plep

plep Archive

25th October
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. A great site; there is a lot to see here.
Colour sensations at Kew, summer 2002.

Run Rabbit Run! The story of rabbits in Western Australia, and attempts to control them. A fascinating tale - rabbits were introduced to Australia, a country where they had comparatively few natural predators and bred like, well rabbits ...
' ... In 1910, a motor vehicle was purchased to carry out the inspection, but was also to prove unsatisfactory. After many punctures and broken springs it had to be towed slowly back to camp by camels! In the end the only workable solution for the inspection teams were buckboard buggies pulled by pairs of camels ... '

Eureka. The story of Australia's only armed uprising.
'The Eureka uprising represents one of the most important defining moments in the history of the Australian nation. As the historian Weston Bate noted, 'Eureka was a small rebellion about a large principle; the right of people to protest against Government action that infringes basic rights and liberties'.'

The Magic Eye. 'Dark rides, funhouses, walk throughs and vintage rides: Their glorious past. Their magnificent present. Their uncertain future.' Terror on Church Street, Margate Scenic Railway, helter skelters and more.

Bits of the Beach. Dedicated to Blackpool Pleasure Beach.

Joyrides - 'a photo gallery celebrating the joy and beauty of amusement park rides, especially roller coasters!'

Alton Towers Almanac. Guide to and history of the famous Staffordshire amusement park. There's even a section on retired rides.
History of Alton Towers.

Roller Coaster Club of Great Britain. Coaster club and zine; a fair bit to see here, including some trip reports.

The English Hermit. 'The legend of John Harris, the English Hermit, is well known in Cheshire and North Wales. According to the story, he was 'discovered' at the ripe age of 99 on 5th November 1809. He had begun his cave life when his parents refused him permission to marry his sweetheart; in return, he vowed to have as little conversation with mankind as possible and settled into the life of a hermit in a cave at Carden, later moving to Allenscomb's Cave. Is this account anything more than a tale designed to amuse a gullible public? Since 1996, an archaeological project on the Carden Park estate suggests that there was a cave dweller there in the mid 18th century. Can we identify this cave dweller with the John Harris of the legend? The account of the English Hermit fits the pattern of a typical hermit tale, with his renouncing of married life, a religious turn of mind, his long hair and nails and his prodigious age. Behind the literary elements there may be a more interesting account of a clash of cultures in the eighteenth century, with social climbing and élite rivalry, the very stuff of soap opera ... '

Triptychs. Via ikastikos.

A Gazetteer of English Caves, Fissures and Rock Shelters Containing Human Remains. Database with an interactive map.

The Antarctic Iceberg Tracking Database.

Composite Gazetteer of Antarctica.

Science of Hockey. Ice hockey, that is.
'The Science of Hockey is the first in a series of "Sports Science" resources developed by the Exploratorium. This site takes you inside the game: you'll hear from NHL players and coaches from the San Jose Sharks, as well as leading physicists and chemists. This site is divided into seven main sections which can be accessed individually, although we recommend you start with "The Ice." The control bar below appears on the top of each page. In addition, there is a bottom control panel which allows you to navigate through the site and return to this page. We hope you enjoy the Science of Hockey.'

The Trial of Slobodan Milosevic. Online video archive.

Motrat Qiriazi. 'Here is a copy of a publicity leaflet about the work of a woman's group in Kosova which is working on empowerment of rural women - changing traditions and responding to educational needs. We hope that you find it interesting. '

A Visit from Prague: Japanese Art from Czech Museums. 'The Czech Republic is less known as a center of Japanese art than some other Western nations, who have benefited from such high-profile Asian art collectors as Emile Guimet of France or William Sturgis Bigelow of the United States. However, the wave of interest in things Japanese stimulated by world expositions in London, Paris, and Vienna during the second half of the nineteenth century also extended to Bohemia, inspiring the acquisition of Japanese fine and decorative arts by modern Czech collectors. One of the most avid connoisseurs of Asian art was an extraordinary man named Vojta Náprstek (1826-94), who opened what is today the Náprstek Museum of Asian, African and American Cultures in 1862 and built up the finest collection of Japanese art in the country ... '

Japan Toy Museum. 'The Japan Toy Museum is located in a verdant rural setting about 10 kilometers north of the city of Himeji, known throughout the world for its beautiful castle. The museum is housed in six traditional whitewashed warehouses with tasteful folkcraft interiors. It has a collection of more than 70,000 items, including Japanese folk toys and the toys sold at cheap sweet shops, as well as toys and dolls from some 120 countries around the world. In addition to its permanent exhibitions, special and seasonal exhibits are held in buildings 1 and 6. '
'At this delightful museum you will encounter nostalgic toys from childhood, along with unusual toys and dolls from around the world. Looking, however, is just part of the museum. Special play corners allow visitors of all ages to enjoy both handling toys and playing with them.'
Special exhibits.

