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Alison Bull's avatar

I visited the Parthenon this summer. From the long history, it’s very likely that the friezes would have been destroyed from the time it was bombed by the Turks, which blew the roof off, or at one point it was considered old fashioned and ugly, and parts were deliberately destroyed. The museum there is magnificent and has the surviving friezes displayed as they were along with the mythological tales. It would be nice for them to return to their home.

Paddy is adorable in his costume! My cats attack the Christmas tree daily 😩

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Michelle Styles's avatar

Yes the Turks or Ottomans did not care for it at all and the friezes would have gone. The blowing up of the Parthenon actually took place several years before and made Elgin act.

Elgin bought and paid for them, taking huge care to have them shipped and eventually donating them to the British Museum. They are a centrepiece for the British Museum where they have inspired generations to embrace the classics and indeed fight for its preservation.

It is a hard thing. I can understand both sides.

If they are sent on 'long term loan', then there will be huge rejoicing in Greece. I doubt they will ever return to the British Museum though...

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Unwoke in Idaho's avatar

Shouldn’t that be, the French are revolting? 😊

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Michelle Styles's avatar

Yes it should be. A pun neglected is sure to be pointed out by someone else here.

Absolute open goal which you took full advantage of.

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Margaret G's avatar

Leeds University, which I attended (and graduated from) in 1976-79, continues its slide into insanity. They recently called me on a fundraiser drive to ask me for money to support "disadvantaged students". I told them I was not going to support the ridiculous inflation in costs compared to what I had to scrape together to attend the University in the 70s, since most of the costs are due to ridiculous administrative burdens and have nothing to do with actual learning.

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Michelle Styles's avatar

Good for you for taking a stand. It is the waste which bothers.

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Mark Adams's avatar

Michelle: I’m an Anglophile, having been raised Anglican, visited the UK many times (albeit not since 2011), did a master’s thesis on Cranmer’s BCP, and with ancestors from Devon. Britain has seen drastic changes the last 20 years or so. Not sure I’d feel quite as comfortable in London now.

But with this preamble, I’d like to say that I really enjoy your dispatches, which remind me somehow of Edward R. Murrow during the Blitz: “This is London.”

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Michelle Styles's avatar

Ah you get the reference for This is Northumberland calling! Excellent.

And so interesting that you did your Masters on Cranmer.

BTW, have you seen how Assad's forces appear to be crumbling. The rebels are on the road to Damascus.

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Mark Adams's avatar

On the road to Damascus a conversion occurred.

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Dave Slate's avatar

Okay, this is a bit silly of me, but when I read "road to Damascus" I was reminded of that series of "Road to ..." films starring Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, and Dorothy Lamour: Road to Singapore, Road to Zanzibar, Road to Morocco, Road to Utopia, Road to Rio, Road to Bali, and The Road to Hong Kong.

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Michelle Styles's avatar

Well it is certainly turning into a farce.

The NYT are reporting that Iran has started evacuating its military. Curtains for Assad.

Charles Lister appears to think so. Lister is a Syrian analyst of some standing. https://x.com/Charles_Lister/status/1865276532417028329

And I haven't thought of those films in years.

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Dave Slate's avatar

Before the walls close in on him, perhaps Bashar al-Assad can escape somewhere and go back to being a humble Ophthalmologist?

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Michelle Styles's avatar

In Tehran, hopefully. I doubt Russia will have him but they might. Russia is where his family are supposed to be.

Iran and Russia are making the calculation -- if a country's army are unwilling to fight in a civil war, why should its allies expend the energy, manpower and 'treasure' propping them up?

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Mark Adams's avatar

A bit silly, okay, but who am I to judge another’s free association musings?

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Mark Adams's avatar

At least you didn’t invoke Willie Nelson or Jack Kerouac.

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Theodore Whitfield's avatar

Happy St. Nicholas Day to Paddy! Please give him a treat from me.

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Michelle Styles's avatar

Paddy enjoyed his treat. He always enjoys his treats. Thank you for thinking of him

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Rainbow Medicine-Walker's avatar

France seems like an experiment gone bad and about to boil over. Of course much of world appears like that to me these days. So impressed and uplifted by the many brave women fighting back against the gender insanity. St Nick's day ---okay--- I will go out and play!

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Michelle Styles's avatar

The women fighting back also impress me.

And you might enjoy this article about the carpentry which went into the rebuilding of Notre Dame. He served in Iraq and Afghanistan as Marine but retrained to be a carpenter. He is currently working on a replica of William the Conquerer's flag ship. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/12/06/glutton-punishment-british-carpenter-notre-dame/ or https://archive.ph/V2Lkh

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Rainbow Medicine-Walker's avatar

Interesting. Thanks. According to the family genealogist we are supposedly descended from the sister of William the Conqueror. Whatever the heck that is supposed to mean as he really didn't sound like a good guy.

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Michelle Styles's avatar

He was of his time and ruthlessly determined.

It really throws you when you realise you are related to someone you'd rather not be.

All you can say is that they were an example of how not to behave...

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Rainbow Medicine-Walker's avatar

My husband and I joke about this stuff alot because he is far back related to Custer and I am native........ Course he has native blood too, but isn't enrolled in any tribe, so the jokes get sillier and sillier as the years go by.

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Michelle Styles's avatar

And so it begins -- the de trans lawsuits. https://archive.ph/MkKrU

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jt's avatar

Nice catch, Michelle. TY. I hope the lawsuit succeeds.

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Michelle Styles's avatar

Brilliant!

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jt's avatar

Hello Northumberland! Good to see Ya. Another fine roundup.

That was a couple interesting articles on France. And another on Sir Keir's "Plan for Change."

Those who hold Gender Critical views are so brave.

Paddy looks marvelous.

And here's to wishing You great success in Your writing.

TY, as always, Michelle. For all You do.

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Michelle Styles's avatar

So lovely to see you as well JT.

Now I must put aside my Procrastination Princess tiara and actually write like the wind. I am in the last two chapters.

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jt's avatar

Procrastination is one-a my bears.

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Michelle Styles's avatar

And these are Badenoch's remarks in full: https://conservativehome.com/2024/12/07/if-we-dont-defend-our-culture-who-will-badenochs-washington-speech-in-full/

And this is Charles Lister on why Assad's regime collapsed so quickly (they are tearing down the statues of him and his father now) https://archive.ph/wuepg

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jt's avatar

Those were two great catches, Michelle. TY. Especially liked Kemi's speech. TY again.

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