />
Ian Shaw : Well that is one of the scenarios on under this direction of travel. You might get the basic service free but they might say, “well, you’re in a bed, we’re changing your sheets, we are going to charge you hotel fees and we’re feeding you so we are going to charge you for food”. You can see the ways in which a cash starved service might keep to the letter of free-at-the-point-of-use but actually the add-ons become very expensive and in the US almost half of all bankruptcies are because they cannot afford to pay their medical bills and I would hate to see Britain move to that situation - nobody is suggesting that they are moving to that situation at the moment but I think that really we need to be alert to the possibilities that the direction of travel is moving.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">NHS Flag, QMC, Nottingham</td></tr>
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<b>Image Sources:</b> All BFTF's own.<br /><br />
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Mar 2012 : This is what is wrong with the NHS Bill<br />
A Tweet pointed BFTF towards the site of <a href="http://www.allysonpollock.co.uk/">Prof Allyson Pollock</a> (professor of public health research and policy at Queen Mary, University of London). Allyson, with the help of others, has compiled a <a href="http://bit.ly/rWyppV">series of briefing papers</a> on the Bill. And it is worth noting thatthe bill's proposals were not discussed during the 2010 general election campaign, nor were they contained in the Conservative – Liberal Democrat coalition agreement.<br />
In contrast, here is an <a href="http://www.conservatives.com/News/News_stories/2012/02/Health_Bill_passes_Power_back_to_Patients.aspx">article</a> by Baroness Warsi, outlining the Conservative perspective.<br /><br />
And here is a <a href="http://t1ber1us.wordpress.com/2012/02/14/a-brief-faq-on-the-nhs-bill/">blog post</a> that tries hard to be as even handed as possible.<br />
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</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com