Kawamura Memorial Museum of Art. 'Kawamura Memorial Museum of Art (KMMA) opened in the suburbs of Sakura City, Chiba, in 1990 to exhibit works of art collected by Dainippon Ink and Chemicals, Inc. and its affiliated firms. KMMA displays over 100 items selected from the group's holdings in its permanent collection and also features special exhibitions a few times a year.'
'The collection that varies from 17th-century Rembrandt to contemporary art; the building (designed by Ichiro Ebihara) that aims to provide the most fitting space to display the works; the natural environment that offers delightful changes of season. At KMMA, we strive to realize the ideal museum by bringing together those 3 elements in harmony. '
Exhibitions.

The Inn at Halona. 'The Inn is UNIQUELY located right in the middle of the Pueblo of Zuni within the Zuni Indian Reservation in Western New Mexico ... '
History. 'Andrew Vander Wagen, born in northern Holland in 1868, arrived in Zuni on October 11, 1897, along with his wife, Effa Hofma Vander Wagen . An accomplished horseman, Andrew came west as a scout and missionary for the Christian Reformed Church of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Effa, a trained nurse, endeared herself to the Zuni people by saving numerous lives during the smallpox epidemic of 1898. Andrew and Effa opened their first trading post in 1903 and purchased the present store, Halona Plaza (located to the west of the Inn), in 1910. The couple raised nine children in Zuni. Bernard J. Vander Wagen, the eighth child of Andrew and Effa Vander Wagen, became a second generation trader in the early 1930s ... '
Our Zuni community.

Zuni Public Schools' Home Page. 'Zuni Public School District was founded July 1, 1980; the culmination of a 14 year community effort to have local control of Zuni education. Zuni itself is one of 19 Indian Pueblos in New Mexico that have existed for over 2000 years. We are the only Indian controlled public school district in the state of New Mexico, and have become a national model of community based education. From the original facilities our district has grown to include 5 sites and a variety of supporting programs ... '

Oissubke @ Metafilter is conducting a virtual world tour by hyperlink, which makes rewarding reading.

Having recently discovered Anil Dash's fine weblog, I find myself agreeing with much of what he says here. Worth reading all the way through, peeps.

New UK Blogs!

Friendly Dictators Trading Cards. Trading cards and profiles of dictators allied to the West (US) at some stage. Good list (but what's wrong with Haile Sellassie?). Via Linkmachinego.

Manimals. 'Using Photoshop software to combine human portraits with animal features, Lee creates composite digital images that are startlingly lifelike. Through image editing tools make such overt manipulation possible, they also allow subtle yet powerful adjustments that are completely invisible to the viewer... ' Via madamjujujive posting on Metafilter.

What European Tribes Think About Each Other. Extremely tongue in cheek, I might add. Via hama7 @ MeFi.

British students to test condoms. Thanks, jp!

Robber escapes to take protest to prisons chief. 'Sporting a brown spotted shirt, long black trousers and soiled sports shoes, and with no documents on him, Njuguna had earlier in the morning while in Embu, flagged down a Nissan matatu (commuter taxi) headed for Nairobi and paid Sh130 for the fare. '
'In an exclusive interview, he said that he had been driven to the decision to escaped from lawful custody and seek the commissioner's audience "to explain the terrible plight of the inmates at Embu." '
'He still carried with him a plastic paper bag containing his prison garb, which he intended to dress in after turning himself in. '
' "People are going hungry and may die when they well know that the government is sending enough food. They are frustrated because the food ration is being traded by officers and some of fellow inmates for money. At some point, the inmates got so frustrated with the system that they wanted to break away and escape, but it was felt that this would result in undesired deaths and that what we wanted to come to the light would never be known by the outside world. We may all have died," he told the Nation ... '
link

24th October
Images of England 'is building a digital library of photographs of England's 370,000 Listed Buildings. Text and images will be available on this site in 2002 - and many thousands are there now for you to view.' (Linked previously, but it seems to have grown).

Project Patagonia. Fossil field notes and slide show.

John Harrison and the Longitude Problem. 'John Harrison's marine timekeepers are the centrepiece of the Observatory's displays and can be seen in Flamsteed House. Here, we provide a little of the story behind their manufacture and some notes about Harrison and the timekeepers themselves ... '

Life, the Universe and the Electron. An exhibition which celebrated the centenary of the discovery of the electron.

Drawing Together. A fun site, in many ways. Online doodles and stories.

