BMEWS
 
Sarah Palin's presence in the lower 48 means the Arctic ice cap can finally return.

calendar   Thursday - April 01, 2010

Change for the sake of being silly

Life Imitates Art

Towns Emulate Technology

Technology Emulates Towns

The Whole World Has Gone Stupid





Notice anything different today?


image



Google changes it’s name to Topeka. Why? Because Topeka Kansas changed it’s name to Google Kansas. Right. Sure. Like anyone would ever google Kansas.

A different kind of company name
4/01/2010 12:01:00 AM
Early last month the mayor of Topeka, Kansas stunned the world by announcing that his city was changing its name to Google. We’ve been wondering ever since how best to honor that moving gesture. Today we are pleased to announce that as of 1AM (Central Daylight Time) April 1st, Google has officially changed our name to Topeka.

We didn’t reach this decision lightly; after all, we had a fair amount of brand equity tied up in our old name. But the more we surfed around (the former) Topeka’s municipal website, the more kinship we felt with this fine city at the edge of the Great Plains.

In fact, Topeka Google Mayor Bill Bunten expressed it best: “Don’t be fooled. Even Google recognizes that all roads lead to Kansas, not just yellow brick ones.”

This is just silly. It was bad enough when the web site entered our lexicon as a verb to replace “search”. Just Google it. Fine. But I’ll be damned if now I’m going to Topeka anything. Except boobies. “Did you check that view?” “Hella yeah, I’d like Topeka that, maybe sneak a downblouse.”

image

Topeka this


avatar

Posted by Drew458   United States  on 04/01/2010 at 02:29 PM   
Filed Under: • Fun-StuffStoopid-People •  
Comments (1) Trackbacks(0)  Permalink •  

It’s About Time

US Navy Sinks Somali Pirate Skiff



Stupid Pirates Attacked Guided Missile Frigate Around Midnight




A group of suspected pirates was captured Thursday after attacking a U.S. Navy frigate in the Indian Ocean, according to a statement released by the U.S. Sixth Fleet.

The USS Nicholas reported taking fire from a suspected pirate skiff shortly after midnight local time west of the Seychelles, the statement said. The Nicholas quickly returned fire and began pursuing the skiff, which was eventually disabled. A boarding team from the Nicholas subsequently captured and detained three people, the statement said.

The team discovered ammunition and several cans of fuel aboard the skiff, which was later sunk by the Nicholas.

Two more suspected pirates were captured on a confiscated “mother ship,” the statement said. The detainees will “remain in U.S. custody on board Nicholas until a determination is made regarding their disposition,” it said.

The Navy has to figure out what to do with the captured pirates? Gosh, that’s a tough one. Hey, I have an idea:

image



USS Nicholas, FFG 47. A third-generation guided missile frigate of the Oliver Hazard Perry class, she was laid down as Bath Iron Works hull number 388 on 27 FFG47 and launched 23 April 1983. Sponsor at her commissioning there on 10 March 1984 was the same Mrs. Edward B.Tryon who sponsored DD 449 in 1942.

Nicholas was designed to provide in-depth protection for military and merchant shipping, amphibious task forces, and underway replenishment groups. Her 453-foot (loa) hull displaces 3,183 tons and her gas turbine power develops 40,000 shp for a single screw, giving a top speed of 30 knots. Normal complement is 17 officers and 198 enlisted men.


image

USS Nicholas visiting New Orleans


avatar

Posted by Drew458   United States  on 04/01/2010 at 02:07 PM   
Filed Under: • Pirates, aarrgh! •  
Comments (4) Trackbacks(0)  Permalink •  

Needed at once, urgent, FOUR (as in 4) men and a very large machine to move one mattress.

batbatbatbatbat AWARD TO: Bolton Metropolitan Council.

Cue the fan-fare for this one ......... what’s happened to ppl ?  why are they getting dumber?  can’t ALL be liberals for gosh sake.
Take a look.

Council officials said they could not remove a mattress dumped on an embankment after claiming they needed four men and a JCB to do the job.

By Paul Byrne 31/03/2010

Zealots’ daft safety ruling

Householders in Little Lever, near Bolton, Greater Manchester, had assumed that the mattress would be promptly removed by one or two workers after it was reported to the local authority.

But they had failed to take into account the health and safety requirements of Bolton Metropolitan Council.

Have you ever wondered how many people it takes to move a dumped mattress? Five, according to health and safety council jobsworths - plus a three-hour risk assessment by an executive support officer, a 1.7-tonne JCB and one week to set it all up.

Bolton town hall penpushers laid down the rules after an old mattress was abandoned on an embankment. One councillor, Sean Hornby, got so fed up that he and pal Paul Richardson, 63, carried it away themselves.

