BBC source article - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-31656935

This optical illusion dress thing that has gone viral is fascinating – at lunchtime today I looked at the image on the left and saw black and blue – absolutely no hesitation at all. And this is actually the colour of the dress as reported.

I couldn’t understand how anyone would see gold and white…

...but at nearly 5pm, I happened to look at the article again and was most surprised to see the image as white and gold. Also interesting is that the image on the right has appeared blue and black the whole time.

That was kind of freaky - was my mind playing tricks on me? Nothing I have read so far in coverage terms suggests that people can see both colourways.  

As the natural light in the office has decreased, the image has effectively changed colour and it must be the rods and cones in my eyeballs competing for supremacy.

Still bothered, I put the image on to two different screens at the same time and blow me down, the images looked different on each screen. I can see both colourways at the same time – that must be down to monitor brightness and angles of light.

There appears to me to be a transition that goes blue/black to blue/gold to white/gold.

Weird but cool!

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Today’s post is something of a recap on a week of news consumption. Some material reviewed has left me alarmed, some has provided inspiration and some has provided light relief – I think all the items presented in this piece are thought provoking – have a read and decide if you agree.

When asked if I want the good news or the bad news, I always choose the bad first. One might as well know what one is up against as soon as possible.   

So starting with the bad (If you’d prefer to start with good, scroll down a little):

I read this piece this week and think that it is something that everyone should read and reflect upon. The words are interesting but you should watch the embedded videos too.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-30585783

Juergen Todenhoefer (JT) was the first westerner/journalist given access to Mosul since Islamic State (IS) took over. He went in with his son which, depending upon your perspective, was either a brave or a totally irresponsible act - his son’s mother must have been beside herself with fear for the whole time they were away.

JT’s experiences in IS held territory may have scarred him but are worrying for the rest of the world. IS is well armed, well-funded, organised, recruiting from around the world and brimming with confidence/motivation.

For the Sunnis (no Christians or Shias left) living in the self-proclaimed caliphate, they are subject to a swathe of draconian laws and are in constant danger, a human shield to the armed IS militants that move amongst them. 

Todenhoefer’s revelations that IS will kill Muslims without any qualms if they are not of the right sect/mind set, let alone those of different faiths is chilling. He positions ethnic cleansing as being contemplated on such a scale that previous genocides could seem less significant. And as a German, I don’t suppose he uses that kind of language lightly. He refers to the legacies of the Nazis, the communists, the regime of Pol Pot and thinks that the threat from IS is as concerning and a “real and present danger”.

JT could have been manipulated, fed a mixture of bravado and bollocks, material contrived to progress the propaganda war in line with the armed insurgency. Maybe the IS grip isn’t so strong, or the fundamentalism so extreme, but it could be dangerous to assume that.     

The coverage is arguably a good propaganda result for IS – a respected journalist has told the world IS will be hard to beat and that he has never been so scared of a foe. Okay he also stated that IS is barbaric and needs to be defeated but that side of the debate has been well publicised for a long time. 

It seems to me that history is already proving that invading Iraq and Afghanistan and interfering in Libya and Syria was foolhardy. Supporting Hussein, Gaddafi, Assad may actually have been better decisions because those despots at least kept their countries functioning and extremism on the fringes. IS may be trying to paint a picture that its society works on a practical level and that its territory isn’t just ruins but that’s less believable than Putin’s claims that Russian soldiers aren’t fighting in the Ukraine.

The western world was responsible for toppling Saddam Hussein over non-existing nuclear weapons; Allah help us all if IS gets hold of them because, if Todenhoefer is to be believed, the risk would be that the regime would use them without hesitation.

Moving away from depressing stuff and on to much more inspirational material.

IS to VC

The award of the Victoria Cross to 27 year old Lt/Cpl Josh Leakey of the Parachute Regiment is the polar opposite of the IS news. Here is a man who earned the highest military award there is for bravery in the face of the enemy fire. He put the lives of his comrades above his own and showed remarkable courage - he didn’t behead defenceless people or burn them in cages.

Please read this piece and watch the embedded interview too.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-31626357

Leakey is brilliant, he’s selfless and actually embarrassed at all the attention he’s getting that he thinks should be shared amongst his unit and his battalion. His manner appears typical of VC holders – he was just doing what was necessary, anyone would have done the same.

From a plucky Brit to the Brits

Madonna got pulled off the stage at the Brits music awards ceremony and handled it all so professionally that attendees thought the tumble she took was part of the act. The video is part of the news article below – watch the incident for yourself if you haven’t seen it already:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-31633349

Respect to Madonna and her dance troop for reacting to the situation with aplomb, Madge went on to perform her number as if nothing had happened. Even the fall seemed to work with the song’s lyrics.

Being a mosher, Madonna’s music isn’t my thing but I have to say she rocks even though she does pop.

From “go girl” to crow girl

This story from America, about an eight year old girl that has an unusual relationship with a murder of crows, is lovely.

Gabi Mann feeds the crows and in return the crows bring her thank you gifts.  She has amassed quite a collection of trinkets over a four year period.   