Carl and Karin Larsson. The Victoria and Albert Museum celebrates Swedish artists.
'Welcome to the online Larsson exhibition. Our first step towards a fully interactive V&A experience. '
'Explore the Sundborn cottage to discover the design ideals and influences that made the Larssons' creators of the Swedish style. '

Spanish Civil War: Dreams + Nightmares. 'In 1976 the International Brigade Association celebrated its 40th Anniversary Reunion. In response to this event, the Sound Archive of the Imperial War Museum began an oral history project on the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). '
'Listen to extracts from some of our interviews with International Brigade veterans.'
'The Spanish Civil War sound collection is largely made up of interviews with British people who served with the International Brigades. There are also recordings of medical aid workers, non-British volunteers, Spanish soldiers and Spanish civilians and refugees. The collection contains very few interviews with soldiers who fought with Franco's forces. Appeals for Nationalist veterans have yet to yield a response. '

Craig's looking for bookbinding equipment. Can you help?

The World of Kenji Miyazawa. 'Miyazawa Kenji has transcended the generations to become one of Japan's most read and best loved authors. Born over a hundred years ago in 1896 in Iwate Prefecture, he was only 37 at the time of his death. Kenji's literary works received scant attention during his lifetime and only two books were published before his passing: a collection of children's tales entitled "The Restaurant of Many Orders" and the first section of his most famous work of poetry, "Spring and Ashura." The remainder of the great number of children's stories and poems that he left behind was edited and published only posthumously, after which the richness and depth of his art finally gained wide recognition ... '

Hiroshima City Transportation Museum.

Zen Buddhism Archive. Collection of Zen texts.

The Museum of Musical Instruments. Thanks to Enigmatic Mermaid for the pointer.

The Atlantic Slave Trade and Slavery in the Americas: A Visual Record. Also thanks to Enigmatic Mermaid for the pointer.

Voodoo Authentica.

Haiti: Land of Beauty and Poverty. 'The land may be desolated in most places Yet one sees many smiling faces... Our religion gives us the strength to survive our daily challenges, and for those who have never seen a Vodoun ceremony, here are a few photos.'

Liverpool Biennial.

The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, England. The art museum for Cambridge University, founded 1816.

Rufford Craft Centre. Excellent place.

Greenham Common - The Women's Peace Camp. 'In 1981 Greenham Common Air Base became the target of an anti-nuclear protest that was to last for 19 years.'
'Women protesting at the siting of Cruise Missiles (nuclear missiles) at the base set up the Greenham Common Women's Peace Camp, which ran until the year 2000. '
'Since the early 1990s the Sound Archive has been interviewing women who were living at, or involved with the Greenham Common Women's Peace Camp, as well as military personnel working inside the base ... '

Gallipoli 1915: The Drama of the Dardanelles. "The drama of the Dardanelles campaign by reason of the beauty of its setting, the grandeur of its theme and the unhappiness of its ending, will always rank amongst the world's classic tragedies. The story is a record of lost opportunities and eventual failure..." (C.F. Aspinall-Oglander, History Of The Great War Based On Official Documents: Military Operations: Gallipoli)

The Eleanor Roosevelt Papers. 'The Eleanor Roosevelt and Human Rights Project is the first phase of The Eleanor Roosevelt Papers, a documentary history of Eleanor Roosevelt's political writings and radio and television appearances. The project is sponsored by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission, The George Washington University, The New York Times Foundation, and a wide variety of private donors. Its goals are threefold:
'To collect, annotate, and publish Eleanor Roosevelt's political writings in print and electronic format 'To encourage teachers, scholars and citizens around the world to use these documents to further the discussion of democracy and human rights 'To serve as a resource center for those interested in Eleanor Roosevelt's public life and the human rights movement '

Social Movements & Culture: A Resource Site. (US) 'This site provides a space for the study of social movements in the U.S., including those movements as linked to transnational and global movements. Our emphasis is on recent and contemporary movements, but we also aim to provide materials on earlier movements. We seek to bring together the best insights of sociology, political science, anthropology, history, cultural studies, American studies, ethnic studies, women's studies, and other fields of social movement analysis, as well as the insights of movement activists inside and outside of academia. '
'We are particularly interested in helping develop work on the cultural dimension of social movements. We believe that, despite some excellent work, the specifically cultural study of social movements remains relatively undeveloped ... '

The Life of Harriet Tubman. 'Harriet Tubman's life was a monument to courage and determination that continues to stand out in American history. Born into slavery in Maryland, Harriet Tubman freed herself, and played a major role in freeing the remaining millions. After the Civil War, she joined her family in Auburn, NY, where she founded the Harriet Tubman Home ... '
The Harriet Tubman Home.

Buffalo Bills History. History of the American football team.

Cheche n rebels storm Moscow theatre.
Chechnya's Last War - An Interactive Guide.
BBC coverage. Links to relevant news sources on the right.
Caucasus background.