Sean, 43, said: “It’s health and safety gone mad. The policies are barmy. I’m not saying it was an easy job but it took us four minutes.” Yet an official had earlier emailed him to say: “After carrying out the risk assessment, it is not possible to remove the mattress manually and it requires a JCB.”

A council spokesman defended the ridiculous ruling and said: “An officer carried out a visual assessment and decided the most appropriate course was… mechanical equipment.”

Baffled Paul added: “Risk assessment has taken over from common sense.”

SOURCE


avatar

Posted by peiper   United Kingdom  on 04/01/2010 at 12:36 PM   
Filed Under: • Stoopid-People •  
Comments (2) Trackbacks(0)  Permalink •  

AN AWESOME 10 YEAR LABOR OF LOVE ON DISPLAY AND FOR SALE … TAKE A LOOK AT REAL ART.

This is not only a true work of art, it’s an outstanding example of patience, determination and a love of history. And any other very positive set of words you may come up with.  When I saw the one photo available in the hard copy, I was blown away. And there was not much text to explain it either.
So I went to the on line version of the Daily Mail and was doubly blown away again.  This is really exciting, awesome stuff. Wow.
And to think what’s left of the ancient original will be reburied.  ???  They say it’s for preservation. I don’t quite understand that. It should be unearthed and room made somewhere to house the original.  Hell, if they need money, the state should pay whatever the cost and simply deduct the cost and the future expense of upkeep, from the money they throw away on useless people and countries. Damn!

Please see the link because there are loads more photos and even the one I have here I have reduced to save space. 

Of its 60 rooms, 20 had mosaic floors including the large hall which contained the Orpheus pavement featuring one of the most important figures in Greek mythology.

IS THAT AWESOME ER WHAT? 
I can just imagine what the ancients might say upon seeing what passes for ‘art’ in our world.

Labour of love: How two brothers spent ten years creating 47ft replica of largest Roman mosaic ever found in Britain

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 1:56 PM on 01st April 2010

Two brothers today revealed a painstaking reconstruction of Britain’s largest Roman mosaic that took them ten years to complete.

Bob and John Woodward used 1.6million tiny pieces to produce their copy of the Orpheus pavement.

Now the 47ft square pavement is being auctioned and it is expected to fetch £25,000.

image

The mosaic depicts the the ancient Greek music master Orpheus and lyre resting on his left knee, his hunting dog alongside him and a myriad of beasts all around him.

The animals include a tiger, leopard, lion, elephant, bear, gryphon, stag, horse, wild boar and birds such as pheasants, peacocks and doves.

A pair of water nymphs are depicted in each spandrel.

The work is currently on display at Prinknash Abbey, near Stroud, but the lease has come to an end and its owner - who does not wish to be identified - has decided to sell.

Iona Sale, who is publicising the event for auctioneers Chorley’s, said it had been challenging putting an estimated sale price on the mosaic - because no-one had ever attempted such a feat before.

She said: ‘We have had a lot of interest in the mosaic already.

‘A guesstimate is that it will sell for approximately £15,000 to £25,000. But it’s so hard to determine what it will sell for because it’s such a one-off.’

The original mosaic, which dates back to 325 AD, was first fully excavated in 1793 at Woodchester, Gloucestershire.

Although it is missing many pieces, it still shows a full picture.

It has only occasionally been exposed since then before being re-covered with earth.

During its most recent uncovering in 1973, when the brothers first fell in love with it, more than 150,000 visitors caused chaos when they descended on the village.

SEE IT ALL AND READ MORE HERE


avatar

Posted by peiper   United Kingdom  on 04/01/2010 at 09:39 AM   
Filed Under: • Art-PhotographyUK •  
Comments (2) Trackbacks(0)  Permalink •  

someones in the kitchen with Ashley … Stay tuned boys and girls. It’s kitchen duty with Drew and

ASHLEY JONES

This has nothing to do with eye candy and it isn’t time for wkend women.  This is purely educational. See there?  Miss Jones is in the kitchen, probably learning how to toss salad or something.

Maybe Drew will pop in here and provide the dish they’re working on. 

image

Ashley relaxes after a grueling day in the kitchen, below the fold.

Cheers ... 

See More Below The Fold

avatar

Posted by peiper   United Kingdom  on 04/01/2010 at 08:48 AM   
Filed Under: • Fun-Stuff •  
Comments (0) Trackbacks(0)  Permalink •  

A SILENT HERO PASSES FROM THE SCENE.  RIP, Flight Lieutenant Tom Fletcher, RAF

Seems to be a bit going on today and some interesting articles.

Starting off today is an obit, and one thing in particular about this is that it comes from a service that I don’t think they make movies on. Oh, there might have been the odd one somewhere. Maybe even two.  But this man’s record stands out.  The RAF seemed to excel in that feature. England expected no less, and they gave no less.

