Random pictures - wildlife

 

Source: Winners of the 2016 British Wildlife Photography Awards Reveal Gorgeous Diversity of Animal Kingdom

Visit the link for the full, un-cropped pictures, and many more...

Random chart - risks

Source: NHS (U.K.) Atlas of Risks

Random BD - Ecosse

Source: Ecosse : les enjeux de l’indépendance

Random charts - the blitz

Click to expand:

 

Source: Bomb Sight: Mapping the WW2 Bomb Census (interactive map)

Random pictures - ridiculousness

 

Source: Royals defend palace refurbishment and new helicopter and Time to turn the Pages of history?

Good grief, the outfits.... And I'm not talking about the Duchess of Cambridge's... 

And from the latter: "... Looking the very picture of noble obesiance and honourable tradition in his Daz-white lace jabot and smart scarlet court dress, 13–year-old Viscount Aithrie, HM The Queen's current Page of Honour was back on duty yesterday — serving his Monarch at The Order of the Garter Ceremony yesterday. Lord Aithrie (son of the Earl of Hopetoun and grandson of the Marquess of Linlithgow) was the poor chap who made headlines two weeks ago when he fainted during his previous engagement at the State Opening of Parliament.." 

Wow, brings this to mind: 

Picture credit

Random chart - web of care

Source: Webs of care Seven'webs of care' that "... show the complexity of the services which patients must navigate, often with little assistance to link them together..."

Random maps - original names

Click to enlarge:

Source: The Atlas of True Names. "... reveals the etymological roots, or original meanings, of the familiar terms on today's maps of the World, Europe, the British Isles and the United States." Cool!

Exactly!

A recent 1,866-word article, Making the case for the Trident replacement, essentially could be boiled down to the following: "... like it or not, nations that do not posses them will always be in the second rank. If Britain is going to retain power and influence in the world then we need the muscle to back this up..."

Honesty, at least! Unlike blathering attempts made by some to justify the U.K. retaining its "independent" nuclear deterrent without admitting to the real reason, this article at least has the honesty to admit to the only "good" reason for this to happen i.e without its nukes (and a few other artefacts of history, such as a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council, the "special relationship" with the United states, etc.), the U.K. would be a third rate power.

The trouble is that this is precisely why some non-nuclear states covert the bomb! They too understand the truth, that it is mostly a matter of prestige, heft, and world standing...

For more, and why the U.K. should be denuclearized (via U.S. pressure if necessary....), see Zero Global Zero blog entry from 2008...

Random picture

Source: AJE web site

Random chart

Source: Religion-switching in the UK and USA

Random chart

Source: De-activating Speed Cameras

Both sides of their mouths...

Friday, September 18th: "The UN nuclear assembly voted on Friday to urge Israel to accede to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)" The motion barely carried, by a vote of 49 to 45 with Western nations voting against...

Thursday, September 24th: President Obama chairs a Security Council session that unanimously adopts a "historical resolution" (per the President). Looking at the resolution, after all the "resolving," "reaffirming," "recalling," "bearing in mind," "calling for," "gravely concerned," etc., etc. we get to #4 "Calls upon all States that are not Parties to the NPT to accede to the Treaty as non-nuclear weapon States so as to achieve its universality at an rearly date, and pending their accession to the Treaty, to adhere to its terms."

Which is it?

Happy 60th Charles

Charles Philip Arthur George (Mountbatten-Windsor), Prince of Wales, turned 60 today... Sixty years (and counting, considering that the Queen at 82 is hale and hearty...) waiting for the throne... Ouch.

Prince Charles, une si longue attente...
A 60 ans, le prince Charles attend de succéder à sa mère