' Computers can beat the world's best chess players but have yet to master other classic games like Go, writes David Levy '

Wheelchair user's guide to holidaying abroad.

Worldwide Press Freedom Index.

Carthalia. Theatres on postcards.
link

23rd October
Trading Places. 'Asia used to be known as "The East Indies". Pepper, spices, medicinal drugs, aromatic woods, perfumes and silks were rare commodities in Europe, and therefore valuable. Trading in them could make you a fortune. And for this chance many were willing to risk their lives ... '

Sacred & Profane.

Benaki Museum, Athens.

The Shape of Life. 'A revolutionary eight-part television series that reveals the dramatic rise of the animal kingdom through the breakthroughs of scientific discovery.'

Exotic Entomology. 'Few would dispute the beauty of a butterfly. These fragile little creatures take flight on wings colored from the rainbow, delighting observers young and old.'
'Provided for your delight are a small number of the world's butterflies and moths, taken from Dru Drury's three-volume monograph entitled Illustrations of Exotic Entomology. This 1837 work, held in the Research Library's rare book collection, contains "...upwards of six hundred and fifty figures and descriptions of foreign insects, interspersed with remarks and reflections on their nature and properties." Each illustration was originally hand colored with great care and attention to detail. '

Schreber's Fantastic Beasts. 'In 1774 Johann Christian Dan Schreber authored a multivolume set of books entitled Die Saugthiere in Abbildungen nach der Natur mit Beschreibungen. Focusing on mammals of the world, these books were lavishly illustrated with 755 hand-colored plates. There was a slight problem though: in most instances the artists had never seen the animals they were rendering onto paper. Explorers would return from their travels and describe the animals in question to the artists. The end result was that some of the drawings, though representing real animals, looked more like they had come from someone's nightmares. '

Japan Folk Crafts Museum.

The History and Aesthetics of Tea in Japan.

Tibetan Buddhism Archives. 'Here, in no particular order, are miscellaneous articles about Tibetan Buddhism from various sources on the Internet, mostly predating the World Wide Web.'

Tengo Casi 500 Años: Africa's Legacy in Mexico, Central and South America.
' "The most important aspect of my portraits," says Los Angeles- based artist Tony Gleaton, "is the giving of a narrative voice by visual means to people deemed invisible by the greater part of society and, in so doing, crafting an 'alternative iconography' of beauty, family, love, goodness... one that is parallel to but outside the bounds of European-based art, one that is inclusive, not exclusive. '
' "The photographs which I create are as much an effort to define my own life, with its heritage encompassing Africa and Europe, as it is an endeavor to throw open the discourse on the broader aspects of 'mestizaje'... the 'assimilation' of Asians, Africans and Europeans with indigenous Americans." ... '
Via Africa: One Continent, Many Worlds.

Voodoo Spiritual Temple, New Orleans.

Photos for the Future. (UK) 'In March 1999, The History Channel launched a national project to build an archive of personal photographs of life in the 20th century. The result is a unique record of our nation's heritage from people of all generations and all backgrounds. The 24 Hour Museum is pleased to showcase a selection of the winning entries. ' Brilliant!

Remembering the Blitz. 'The Blitz took place between 7 September 1940 and 11 May 1941. This online exhibition looks at what it was like to live through the Blitz in London and at how we remember it now. '
'Most Londoners and many others 'remember' the Blitz - whether through experience or through family stories, school lessons, photographs, movies, TV, books, art, memorials and museums. Between 7 September 2000 and 11 May 2001 - exactly 60 years after the event - visitors to this online exhibition were invited to contribute their own memories. Those memories now form part of the exhibition itself.'

Tour of 10 Downing Street.

Edward Ardizzone - Diary of a War Artist. The illustrated diaries of an official war artist in North Africa, World War II.

Together. 'During the Second World War forces from the Empire and Commonwealth were involved in campaigns across Southern and Western Europe, the Mediterranean, North and East Africa, South East Asia, the Pacific, the Middle East, in the air and all the major oceans of the world, as well as working tirelessly on the home front. Their contribution played a major part in the Allied victories. '

A Century of Royal Navy Submarines.