Air/Sea Rescue during WW2.

I always thought in terms of fighter pilots from any country in terms of derring do as well as infantry. The movies always portray their dash and bravery and indeed those guys did have it.  They sometimes even looked the part.  Like Errol Flynn or Robert Mitchum.  The Navy too with the breath holding stress of the guys in subs.  So I was much impressed with this Battling Brit who risked life and limb and even volunteered for missions he didn’t have to fly, with resulting close calls.  So my obit for today is, with utmost respect as always .......

FLIGHT LIEUTENANT TOM FLETCHER, RAF

Flight Lieutenant Tom Fletcher, who died on March 10 aged 95, was the RAF’s most decorated air-sea rescue pilot and was once recommended for a Victoria Cross.

On October 2 1942 a Spitfire pilot was forced to bail out over the English Channel, landing in the sea four miles off the French coast on the edge of a minefield. When his leader transmitted an emergency call, the naval authorities at Dover decided it was impossible to get a launch through the minefield, and too dangerous for rescue by a Walrus amphibious aircraft. Despite this, Fletcher immediately volunteered to go, taking off in his Walrus with a Spitfire squadron providing an escort.

He arrived on the scene just as another Spitfire squadron was engaging enemy fighters trying to interfere with the rescue. He located the dinghy, landed 150 yards away and taxied towards the survivor, who failed to grasp the boathook on the first pass as he fell out of his dinghy.

In the strong wind and choppy sea Fletcher tried again, and the pilot was hauled on board. He then taxied clear of the minefield and took off, just clearing a floating mine. Throughout the operation his Walrus had come under heavy fire from shore batteries.

The Air Officer Commanding of No 11 (Fighter) Group strongly recommended Fletcher for a Victoria Cross, writing: “Sergeant Fletcher was fully aware of the risks involved when he volunteered for the task. He carried out the rescue with conspicuous gallantry… he ignored all dangers, and through coolness, considered judgment and skill succeeded in picking up the pilot.”

In the event, Fletcher was awarded an immediate DFM, the next highest gallantry award available for a SNCO at that time.

Thomas Fletcher was born on September 7 1914 at Leigh in Lancashire and educated at Leigh Grammar School. Although his job as a commercial traveller for a medical equipment business was, at the beginning of the war, classified as a reserved occupation, he volunteered to be a pilot in the RAF, joining up in June 1940.

On completing his training, he joined No 43 Squadron to fly Spitfires as a sergeant pilot. An effervescent, outspoken and sometimes rebellious character, Fletcher did not see eye-to-eye with his CO, who had him transferred to another Spitfire squadron flying coastal patrols. This fitted him well for air-sea rescue duties, and he joined a flight at Hawkinge, which soon became No 277 Squadron.

Flying a Lysander spotting aircraft during the summer of 1942, Fletcher found a number of aircrew in the sea and directed RAF high speed launches to rescue them. By the time of his exploit in the minefield in October he had already helped to save nine airmen.

On December 14 1942, six men were spotted adrift on a raft 10 miles east of Dover, and Fletcher touched down in the rough seas even though he knew that it would be impossible to take off again.

In failing light he made three passes, picking up the men one by one – although several of them were swept from the raft. Even as his Walrus started to take in water he succeeded in recovering one of the survivors. By now it was completely dark, and Fletcher reluctantly abandoned the search and started to taxi towards Dover. The aircraft continued to ship water, and it took him almost two hours to make the harbour – where the harbour master reprimanded him for not getting permission to bring the sinking aircraft into port. The survivors for whom Fletcher had gone to such lengths were German sailors.

Fletcher was awarded an immediate Bar to his DFM, one of only 60 awarded in the Second World War.

In the summer of 1943 Fletcher picked up seven more ditched aircrew, including a USAAF fighter pilot and a Belgian Spitfire pilot. Then, on October 3, he went in search of a Typhoon pilot reported in the sea too near the French coast for a launch to attempt a rescue. Fletcher found three dinghies, landed and picked up the occupants – survivors from an RAF bomber. Having taken them back to base, he immediately took off again, finally locating and rescuing the Typhoon pilot.

The sea was too rough for a take-off, and he began the long taxi back to England. A Royal Navy launch was sent to assist, but then the Walrus lost a float. The attempt to tow the aircraft failed, and it started to sink. Fletcher, his crew and their survivor had to abandon the Walrus and transfer to the launch. He was awarded an immediate DFC.

In spring the next year Fletcher took off to rescue a Canadian fighter pilot. The dinghy was so close to the French coast that he had to fly over enemy-held territory to approach it, so that he would be in a position for an immediate take-off. Throughout the rescue he was under heavy anti-aircraft fire and his crewman was wounded. The pilot was snatched from the sea as Fletcher taxied past and brought back to England.

