Bookan……Boris..….Glory Days… The Heroes of Harray…..Thought For Today….
by Bernie Bell - 07:31 on 10 March 2023
Bookan..
Info. from the Orkney Archaeology Society about what will be a very fine walk …weather permitting!
“Walk: Ancient Landscapes – a Short Walk to the Ring of Bookan
April 22 @ 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
FREE
Chris Gee from UHI has agreed to do a walk and talk around the area of Bookan on Saturday 22 April.
We will meet at the Brodgar car park at 14.00 and walk up to the Ring of Bookan from there (about twenty minutes), and he can talk about other landscape features on the way up (Dyke of Sean etc) to give it a context.
Places are limited so please RSVP here… https://orkneyarchaeologysociety.org.uk/event/walk-ancient-landscapes-a-short-walk-to-the-ring-of-bookan/
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And here’s my tale of a possible Neolithic procession, which includes Bookan…
https://theorkneynews.scot/2022/01/08/orkney-walks-with-stories-the-procession/
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Boris….
I received this from change.org…. https://www.change.org/en-GB . It speaks for itself….
“Rishi Sunak should block Boris Johnson’s plan to give an honour to his father
To say that Boris Johnson is never far from controversy is plainly an understatement. He will soon be forced to give evidence on Partygate and answer accusations that he lied to parliament.
The latest scandal to come to light, however, is even closer to home than parties held in Downing Street. In his resignation honours’ list, Mr Johnson has put his father, Stanley, forward for an award.
Here at The Independent we believe to attempt this is clearly an abuse of a system that is supposed to recognise outstanding contributions to society and public life. It is not designed for blatant nepotism.
Conservative and former Brexit secretary David Davis has called it a “ridiculous” and “corrosive” move, while Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has condemned it as “absolutely outrageous”.
Mr Johnson has already handed his brother, Jo, a life peerage as Baron Johnson of Marylebone after he stepped down as an MP. To try it again with his father is a step too far.
The current Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak has the power to block any honour.
We believe he must act now to stop this latest attempt by Mr Johnson to hand an honour to his father.
Thank you for your support.
David Marley
Deputy Editor, The Independent “
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As chance would have it, I’m reading ’Bachelors Anonymous’ by P.G. Wodehouse, and I quote….
“With those who had known them both it was a constant source of debate as to whether Jaklyn was or was not a more slippery character than his late father. Some said Yes, some said No, but it was agreed that it was a close thing, and the opinion of those who had suffered at their hands that the crookedness of each was such as to enable him to hide at will behind a spiral staircase was universally held.”
‘Nuff said!
PS
I said 'nuff said, but then I read this....
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Glory Days….
Mike and I were discussing how we’ve been present for some of the ‘glory days’ of Orkney archaeology….
The Eagle Cairn when the finds were in the farmhouse conservatory and we were taken round the site by Ronnie Simison……
https://theorkneynews.scot/2017/05/04/bernie-bell-orkney-walks-with-stories-the-eagle-cairn/
Maes Howe when the Visitor Centre was in Tormiston Mill - we’d get a ticket, wander across, walk round the cairn, walk up on top and see how Maes Howe is placed in relation to other sites and natural features in the landscape – most significantly the Barnhouse Stone. Went into the mound with whichever guide was handy, then out and back to the Mill when we were ready - lunch in the café at the top of the building. Also, events like this could take place there… https://theorkneynews.scot/2017/08/20/what-the-architecture-tells-us/
Mine Howe - we went there, Mike went down the steps, I didn’t …here’s why… https://theorkneynews.scot/2017/07/27/bernie-bell-minehowe
But we were there, and still think of the place…. https://theorkneynews.scot/2021/09/03/feeling-wistful-at-mine-howe/
And now – The Ness…. http://www.spanglefish.com/berniesblog/blog.asp?blogid=16176
One day, I think they‘ll need to fence the Ring of Brodgar - a shame - but if needs must…… https://theorkneynews.scot/2022/03/14/more-than-just-a-ditch/
And the people we met – Ronnie Simison, John Hedges, Euan MacKie.
But – we still have The Cairns…. https://archaeologyorkney.com/2022/11/16/cairns-2023/
And Swandro…… http://www.spanglefish.com/berniesblog/blog.asp?blogid=16178
Who knows what else is waiting to be un-earthed?
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The Heroes of Harray….
This weather reminded me of the men of Harray Parish who ventured out in the snow to find food….
https://theorkneynews.scot/2021/09/22/the-heroes-of-harray-parish/
If you can - until it thaws or the roads are cleared – stay home!
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Thought For Today….
When Charlie Three was Prince of Wales, he was reported as having described his mother’s Government’s plan to send refugees to Rwanda as being “Appalling”… https://theorkneynews.scot/2022/06/13/its-appalling/
He is now King of England, and how does he feel about being King of a nation in which his Government are planning to go ahead with this scheme?
He must have some power, and why doesn’t he use that power to prevent something which he considers to be “Appalling”?
If he’s just a figure-head – then we pay him an awful lot for being just a figure-head!
I posted this in m’blog a few days ago….
“Rwanda…
I received the following from ‘Freedom From Torture’… https://www.freedomfromtorture.org/ …..
“Imagine priding your airline on its morals and making your slogan “...we care” but refusing to rule out of flying torture survivors and refugees to Rwanda.
HiFly even advocated for people seeking safety and flew Syrian refugees to safety in 2016 – so it should be easy for them to take a stand against a cash for humans plan, right?
We’ve written to them. We’ve reached out on social media. Nothing. With hundreds of refugees receiving letters of removal to Rwanda as we speak, it’s time to pile on the pressure, with hundreds of us calling them out publicly.
We forced Privilege Style, the government’s chosen airline, to back out using our people power - now we can do the same with HiFly. Will you take two minutes to write on their social media pages and ask them to rule themselves out?
If you don’t have Linkedin or Instagram, you can also reply to their tweets.
government since they announced the Rwanda plan, showing how people power works. Refugee charities took the government to court and lawyers got the first flight cancelled. Freedom From Torture’s supporters made sure Titan, Airtanker, Privilege Style and Wamos airlines all ruled themselves out.
Together we have proved ourselves incredibly powerful - and now we can prove it yet again.
In solidarity,
Agustina Oliveri
Senior Digital Campaigns Officer”
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Here’s one I made earlier… https://theorkneynews.scot/2020/11/23/art-in-the-time-of-covid/
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