The Falklands Conflict. 'Twenty years ago on the 2nd April 1982 Argentine Forces invaded the Falkland Islands. The British Government responded immediately by organising Operation Corporate, dispatching advanced elements of a Task Force southwards to recover the islands. South Georgia was recaptured without casualties in late April as the remainder of the Task Force assembled east of the Falkland Islands.'
'On the 21st May, Brigadier Julian Thompson's 3rd Commando Brigade made initially unopposed landings at San Carlos on East Falkland and quickly consolidated a bridgehead. To secure the southern flank of the bridgehead the 2nd Bn Parachute Regt fought the major land engagement at Goose Green ... '

Peter Pan People's Gallery. ' 'Behave to-day, if for the only time.
' Take care the Lord Mayor does not find you out.
'For heaven's sake don't grow when they remove your swathing sheet.'
' JM Barrie, 16 June 1928'
'With these words Liverpool's Sefton Park greeted its latest resident. They were sent by telegram from author J M Barrie to Peter Pan - addressed, 'Peter Pan, Sefton Park, Liverpool', the boy who refused to grow up. Cast in bronze, surrounded by fairies and animals, he was a gift to the children of Liverpool. Presented by George Audley in 1928, the statue has remained a favourite with children of all ages ever since ... '

Exeter Cathedral Keystones & Carvings. 'Welcome to Exeter Cathedral Keystones & Carvings: A Catalogue Raisonné of the Sculptures & Their Polychromy, an illustrated introduction to, and explanatory catalogue of all the figurative sculpture that is part of the original interior fabric of the medieval building. '
'This extensive web-site is designed primarily for art historians and medievalists, but is also intended to enable lay people to enjoy the wonderful medieval work which can often be seen more clearly here than is possible within the building, even through binoculars ... '

NaNoWriMo is coming.

Teach a Friend to Homebrew Day.

' They have no legs and outnumber active astronauts three to one. But hundreds of visitors to the moon that were dispersed across the Earth have done a good job of eluding NASA searchers. ' Trees that have visited the Moon.

New GBLogs!

'It was an attempt, it seemed, to prolong the marvelous, magical hour they just spent doing the incredible: watching a feminist Palestinian play. '

The Human Footprint.

Lunar Embassy.

Toxic House. Home hazards.
link

22nd October
Thrace and the Thracians (c. 700 BC to 46AD). From the introduction :- ' "First marched the Thracians..." Here you will find a complete set of source texts, pictures (including around 30 shield and cloak designs) , and articles about the Thracians 700BC- 46 AD, DBM, simulating their warfare, and related topics ... '

The Istanbul Mosaic Museum on the Web. 'The Mosaic Museum, in the Sultanahmet area of Istanbul, contains a small yet evocative collection of mosaics, found on the spot by archaeologists looking for remains of the Byzantine imperial palace. Experts believe that they date from the reign of Justinian the Great (r. 527 - 565).'
'Although not the best collection of mosaics in Turkey (the Antioch collection is staggering, and many new ones were discovered recently at Zeugma), nor in the first-tier of Sultanahment attractions, visitors can't help but be enchanted by the various scenes, in vivid color.'
'The best collection of images online is available at my own image gallery. If you have taken pictures in the museum, I'd love to put them online. Comments, link suggestions and so forth are very much appreciated ... '
Via Isidore-of-Seville.com.

Musee Rodin. Sculpture and drawings by the artist Rodin.

Manhattan Timeformations. Mapping Manhattan's skyscraper districts through time. Thanks for the link, Enigmatic Mermaid!

Wearable Computing.

Photosynthesis and the Web. 'First, a brief history of the Internet and the World Wide Web is presented. This is followed by relevant information on photosynthesis-related web sites grouped into several categories: (1) large group sites, (2) comprehensive overview sites, (3) specific subject sites, (4) individual researcher sites, (5) kindergarten through high school (K-12) educational sites,(6) books and journals, and, 7) other useful sites. A section on searching the web is also included. Finally, we have included an appendix with all of the web sites discussed herein as well as other web sites that space did not allow ... '

Scales & Weights. 'A collection of historical Scales and Weights from different periods of the past 3000 years '
'I hope you enjoy the trip through some parts of my antique collection of scales from the Pharmacy, coinscales, grain tester, letterscales, weights from Europe and Asia ( opium weights and much more )'

The Dharma Dictionary 'is an ongoing project involved in compiling Buddhist terminology and translation terms to bridge the Tibetan and English languages. Begun in 1979, it has slowly grown to a database of approx 5 megabytes with 65,000 entries. Comparatively, the Tibetan-English Dictionary of Sarat Chandra Das has approximately 27,000 entries. The project is supported by Rangjung Yeshe Translations and Publications, located in the Kathmandu valley of Nepal. '

Akita Sake. Varieties of Japanese sake.

Mushimegane. 'Haiku, Tanka, Literature, And Contemporary Art in Japan '

West African Dahomean Vodoun.

Voodoos and Obeahs - Phases of West India Witchcraft by Joseph J. Williams, 1932. 'This companion book to Psychic Phenomena of Jamaica goes into much greater depth as to the New World-African connection, and adds more material about Afro-Carribean religion in Haiti. The primary strength of this work is the careful documentation of the history and ethnography of Vodun. Williams includes numerous quotes from rare documents and books on the subject. The weakness is the lack of detailed information about the religious system of Vodun, which we now know to be as complicated (or more so) than any of the major religions. There is scarcely any mention of the loas, the pantheon of Vodun Gods and Goddesses, and he misses the importance of possession during the religious ceremonies. However, all things considered, this is required reading if you want to understand the background of Haitian and Jamaican Vodun, and the profound influence of imperialism, slavery and racism on its development.'
Psychic Phenomena of Jamaica by Joseph J. Williams, 1934.