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-31604026

Crows, so often associated with the dead or the afterlife, are known to be intelligent, this fascinating story would evidence that.   

From end of life to end of post

The theme throughout this post has been material that has provoked thought. If you had chosen some items to reflect upon, what would you have selected?

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Something really rather cool happened today that I thought I’d share with you. Two of my older posts about Lyons Maid Superman’s Superhero lolly sticks (1,2) prompted a site visitor, conducting some research, to get in touch…

…because a “Joker” stick had washed up on a beach in Cornwall…

 ...and the “Beachcombing’s Bizarre and Beautiful” group found it (see photo).  

From a probability perspective, what’s the chance of that happening - something from my childhood washing up on a beach, in a decent, recognisable state and someone tracking me down to discuss it? Winning lottery ticket odds is my guess.

I spent my 2014 summer holiday in Camelford, Cornwall and having accompanied my kids as they hunted in every available rock pool on beaches from Newquay to Bude; did I find such treasure? Of course not.

Sympathy is not required at this point either; sometimes writing material for my site can be a lonely and unrewarding experience. Getting feedback and entering into dialogue with visitors is what makes the effort worthwhile. And it occurs to me that there are parallels to beachcombing in this matter - here too does one toil repeatedly, to occasionally discover something rewarding.

Extracts from the email dialogue follow.

“I found your site and the fascinating article about the superhero lolly sticks while researching a beachcomber item I found after storms on Perranporth beach Cornwall. (I belong to a network of community volunteer groups who litter pick the coast here (and look for sea treasures!)). Please email me if you would like a photo. Best wishes, DW”

Clearly I wrote back, said “yes please” and the conversation continued.

“Thanks for the reply - it makes a real difference to the educational work (about environmental issues, and marine pollution) that our groups do in schools if we can give the historic information about the items we discover during beach cleans.

"I have attached the photo of the unpainted 'Joker' lolly stick. You are welcome to use it on your blog if you wish (any credit to the group 'Beachcombing's Bizarre and Beautiful' rather than an individual please duly observed - ed.). As I mentioned it was found at Perranporth beach Cornwall yesterday during a beach clean. It looks in remarkably good condition considering its age. The recent (unusually) high tides and massive waves have brought in a great deal of debris onto our beaches, and the plastic items are a real problem here as they cause harm to wildlife and the environment.
 
"There is quite a big network of community/voluntary groups across Cornwall that would be hugely interested in hearing about this item.”

The “Friends of Portheras Cove” and “Beachcombing's Bizarre and Beautiful” can be found on Facebook.

Of the hundreds of posts presented over the last three years, the amount of traffic and goodwill generated because of the posts about plastic lolly sticks has been surprising.

Or maybe not; the reality is that the “niche” topics I write about are more likely to generate search originated traffic because far fewer sites will contain content relevant to the search parameter.

Regardless, I am grateful to the FoPC and BB&B for contacting me – if you need to find the Joker a new home – he’s very welcome in Daventry.

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Other posts from this thread
19/03/2019 Lolly Legacy
11/03/2019 ​Lyons Maid Superman’s Superheroes Lolly Sticks in Colour
10/03/2019 Lolly Stick Happiness
15/02/2017 http://www.adrianbaldwin.net/blog/first-class-ice-lolly-cool-cornwall-catwoman
25/02/2015 http://www.adrianbaldwin.net/blog/fantastic-plastic-perranporth-find
04/12/2012 http://www.adrianbaldwin.net/blog/the-sequel-to-the-supermans-superheroes-stick-story
2012 http://www.adrianbaldwin.net/lyons-maid-supermans-superheroes-ice-lolly.html​

This week the escalating tensions between Russia and NATO are beginning to bother me – the report of a Russian Bear bomber flying not quite into our airspace (rather an area of interest) but nonetheless being escorted away by the RAF has been followed up by this piece on the BBC…

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-magazine-monitor-31537705

...about how to spot a Russian bomber.

Are you slightly alarmed by these developments or is it just me?

What next I wonder – will the BBC or the Government start to remind us of the contents of the infamous eighties leaflet entitled “Protect and Survive”?

In part related to the plane spotting; our country’s leaders are being accused of intelligence inadequacies over failings to appreciate the depth of Russian antagonism towards its neighbours becoming NATO members. If we are to believe the propaganda, other ex USSR states are in real and present danger of being Ukrained (partially annexed).

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-31545744

The lesson - Russia may have left communism and embraced western style capitalism but we make a mistake in thinking that the Russian government now thinks/will behave like its EU counterparts.

I presume that the existing economic sanctions are having an impact because Putin has resorted to posturing with his military. But, as a matter of some importance, the EU intelligence communities need to determine the point that tips the balance from economic conflict towards armed conflict.

What else should our elected representatives be doing on our behalves?

I am not sure but I hope that the politicians can divert some of their collective imagination away from May focused electioneering to effectively responding to Putin’s brinkmanship.

Hopefully it’s not just sending some NATO aircraft spotting guides to the Kremlin or organising some equally provocative Baltic flybys.

