[the worcester combi boiler] and the tale of cold feet

We are not happy chappies at the moment.

Boilers should last ten years, some have been known to last fifteen or even twenty years. If one buys the best available, on the grounds that it is less likely to go kaboom, then imagine one's feelings as this four year old device first loses its vacuum switch, turning the house into a cool store and then, some weeks later, the boiler fixed to the tune of a few hundred quid, the fan goes on it and the rigamarole of calling the man eight to ten times to get him to fix it runs into a three day affair [or even four], with no heat and no hot water.

No matter - no doubt you've all been in that position yourselves, with your very own Worcester Combi-Boiler. No doubt your toes were frozen half off your feet as the bumbling Worcester Combi-Boiler repair man led you into a false sense of security by promising he'd order the part and call you back the same day.

Seven hours ... eight hours .. nine hours ... then you called for the nth time and were told that he'd been trying to call you all day [an outright lie] and that he'd have the part by tomorrow sometime.

Did you feel the teensiest weensiest urge to kill, when that happened?

I know - we should be more manly about it, more robust - to plunge the face through the icy crust in the basin, to shed the jackets and double socks and be ... a Stoic. This is Sparta, after all, as Ordo would say. Besides, it might have happened between Christmas and new Year. Think about that!

It behoves a reader to bear the misfortunes and tribulations of others with equanimity so let's say no more about the matter. Let's put it out of mind and move onto more pleasant topics like discovering there was no Blogger problem after all and the three days composing from html could have been avoided, had I known that the bloody settings had decided to reconfigure themselves. Or even discovering what was previously a dormant investment fund, spending most of the day negotiating about it and getting the assurances that all was well and underway, only to be stymied by the fund manager at the last hurdle who has now frozen all redemptions on that fund for the foreseeable future.

Not to worry. What they can't prevent is hopping into bed with the Mac and watching the second half of Zorro from under the bedclothes. Nighty night, good people. Let's smile and think of people who really do have problems.

Tomorrow will be a better day.

UPDATE: Read Posh Totty's account at her place too.

[mary magdalen] judge for yourself

Clearly, the original, of which this above is but a photo, is not going to resolve the issue of the Mary Magdalene/John figure to the right of Jesus. Far better is this link to the Milan site - click on the Last Supper pic and then zoom to your heart's content.

If you accept that the cleaned up copy at the end of the link is close [and there is another one doing the rounds which is not only bright and clean but has been doctored or redrawn], then certain things are interesting.

Given that you know the arguments for it being John - that Leonardo and artists of that period painted youths as feminine, that there were only thirteen figures in all and that it appears to be Judas with the money bag below and to the front of Peter and John/Mary, then there does seem a good case for it being John.

Until you look at the zoomed in figure in detail. You make your own decision but that looks to me, not a femininized youth but a woman, the clasped hands also add support to that.

Now, if it were so, then who is the missing disciple? That's the key anomaly. Peter's left hand gesture and the knife in the right hand are also significant. Against that was that this is a painting, centuries later and that Leonardo was close enough to the reach of Rome not to risk incurring the wrath of the Church. He'd have to have been careful.

It seems pretty clear to me that he was hinting and the way in which, if you shift the figure of Mary/John to Jesus' left shoulder, it fits in perfectly with the idea of John's that he was leaning on His shoulder. Equally, it lends credence to the notion that it could have been Mary and if so, that the clasped hands signify either a wringing of hands or a penitent, innocent state, in contradiction to the prostitute legend. Then again, she'd have been reformed by the time of the Last Supper.

So, for argument's sake, if it was Mary Magdalene suggested there, why would Leonardo have suggested it? Some say because he was Priory of Sion. As a mason he'd also be likely to believe the wife of Jesus story too. Biblical references show she was certainly close to Him and I can well understand very close friendships with women which are actually platonic, despite the odds and the nudge-nudge wink-wink merchants.

Would it have killed the immortality of Christ if He had been married and if there had been an heir? All sources show that Mary Magdalene was deeply involved in the events around the crucifixion and resurrection. If you were in His shoes, knowing the agenda, knowing you were soon to ascend to heaven, would you impregnate your closest supporter?

Also, if Jesus appreciated women to that extent, why did He surround Himself with male disciples? The obvious answer was the custom of the time.

If you were to accept an heir, then each successive generation would progressively dilute the bloodline, despite it still being passed down and there was a grave risk in that for G-d. The enemy would surely try to either corrupt the line with itself [there was precedence for this] or else snuff it out.

That seems to me a great risk - better to pass, not a bloodline but an idea down through the disciples. The idea of the descendant being the returned messiah would also seem to be unnecessary - He can appear once more, just as He ascended.


Lastly, I don't think the idea of the marriage and heir affects the divinity one bit but it does seem more likely to me that she was a devotee and He may well have found comfort in her presence - who wouldn't have at His age?