The Wetwang Chariot Burial. 'In March 2001 an Iron Age grave was discovered in the village of Wetwang in East Yorkshire, England. It was found during the construction of a small housing development by Hogg the Builders of York. The grave was then excavated by a team of archaeologists from The Guildhouse Consultancy and the British Museum, and funded by English Heritage.'
'The excavation showed that the grave was that of a woman who had died over 2,300 years ago and was buried with a chariot. Since the completion of the excavation, Hogg the Builders generously donated the finds to the British Museum, where they are being carefully conserved and studied. This is leading to new, and sometimes controversial, evidence of life in the Iron Age ... '

Young People's Virtual Exhibition. 'Welcome to our virtual exhibition - a showcase of paintings produced by young people from Blackbird Leys, Oxford, and inspired by the Ashmolean Museum's collections ... '

Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Celebrating the Centenary of Britain's Greatest Filmmaker. 'This exhibition was on display at the Bill Douglas Centre between April and November 1999, to mark the centenary of Hitchcock's birth.'

Birth Rights. 'This exhibition is based on the memories and experiences of women who have worked, or are still working, in Staffordshire as Midwives, Health Visitors and School Nurses. '
'These women represent some of those who were responsible for the health and welfare of mothers, babies and children across the county. '
'In the villages and rural areas of Staffordshire an individual would often hold the combined post of Midwife, Health Visitor and District Nurse. This work o ften included the duties of School Nurse as well. Such a wide range of duties allowed them to build close links with the communities in which they worked. The local Midwife or Health Visitor was known by everyone and often became a family friend. '
'The individual experiences and memories in "Birth Rights" span the last 60 years. The one thing that they have in common is dedication. All those who have taken part love the jobs they did and had a love of the families and children they worked with. '

Gypsy Life. 'An on-line exhibition from collections at The Museum of English Rural Life'

Historic Farm Buildings Group. (UK) 'The group was founded in 1985 for those concerned with the past, present and future of historic farm buildings. It recognises their importance as evidence for past farming systems and technologies, the development of new agricultural and contructional practices, and more generally for the life and work of our ancestors, peasant and monk, landowner and farmer, craftsmen and surveyor, engineer and architect. '

Ancient Monuments Society. (UK) 'Founded in 1924 for the study and conservation of ancient monuments, historic buildings and fine old craftsmanship. '

Weald & Downland Open Air Museum.
'Set in 50 acres of beautiful Sussex countryside is a fascinating collection of nearly 50 historic buildings dating from the 13th to the 19th century, many with period gardens, together with farm animals, woodland walks and a picturesque lake.'
'Rescued from destruction, the buildings have been carefully dismantled, conserved and rebuilt to their original form and bring to life the homes, farmsteads and rural industries of the last 500 years.'
'Wander through these exhibits at your leisure - a majestic timber framed farmhouse from Kent; a striking market hall from Hampshire; a Victorian school; a medieval shop; carpenters, plumbers and brickmakers workshops; barns; a granary and a tread wheel from the South Downs ... '
Virtual tour.

The DiCamillo Companion to British & Irish Country Houses. Aims to list every country house built in Britain or Ireland.

Stuck in the middle with ewe. (BBC) 'The debate over where precisely is the dead centre of Great Britain is, quite literally, the centre of debate. Each day this week, we pinpoint the exact middles of Great Britain, England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. '
The Centre of Britain Hotel & Restaurant.
The centre of Europe is in Lithuania.

Word Association Test. Via Linkmachinego.

Lost in Translation. Fun with translation software. Via Bifurcated Rivets.

Ancient stone casket may be oldest link to Jesus.

Aussies drink for Bali victims.

Woman survives 34 hours in an Irish bog.
link

21st October
Max Klinger: Ein Handschuh (A Glove). 'Psychedelic' etchings from the nineteenth century.

'Konstgjorda Karlsson' (Manmade Karlsson). A vintage Swedish cybernetic comic strip.
' "Manmade Karlsson" was only one of many comic strips published in Sweden's first weekly magazine in color, the "Brokiga Blad", meaning appr. "colorful/motley papers". '
'The evening paper Aftonbladet, founded in 1830 by Lars Johan Hierta, started this special Sunday supplement in 1907 - and it was in color, at least the front and back pages were. "Brokiga Blad" was published until 1930, very much modelled after French magazines like "Petit Journal" or "Petit Parisien". The front page usually displayed some spectacular drawing of a situation from recent news events. This was especially frequent during WW I. The cover here to the left (April 21st, 1918) shows an Italian airplane spreading leaflets over Milan with propaganda for the latest war bonds ... '

Basement Beauties. A showcase of early twentieth century swimsuit photography.

