Bradley Manning Support Network

Many of us are aware of, or even members of, the Bradley Manning Support Network. Every day I receive in my Inbox an updated bulletin of what is happening. I strongly recommend that you subscribe to this. 

In this newsletter dated 22 October 2012 there is an interesting reference to an article by Suelette Dreyfus in the Guardian. I had not heard of Suelette Dreyfus before and I look forward to reading her article. Some of us will know that there's a great deal of ferment in the Guardian about the way it is covering the whole whistle-blower phenomenon. The Bradley Manning website is worth visiting: link.

Recently there has been some unwonted font style and formatting on my blog postings. I hope to be able to control that in the future, but you'll have to live with it for the moment!

Apparent foolishness by those who run Ruskin College, Oxford

Like many of us, I often receive in my Inbox requests to sign petitions. Sometimes I do; sometimes I don't. I think this petition concerning the proposal to destroy archives at Ruskin College, Oxford is worth signing. 
Link to petition.

Ruskin College has an interesting history (link). It was named after John Ruskin who has become more appreciated in recent decades. 

If you agree with the petition perhaps you might forward it on to others.

Two social outings in the Indian Summer of 2012!

I haven't made many blog postings lately and so here is one concerning two outings I have enjoyed in recent weeks with City Synergy. On 22 September 2012 we went to the Brooklands Pleasure Park in Lancing on the border of Worthing. It was extremely warm and bright for late September. I had never been there before but that is not so surprising as I have just learned that it was formerly the Council tip/dump for Worthing Borough Council (I seldom visit operating Council tips although many of my less respectful friends think I should be deposited in one). It is a remarkable transformation. It has a boating lake, and many facilities for children including for disabled children. Disabled adults are catered for too. There are ponies one can ride on and most interestingly for me, a former racing cyclist, various types of pedal-powered vehicles including a side-by-side tandem. I particularly enjoyed that and once in it, sitting next to my clear-sighted but not as strong-legged as me companion, I felt like cycling to Aberdeen. Mercifully I was restrained.

Photos: http://flic.kr/s/aHsjCoSiA5

On 7 October 2012 another City Synergy venture took us to the Lifeboat Station at Shoreham Harbour. Shoreham is an interesting town about five miles west of Brighton and it is much older than Brighton. The river Adur meets the sea from Shoreham but as the river is rather fickle it has changed the position of its mouth over the centuries. Shoreham is perhaps most celebrated for being the port from which Bonnie Prince Charlie made his escape from England following his defeat at the Battle of Worcester in 1651. The Captain of the collier, which was called 'The Surprise', Nicholas Tattersall, carried the fugitive prospective king to Fecamp in Normandy.  More about this interesting event can be found here: http://brightonbits.blogspot.co.uk/2011/10/royal-escape.html

The Shoreham Harbour Lifeboat station is one of many owned by the Royal National Lifeboat Institute www.rnli.org.uk. This is one of the UK's most cherished bodies and it is funded entirely out of voluntary contributions, including legacies.

We had an interesting tour of the Station and were given a good explanation of the all weather lifeboat and of the inshore lifeboat, both of which are housed at the Station.



Photos: http://flic.kr/s/aHsjCoSH8N