The argument that He wouldn't have had the following if He'd been too close to her is a good one though but that could have cut both ways.

[thought for the day] monday evening

This photo is me just before bed now at 8 o'clock.


W-w-w-when the-the-the b-b-b-b-oiler b-b-breaks, your l-l-l-laptop is the only th-th-th-thing w-w-w-warm e-e-enou-gh-gh-gh to b-b-b-b-b-b-b-log on! [For a few minutes]

- Higham [2008]

[titus livius] the fall of big julie

Abridged version above

As Tiberius Gracchus has been running his series of posts on Livy and the Romans, it’s clearly time I muscled in on this act and what better way to start the ball rolling than to present to you:


Announcer: "Rinse the Blood Off My Toga," by Johnny Wayne and Frank Schuster—with apologies to William Shakespeare (and to Francis Bacon, just in case).
(FX—horn flourish) Rome! 44 B.C.

Flavius: My name is Flavius Maximus, Private Roman Eye. Licence number MMMCMLXXXVIII. It also comes in handy as an eye chart. I'm gonna tell ya about the Julius Caesar Caper. It all began during the Ides of March. I had just nailed Spartacus the Gladiator, he had a crooked lion who kept takin' a dive. Anyhow, I was just beginning to rest on my laurels when, suddenly— HE burst in to my office.

Brutus: You Flavius Maximus, private eye?

Flavius: I certainly am. What can I do for you? What's on your mind?

Brutus: Just a minute— Are we alone?

Flavius: Yes, we're alone.

Brutus: Are you sure we're alone?

Flavius: Yes, yes, I'm sure we're alone!

Brutus: Then who's that standing beside you?

Flavius: That's you.

Brutus: I know, but can I be trusted?

Flavius: (aside) I could see I was dealing with no ordinary man. This guy was a nut! (to Brutus) All right, what's on your mind?

Brutus: Flavius Maximus, a terrible thing has happened. It's the greatest crime in the history of Rome.

Flavius: right, give it to me straight. What's up?

Brutus: Julius Caesar has been murdered!

Flavius: Julius Caesar murdered! (aside) I couldn't believe my ears! Big Julie was dead!

Brutus: Yes, it happened just a few hours ago. Happened in the Senate; he was stabbed.

Flavius: Stabbed? In the Senate?

Brutus: No, not in the Senate. They got him right in the rotunda.

Flavius: That's a fatal spot. I had a splinter there once. Those marble splinters, you know—

Brutus: Boy, I tell you, all of Rome is in an uproar. I came to you because you are the top private eye in Rome. You've got to find the killer.

Flavius: Well, I'll try.

Brutus: Oh, you can do it. After all, you're the guy that got Clodius and Sullus and you sent them up on the invasion of the vestal virgins rap—

Flavius: Yes, the whole town was sure in an uproar about that, huh. Holy Jupiter!

Brutus: Now look, what do you say, Flavius? Will you take the case?

Flavius: Just a minute, pally. I'd like to know just whom I am working for?

Brutus: I'm a Senator. I was Caesar's best friend. The name is Brutus.

Flavius: Brutus,eh? All right, Brutus, you got yourself a boy. I'll take the case. My fee is 125 drachmas a day, in advance, of course.

Brutus: Okay, here you are!
(FX—sound of coins tinkling)

Flavius: You're one short.
(FX—one more coin)

Brutus: Hey, you got a good ear.

Flavius: When it comes to money—perfect pitch.

Brutus
Let's go, eh?

Concluded here

[tv quiz] which comedy show

Can you identify these shows or films?

1.

Siegfried: How do I know you're not Control?

MS: If I were Control, you'd already be dead.

Siegfried: If you were Control, you'd already be dead.

MS: Neither of us is dead, so I am obviously not from Control.

Shtarker: That actually makes sense.

2

"Politicians' language:

- Special development areas = marginal constituencies.

- Assistance to areas of economic hardship = pouring money into marginal constituencies.

- Decentralisation of government = moving government offices into marginal constituencies."

3

“Tough? Tough? It’s the toughest chicken I’ve ever known. It’s asked me for a fight in the car park twice!”

“Brandy please, Pamela.”

“Armagnac?”

“Yeah, that’ll do fine if you’re out of Brandy”

4

"Actually it was in gym class. I was trying to climb the ropes and Jerry was spotting me. I kept slipping and burning my thighs and then finally I slipped and fell on J....'s head. We've been close ever since."


"I'm in the unfortunate position of having to consider other people's feelings."

5

My mother used to say that there are no strangers, only friends you haven't met yet. She's now in a maximum security twilight home in Australia.

Jane [Seymour], you've been successfully married three times now. What's your secret?

