This week we look at remembering 9/11; Bill Maher on terrorism; the falling man; Iran kills a rapper; Ed Miliband targets Israel; Parliament rejects Euthanasia in the UK; Ashley Dalton; Country of the Week – Uruguay; Birmingham bans the Union Jack; Green hypocrisy on landlords; Professor and BBC ‘expert’ on Gaza sacked for sexually blackmailing students; St Pauls, Fabric and Sadiq Khan; Top 10 classical no. 5 – Bach Brandenberg Concerto; George Michael – Faith; The Roman Emperor who died from eating cheese; the Indian Maharajah who saved Polish children; Arctic ice at record level; AI controlled drones target Ukraine; The Dutch CO2 carbon capture centre; Feedback; Chinese Astronomers on Christ; James Talarico’s heretical beliefs; Compassion and Hillsong; The Final Word – the Lord’s Prayer. with music from Paul Simon; The Who; Jorge Dexler; Praxis; Jeff Mills; George Michael; Bach; Radiohead; Alma Deutscher; Sister Janet Mead;
A new feature is that I write an additional commentary on my Substack every week – here is this weeks BFA Plus
Here is the music used in this months podcast on Spotify….
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Catch up on last weeks episode here – Beauty for Ashes 48 – AFD, Thailand, Surrogacy, and Kale
Thanks. Raises an interesting question! How transparent should congregation-denomination yearly accounts be?
Totally!
So many memories – Fray Bentos, Bernard Cribbens and kale. I have been looking and can only see the steak version of Fray Bentos on the shelves at my local store. Can you still get the steak and kidney version?
We just had one last week!
Your story about flags in Birmingham is factually incorrect. It is illegal to have flags attached to lampposts – it is an obvious safety hazard. On a windy day and there are many of these, flags could be blown onto the road or onto the windscreens of cars. The flag removal is for all flags. Palestinian flags are not exempt from this removal as you implied. The council is engaging with communities to agree on suitable locations where flags can be displayed. Also, the council fly the union flag outside their headquarters.
Clearly, this is not the political issue you claim it to be.
The story is correct. It is the political issue I claim it to be. Feel free to provide us with evidence of the Council removing Palestinian flags. The sad thing is that there are those who choose not to see what is right in front of them.
There are two points here.
1. The title of the story “Birmingham bans Union Jack” is clearly incorrect as the council head office flies the flag. And, as stated before, the council are consulting with residents to indicate safe locations for them to fly flags. Evidence is Birmingham council website explaining their position on flags.
2. Palestinian flags being permitted. Again the council policy is for all flags to be removed whether union jack or Palestinian or any other flag. Again Birmingham council website and also Birmingham Express are evidence.
As for evidence of Palestinian flags being removed I cannot give that but neither can you give evidence that they have not been removed.
The title is correct because it does not say that Birmingham bans EVERY Union Jack. You are being pedantic and playing with words. Birmingham council did this to prevent Union Jacks being flown as a part of a campaign. They have had no objection to numerous times Palestinian flags have been flown. But then you know that….
One Old Rocker might appreciate – Re St Paul’s – another cathedral (Reims) musical outing that went a bit wrong – https://www.electronicsound.co.uk/features/long-reads/tangerine-dream-the-reims-cathedral-disaster/ – but it does make a rather good archive recording – https://youtu.be/H8p0wa6oldg?si=TWVWLHZybJOkHxhZ
Fantastic post Iain. Loved the article, particularly the band’s concerns about being acoustically compromised in the cathedral. Summed up prog rock at the time. I remember the vestments worn by devotees, of the genre. A Parka and a Yes album under one arm. Credit where it is due. Never my favourite band but they have produced 100+ albums. And their style of music left many of us crying out for Punk. God bless.