September 11, 2002: A Time to Reflect. 'To reflect the diversity of reactions to September 11th generated over the last year UCR/California Museum of Photography has selected Web sites from around the world that feature artworks created in response to that day's events. Artists often have the creative and political distance to be, in the poet Shelley's words, "sincerely astonished" and to mirror in their work less of a merely personal motive and more the "the spirit of the age." UCR/CMP hopes this selection of new work presented on the Web will help viewers set aside popular suppositions and reflect in the most essential way on the meanings, precedents, and consequences of September 11, 2001.'

NYC 9.11.01. Stories, images and personal experiences.

Carousels.com. Everything you ever wanted to know about carousels - news, images, preservations, amusement parks, operating carousels, postcards... great site.

Expo 67 - Montreal World's Fair. Timeline, articles, historic maps.
'Expo 67, the Montreal World's Fair coincided with Canada's 100th anniversary of "Confederation" in 1967. Although its one year run, exactly thirty years ago, drew 50 million visitors, most people, especially those under 40, know it only as an event in their history books. This educational Web site attempts to take the visitor for a tour of Expo 67 through text and photographs via a series of click-on (image mapped) maps. While there are several short articles included, there was no attempt to make it a scholarly endeavor. '
'Expo 67 was an internation exhibition of the first category with over 90 foreign, provincial, industrial and "theme" pavilions. Many were architectural wonders and attempted to entertain the visitor through movies, products, art, and propaganda. The author visited the fair on two occasions during its initial 1967 run, then twice the following year when it was billed as Man & His World, and finally in 1975. Although several buildings, like the USSR and Czech pavilions, were removed immediately after Expo 67 closed, most pavilions stood until the mid-1980's, several years after the annual Man and His World summer exhibition ended in 1981. The La Ronde amusement park is still in operation and features many rides and attractions including "Le Monstere" an enormous racing roller coaster ... '

Venice, California History Site. 'This interactive educational site covers the history of Venice Beach, Californa. It features timelines, historic articles and photographs, interactive maps that when clicked on show historic views, and a list of movies filmed on Venice's streets , amusement piers and canals. Venice California was considered the "Coney Island of the Pacific" during the first half of the 20th Century. It was a town built to resemble Venice, Italy and with its network of canals, business district built in Venetian architectural style, and its two huge amusement piers, it became the finest amusement resort on the America's West Coast ... '

Save Whalom Park. 'We need your help to keep historic Whalom Park, located in Lunenburg, Massachusetts, from closing forever. Please explore this site to learn more about this urgent project to keep one of America's oldest amusements parks alive and well. Thank you for visiting savewhalompark.com, and let's work together so we can all continue to have a whale of a good time for years to come.'

Whalom Park Carousel Association. 'Formed to reunite, restore, maintain and operate the antique, hand-carved Looff Carousel that stood at the Park from 1914 to 2000.'
The carousel: a piece of americana. History of the carousel with images.

Carousels of New England.

The Point Online. Cedar Point amusement park. Lots of images and a really good site.

All about Glaciers, '... a glacier site with something for everyone from glaciologists to grade school students '
The glacier story. Life of a glacier.

State of the Cryosphere. 'NSIDC's State of the Cryosphere provides an overview of the status of snow and ice as indicators of climate change. The introduction examines how the cryosphere is sending signals of a changing climate. State of the Cryosphere also provides time-series data for Northern Hemisphere snow cover, mountain glacier fluctuations, sea ice extent and concentration, changes in ice shelves, and global sea level, as well as a snapshot of current permafrost conditions.'

Soviet Archives Exhibit. (Library of Congress) 'This Library of Congress Soviet Archives exhibition is important for what it represents, what it contains, and what it suggests. '
'It represents a new Russia, willing and anxious under its first democratically elected president, Boris Yeltsin, to affirm the core democratic value of open access to information. Shortly after defeating the attempted coup of August 1991, a group from the victorious democratic resistance led by the chief archivist of Russia, Rudolph Pikhoia, took over the previously top secret archives of the Central Committee of the Communist Party and began the process of both consolidating democratic control over all archives in Russia and attempting to make them available for the first time for public study. '
'This exhibit, also shown in Moscow, is a milestone in this process -- the first public display of the hitherto highly secret internal record of Soviet Communist rule. The legendary secretiveness and general inaccessibility of the entire Soviet archival system was maintained throughout the Gorbachev era. The willingness of the new Russian Archival Committee under Pikhoia to cooperate in preparing this exhibit with the Library of Congress dramatizes the break that a newly democratic Russia is attempting to make with the entire Soviet past. They are helping to turn material long used for one-sided political combat into material for shared historical investigation in the post-Cold War era. '

Soviet Leaders. 'Established in 1922 and dissolved in 1991, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, an "indissoluable union of free republics", comprised a land mass of over 8.6 million square miles inhabited by more than 170 ethnic groups. These are some of the men who tried to keep it all together. '
Chronology of the 1991 coup.