Fletcher later rescued an American bomber crew from the Somme Estuary and, on April 30, a Spitfire pilot – his final rescue. He had by now saved more people than any other pilot.

image

Lt. Fletcher is standing on the wheel of his Walrus.  More of the obit and photo CAN BE SEEN HERE


avatar

Posted by peiper   United Kingdom  on 04/01/2010 at 07:47 AM   
Filed Under: • OBITITUARIESUK •  
Comments (0) Trackbacks(0)  Permalink •  
Page 8 of 8 pages « First  <  6 7 8

Five Most Recent Trackbacks:

Once Again, The One And Only Post
(4 total trackbacks)
Tracked at iHaan.org
The advantage to having a guide with you is thɑt an expert will haѵe very first hand experience dealing and navigating the river with гegional wildlife. Tһomas, there are great…
On: 07/28/23 10:37

The Brownshirts: Partie Deux; These aare the Muscle We've Been Waiting For
(3 total trackbacks)
Tracked at head to the Momarms site
The Brownshirts: Partie Deux; These aare the Muscle We’ve Been Waiting For
On: 03/14/23 11:20

Vietnam Homecoming
(1 total trackbacks)
Tracked at 广告专题配音 专业从事中文配音跟外文配音制造,北京名传天下配音公司
  专业从事中文配音和外文配音制作,北京名传天下配音公司   北京名传天下专业配音公司成破于2006年12月,是专业从事中 中文配音 文配音跟外文配音的音频制造公司,幻想飞腾配音网领 配音制作 有海内外优良专业配音职员已达500多位,可供给一流的外语配音,长年服务于国内中心级各大媒体、各省市电台电视台,能满意不同客户的各种需要。电话:010-83265555   北京名传天下专业配音公司…
On: 03/20/21 07:00

meaningless marching orders for a thousand travellers ... strife ahead ..
(1 total trackbacks)
Tracked at Casual Blog
[...] RTS. IF ANYTHING ON THIS WEBSITE IS CONSTRUED AS BEING CONTRARY TO THE LAWS APPL [...]
On: 07/17/17 04:28

a small explanation
(1 total trackbacks)
Tracked at yerba mate gourd
Find here top quality how to prepare yerba mate without a gourd that's available in addition at the best price. Get it now!
On: 07/09/17 03:07



DISCLAIMER
Allanspacer

THE SERVICES AND MATERIALS ON THIS WEBSITE ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" AND THE HOSTS OF THIS SITE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF SATISFACTORY QUALITY, MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, WITH RESPECT TO THE SERVICE OR ANY MATERIALS.

Not that very many people ever read this far down, but this blog was the creation of Allan Kelly and his friend Vilmar. Vilmar moved on to his own blog some time ago, and Allan ran this place alone until his sudden and unexpected death partway through 2006. We all miss him. A lot. Even though he is gone this site will always still be more than a little bit his. We who are left to carry on the BMEWS tradition owe him a great debt of gratitude, and we hope to be able to pay that back by following his last advice to us all:
  1. Keep a firm grasp of Right and Wrong
  2. Stay involved with government on every level and don't let those bastards get away with a thing
  3. Use every legal means to defend yourself in the event of real internal trouble, and, most importantly:
  4. Keep talking to each other, whether here or elsewhere
It's been a long strange trip without you Skipper, but thanks for pointing us in the right direction and giving us a swift kick in the behind to get us going. Keep lookin' down on us, will ya? Thanks.

THE INFORMATION AND OTHER CONTENTS OF THIS WEBSITE ARE DESIGNED TO COMPLY WITH THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. THIS WEBSITE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND ALL PARTIES IRREVOCABLY SUBMIT TO THE JURISDICTION OF THE AMERICAN COURTS. IF ANYTHING ON THIS WEBSITE IS CONSTRUED AS BEING CONTRARY TO THE LAWS APPLICABLE IN ANY OTHER COUNTRY, THEN THIS WEBSITE IS NOT INTENDED TO BE ACCESSED BY PERSONS FROM THAT COUNTRY AND ANY PERSONS WHO ARE SUBJECT TO SUCH LAWS SHALL NOT BE ENTITLED TO USE OUR SERVICES UNLESS THEY CAN SATISFY US THAT SUCH USE WOULD BE LAWFUL.


Copyright © 2004-2015 Domain Owner



GNU Terry Pratchett


Oh, and here's some kind of visitor flag counter thingy. Hey, all the cool blogs have one, so I should too. The Visitors Online thingy up at the top doesn't count anything, but it looks neat. It had better, since I paid actual money for it.
free counters