Roseanne, is there anything you wish you hadn't eaten?

Answers

Unfortunately, with Blogger being down, answers will have to be clicked here.

[middle-east update] can livni make a difference

My approach to any research is to first go to the detractors, so here is the opening of this piece on Tzipora Malka "Tzipi" Livni:

Do not allow her smart clothing, the pleasant visage and friendly smile to hypnotize you and obscure the macabre agenda driving this life long Zionist -- the dream has always been Eretz Yisrael.

As with all Zionist Ashkenazi Prime Ministers before, her pedigree for the post is perfect: A sinister Mossad Spy, a murdering international terrorist and a legal apologist for the crimes of Israel internally and across the globe.

She does have Irgun links and was stationed in Paris in a "front" role as a local resident but that's as far as you can go. She is trying to win this election alone, without coalition partners.

Her background is lawyer/Mossad and her political stance can be expressed thus:

"We want to make clear that this region is one in which you either beat the neighborhood bully, or you join him. . . . All hesitation creates an image of weakness. Iran needs to understand the threat of a military move exists and is not being taken off the table. The more that this is made clear, the less the need to put this to use, later on. Thus, keeping the military threat on the table is important.`'

A known Sharonite, Livni stands firmly against the dismantlement of Jewish settlements in the West Bank and opposes a return to the 1967 borders. She is also vehemently against the repatriation of Palestinian refugees.

Her CV from a more pro-Israeli site states:

She is a graduate of Bar Ilan University Faculty of Law and has worked for 10 years as an attorney specializing in public and commercial law. She was awarded the Abirat Ha-Shilton in 2004. She was described as the second most power politician in Israel in 2006. She was included as the 52nd most powerful woman in the world as ranked by Forbes in 2007. She was included in the 2007 edition of Time’s 100 Most Influential People in the World. She speaks Hebrew, English and French.

Here's an interview with her:



State of play as I see it

The loss of resolution HJ Res 362 in congress means that the hawks might be outnumbered and with Obama probably coming in as U.S. Prez, there will be U.S. pressure on Israel to accommodate Palestinian aims, something, under Livni, which would not happen.

The possibility of blockading Iran is slipping away and the threat to Israel is therefore more dire than earlier. Russia is sweethearting Iran in trade deals and Obama will want to normalize relations with Russia, which has its own deals with China as well.

The long and the short of it is that middle-east relations are currently in a flat period, awaiting some elections and other developments on trade deals. For pundits, it's probably a case of keeping a weather eye open for now.

[good news monday] not

Remember - it's worse in China.

Charming, simply charming.

1. A possibility cropped up last week in that a tiny investment from long ago which I'd thought had gone to the wall still actually existed. On a good conversion rate $AUD to £UK it would see me through Christmas.

Two pieces of news today:

* Global financial markets have singled out the Australian dollar for special punishment. Over the weekend the local currency was subjected to its biggest sell-off since it was floated in 1983. The AU dollar closed in US trade down 37 per cent from the high it reached three months ago.

* Colonial [plus my own fund] has frozen daily withdrawals from investments in mortgages. It brings the total amount of money locked up within investment funds to more than $24 billion.

So, in summary, not redeemable and if it were, at a slashed conversion rate to pounds.

2. Our boiler has broken down for the second time in two weeks and the place is now heading for iceberg status. Looking like an eskimo as I type this. Hurry on flu.

3. Blogger is still down - are you having problems composing too?

4. Telegraph this morning:

* Mobile fingerprint check - Police to use handheld fingerprint scanners for id checks in the street.

* Gordon Brown vows to borrow and spend.

Have to laugh - we're absolutely knackered, aren't we? Have a lovely Monday wherever you are.

[thought for the day] sunday evening

I am too much of a sceptic to deny the possibility of anything.
- T.H. Huxley [1886]

Dedicated to Anonymous

[v for vendetta] two years too late

All right, this blog is two years too late but better late than never. The film V for Vendetta has many disquietening aspects before it gets to the plot. One is the hype, the marketing, right down to V capes and swords and the poster looks like something from the socialist left.

The basic premise is sound though and not so far away from Brown's Britain today. Those surveillance cameras, the detector vans, the government lies, the heavily controlled society, the bureaucratic obstacles to any progress and the everyday feel to the office scenes - they're already present.

The takeover by the messiah who comes in to mop up the mess his cronies induced, asking for a pledge of allegiance from the people - that's still a short way down the track and in the film, was almost cartoonish Hitler. The way he got to power, you'll recall was:

The country was divided over the loss of freedom until a bioterrorist attack occurred, killing about 100,000 people. The fear generated by the attack allowed Norsefire to silence opposition and win the next election by a landslide. A cure for the virus was discovered soon afterwards by a Norsefire company.