Music under Soviet Rule. 'This ongoing collection of documents is offered to travellers on the World Wide Web who happen to be drawn to the classical music made in the former Soviet empire, or by composers and musicians who were active within its borders between 1917 and 1991. The opinions expressed here, whether by the author/collator or those he quotes, are set out for consideration by all, whatever their beliefs or prejudices. Their simple availability is the primary reason for this site. '

The Rolling Thunder Taiko Resource. 'Taiko refers to both the modern art of taiko drumming (kumi-daiko), and to the taiko drums themselves. Taiko in the Japanese classical arts have a history spanning close to two thousand years, and modern taiko drumming (kumi-daiko) is quickly taking the world by storm. The Rolling Thunder Taiko Resource is dedicated to gathering and sharing information about taiko. Do you have taiko questions? This is the place to come for answers! '

Tokyo Bathhouse Tour.

The Kingdom of Bhutan. 'WELCOME TO THE KINGDOM BHUTAN. Many eastern classics and books of wisdom have referred to the Himalayas as the abode of the gods and home to the immortals. These descriptions did not stem merely from the majesty and grandeur of the natural surroundings but perhaps alluded to a special environment where communion with the divine was possible through contemplation and meditation. And so since time immemorial, ascetics, scholars, philosophers and pilgrim have been drawn irresistibly to these remote and rugged mountains in their personal search for wisdom, inspiration, solitude and happiness.'

Best wishes.

Dirty Linen Airing at the Women's Library, London. Images.
' 'Dirty Linen', an exhibition exploring women's uneasy and at times obsessive relationship with cleanliness, opens September 28 at the Women's Library in East London, running until December 21, 2002. '
'The Women's Library occupies the site of a former bath and wash house: now it's crammed full of curious looking household objects. '
'There are washboards for scrubbing clothes, mangles and 'dolls' - large wooden implements for pummelling the dirt from clothes. Next to this a Zanussi washing machine gleams, showing how much domestic chores have changed ... '

Community Aid Abroad: Indonesia. (Oxfam)
'Oxfam Community Aid Abroad extends sympathy to everyone affected by the horrific bombings in Bali.'
'The sheer scale and indiscriminate nature of the atrocity compound the horror. Our thoughts go out to all affected by the attacks - victims, families and friends regardless of nationality.'
'The bombings and their aftermath are likely to significantly influence our work ... '
Nike Watch.
The Mining Campaign.

Lars Tunbjork: Offices. 'Lars Tunbjrk (Sweden, b. 1956) pictures people in the place where they spend much of their day: at work. In office buildings he photographs the personnel in the rigidly designed work environment. In these sterile work spaces, however, each person still expresses their individuality. They add something personal to the bleak furnishings, as a result of which each photo will tell its own, inscrutable story. In each photograph a balance between humour and sadness becomes apparent, a human factor that is at odds with the strict organisation of the work.'
Lars Tunbjork: Home/Office.

Rodney Graham: Oak Tree, Banford, Oxfordshire, England, Fall 1990.
Rodney Graham: Schoolyard Tree, Vancouver, 2002.

The Scales of Good and Evil. 'Below is a list of the "Top Ten" evil people of all time followed by a list of the "Top Ten" good people of all time -- sorted in order of evilness and goodness. Please add your votes. Who would you like to see added to the list? What alterations would you make to the list or the ordering? Do the scales of good and evil balance? ... '
Scroll down to read the feedback the webmaster has received on his lists.

Japan: The Missing Million. 'Teenage boys in Japan's cities are turning into modern hermits - never leaving their rooms. Pressure from schools and an inability to talk to their families are suggested causes. Phil Rees visits the country to see what the "hikikomori" condition is all about. '

Great Britons. 'Over 30,000 people nominated their Greatest Briton last year, find out who made the Top 100 and tell the world who would make your Top Ten in the message board.'

Halifax Parish Church. 900 years old.
Virtual tour. 'Good Day to you. I am Old Tristram. You will see me as you enter the church through the south doors and today I will be your tour guide. '
'In the 17th century I was a licensed beggar in the porch of the church and today I still collect for the poor ... '

World's Most Dangerous Server Rooms.

Amusing gravestone. Via methylsalicylate.
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