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On Thursday 5th February I had a great night out in Oxford with Mark Hughes and, though it was almost a fortnight ago, I thought the occasion warranted a blog post. The format of the evening was food followed by a gig and I shall write about both.

It so happens that Oxford is Mark’s home town and so he was able to recommend/book a restaurant and even offer advice on off-street parking (and that local knowledge came in handy).

We met up on the Cowley Road and headed to Atomic Burger for food. Mark, knowing my penchant for all things retro, picked a perfect eatery from my perspective – the joint, as well as a burger bar, was as good as a museum of childhood too. Toys and film memorabilia were stacked on all the available shelves and even hanging from the ceiling. The burgers were all named after film characters – mine a chicken “Chuck Norris” and Mark’s a beef “Jack Burton”.

The engaging surroundings meant I was twisting my head and neck about as much as I would be during the banging heavy metal gig that came later - I’ll be honest, I was at great risk of spilling the ingredients of my burger down the front of my AC/DC tee shirt.

After much chomping and chatting, the meal was done and it was time to head off to the gig. Now the venue-savvy readers amongst you will know that the Cowley Road is home to the O2 academy…

…that was not our destination.

The gig we were going to was in a decidedly pokey, slightly grotty, ironically named pub called “The Library”. Seriously the place was so small it was like watching the bands performing in one’s lounge (albeit with lower ceilings, poor decoration and more of a pong…a student house then). I can’t complain about the less than salubrious surroundings though because the gig was free, and it was good!

Once inside the pub, it was necessary to descend some steps at the rear of the bar to get to the gig room. The space, totally packed out by the fifty (or thereabouts) layabouts, was hot, rather more intimate than ideal and in places low ceilinged enough to warrant padding, or the wearing of a crash helmet. Put it this way, one would have to have been suicidal to contemplate pogoing!   

That stated, there was one fellow that must have been six foot six inches tall and maybe even higher than that. I can only theorise that he must have watched the gig on his knees.

The first band we saw (the second on the undercard) named “Mother Corona” (MC) was a local three-piece where the lead singer was also the drummer – and crikey, you really need to have some coordination to be able to manage two hands, two feet and sing at the same time! Way beyond me for sure – it’s hard enough for me to get my beer from waist height to mouth without missing.

I also noted that MC’s guitarist, a capable, Gibson Les Paul playing geezer was so heavily inked that he could have been sponsored by Parker.  

The band played a number of songs, my favourite of which was “Stone Cold Universe”. It is possible to buy CDs from Mother Corona, this track alone makes the band’s “Reburn” album worth buying.

Though I didn’t know it at the time, you can’t buy MC’s stuff on Amazon – I am kicking myself that I didn’t buy a copy at the gig. Still there was barely enough space for the band let alone its merchandising operation.   

By the end of the MC set, my hearing was already affected from the close proximity of the PA system. Ear plugs would have been a good idea.  

After an interlude, punctuated by the obligatory sound checking, the main act of the evening took to the floor.

Desert Storm is a five piece outfit – that meant two extra people in the space that was a challenge for three.

Bearing in mind that Desert Storm holds a record contract and has readily available albums for sale, it amazes me that there was less space between the band and its audience than is normally found betwixt commuters packed into tube trains during the rush hour.

Still to the band’s credit, the members took the limitations of the venue in their strides. The singer, a bloke called Matt Ryan, was good natured, even apologetic about the fact he could hardly move, couldn’t even stand up straight in some places and could have been cuddled at any moment by the stocky and ugly looking chaps (whom he might as well have been serenading) that were stood just inches from his nose.

As I understand it the gig was a warm up event prior to some dates in Belgium, Germany and Holland – one thing is for certain, in the cramped, dark environment of the Library, it wasn’t so much warm as roasting.

Matt Ryan sings from low down in his throat and his voice has a guttural, occasionally gargled type of sound that I can’t replicate at all. When I try it hurts and I end up coughing; I have no idea how he manages to sing song after song like that. His appearance doesn’t suit his voice – in my opinion he looks like a young Lee Majors and yet sounds like Regan from the Exorcist (when she's having one of her turns). Though he can growl, songs like “Home” from the recently released “Omniscient” album prove he can genuinely sing well too.

The band played a number of tunes from the Omniscient and Horizontal Life (HL) albums and I have to state that the set list was cracking – having listened to HL all the way from Milton Keynes to Oxford, I bought a copy of Omniscient from one of the guitarists and, by way of an encore, listened to that all the way home to Daventry.          
Though this band is accomplished, it is relatively new and, if you are getting a little long of tooth (like me), you might not have heard of it. To be honest I hadn’t until 2013 but Mark lent me his HL CD and I liked it so much I bought my own copy. Now unless you are a buddy, I can’t lend you mine but I can spread the word and share a recommendation.  

Desert Storm is a band that I want to see again and again (though perhaps in less intimate surroundings). If you like heavy, sludgy Black Sabbath like metal, look this band up on YouTube, buy a CD or go to a gig and decide if you agree with me.

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