Point of interest:

Tony Blair's son Euan Blair worked on the film's production and is said (according to an interview with Stephen Fry) to have helped the filmmakers obtain the unparalleled filming access. This drew criticism of Blair from MP David Davis due to the content of the film.

I didn't see it as party political but rather what does happen in the end, once the ordinary person gets the catalyst to move from victim to avenger. A totalitarian state is a wasteful state, as huge amounts of resources are required to spy on, incarcerate and mistreat its population and Gordon must know that already there is more than an undercurrent of discontent.

He probably really believes he is actually doing good for his country, unaware of the true state of affairs but surely something inside him must tell him to be worried. Then again, people have still not been pushed enough to make that jump across the victim/hunter barrier.

That requires a catalyst, someone who can motivate, mobilize, give a nation back its heart. As DK wrote in his review of a review of the film:

This is what V manages to do: he not only makes people understand what has been done to them (one of the hardest tasks) but he unites people in indignation and gives them the inspiration to do something about it. It is for that reason that I find V For Vendetta so very uplifting.

He does that for me too and yes, DK - it is well nigh impossible to get people to see what they are really up against until the time has come.

[bag] from teabags to spaceships

If you drink copious amounts of tea, to the extent that you become known as Bag, then you will probably need to go a little more than the average mortal:

Maybe I'm not thinking right but I don't see what the big deal is about needing to go. Everyone has been caught short at some time. I have a really boring meeting every Monday where it regularly happens to me. What is the big deal?

Actually, Bag is not his real name. I'm now going to out him by announcing the:

Very Sir Lord Bag the Gnomic of Piddletrenthide Under Booth

When not covering vital issues like the Sudanese man forced to marry a goat [how many have done that] Bag presents his version of time travel:

I've done the normal trick of traveling from my home to Leeds, transit time 3H 15M. Travel home transit time 1H 25M. Don't ask me why that is common. Although the average for the outgoing journey is 2H 15M. Every time it is like that. There are a few roadworks springing up now so soon we will be plus 3H every trip. I can't wait.

Speaking of things SF, he contacted me with the news that the essential problem with my novels was that there weren't any spaceships in them. "Get some of those big, black, shiny buggers in there," he informed me and your books will take off.

Bag wonders why the good ships are always dull, grungy, slow and outdated while the enemy ships are always sleek, beautiful and displaying the latest in cutting edge technology. the goodies need to get their act together, it seems.

Because of this and other thinking, some have even accused Bag of plain common sense, to which he takes issue:

People are always talking about "common sense" but from what I see, there's nothing common about it at all.

An example of loopy public thinking:

Was sitting at traffic lights and across my view came a bus with the words 'You can't beat a bus' on it as part of a logo. On the advertisement underneath was a petrol guzzling 4x4. No hint of irony there then and the power of money at work.

Perhaps there's Scottish blood in Bag:

Although I was born in Scotland I have lived in England so long I don't have solid ties with Scotland itself. Although I still have family ties as most of my non-immediate relatives still live there. I've always considered myself a child of the UK and referred to myself as British. Perhaps because of my very background.

I suspect most people will identify with Bag' post on the fascistic antics of the current government:

Why don't they just tattoo us on the forehead and get it over with? Now will someone let me know where I can buy these latex fingertips to give myself false prints. Jeez, It's really hard to believe I'm law abiding1, I've got no criminal record, yet. Although I do do a few risky things. For example, I blog, I've eaten at McDonalds and I drive. All subversive tendencies so I'm bound to get nicked one day.

He can often be found around Second Life in his black and vermillion cape:

Well, Spent a bit of the day in Second Life today while the BlogPower awards preparations have been going on. Tom Paine from Last Ditch has invested a significant amount of time and effort to make sure everything is up and running and needs to be congratulated. I, of course, have played around setting off fireworks and getting people drunk.

Any possible doubts about Bag's sexuality could probably be put to rest by this:

I wonder if she looks like Nora Batty in real life. I can't complain - she was pleasant enough and my avatar isn't short, tubby and bald. I also chatted to a boxer. It seems that your SL character can build up strength, stamina and speed by going to the gym.

She took me to her gym to show me around and had a wrestling match with her instructor as a demonstration. Unbelievably, it seems that they hold matches in SL where when you are a certain skill level you can get paid. They also have people in shooting competitions, sword fighting, car racing..... There is lots in there.

On the downside you can have neighbours like Tom who set up a derelict flats with sewage, dumped cars and general rubbish to make an eyesore for the awards and put pressure on him. Just goes to show it really is a slice of life.

Perhaps Bag's blog should be renamed: "How to Win Friends and Influence People."

Now, sadly, he has gone into hiatus and posts on clay pigeon shooting, blowing up parliament and big, black, shiny spaceships must await another day when he returns through the wormhole.