David Jones, artist and poet (1895-1974) begins his PREFACE TO THE ANATHEMATA :

'I have made a heap of all that I could find.' (1) So wrote Nennius, or whoever composed the introductory matter to Historia Brittonum. He speaks of an 'inward wound' which was caused by the fear that certain things dear to him 'should be like smoke dissipated'. Further, he says, 'not trusting my own learning, which is none at all, but partly from writings and monuments of the ancient inhabitants of Britain, partly from the annals of the Romans and the chronicles of the sacred fathers, Isidore, Hieronymous, Prosper, Eusebius and from the histories of the Scots and Saxons although our enemies . . . I have lispingly put together this . . . about past transactions, that [this material] might not be trodden under foot'. (2)

(1) The actual words are coacervavi omne quod inveni, and occur in Prologue 2 to the Historia.
(2) Quoted from the translation of Prologue 1. See The Works of Gildas and Nennius, J.A.Giles, London 1841.


25 April 2014

Of King & Coal

     
If you need to make certain information public  
with minimal scrutiny, standard practice is to release it late on a Friday afternoon. 

Even better would be to release it on the Thursday afternoon before a Friday ANZAC Day long weekend when, as a further distraction, a young Royal Couple and their Royal Babe have the media all in a dizzy tizz. 
Royal tour: Prince George steals the show as support for monarchy rises 
by Nicholas Witchell 
Royal correspondent
BBC : 25 April 2014 
This is exactly when the Abbott Government did choose to announce the details of their Direct Action plan for the environment.

Below, a grid-locked observer looks to future prospects. A Design by Edward McKnight Kauffer, circa 1935, for the Gas Light and Coke Company.
         

courtesy : Theatre of the Actors of Regard  
detail
A Person Looks At A Work Of Art/
someone looks at something ... 

LOGOS/HA HA
   
      
Later that same day, yesterday, as his Direct Action media release was sinking in distraction, Prime Minister Abbott addressed the Royal Couple in the Australian Parliament. An extract :
Your great-great-grandfather, the future George V, opened our first Parliament in 1901.

Your great-grandfather as Duke of York opened our first Parliament House in 1927.

Your grandmother, the Queen, opened this building in 1988.

And your father, the Prince of Wales, has been here many, many times.

Many decades, hence, when a currently unknowable Australian Prime Minister welcomes your son, King George VII to this building, that will be a sign of the stability and the continuity in the life of our nation.

- Click here for full address

"Your great-great-grandfather, the future George V, opened our first Parliament in 1901."
      
Great Britain. 1912
KING GEORGE V
Design by Bertram Mackennal*
OVERSTAMPED : THE GAS LIGHT AND COKE COMPY.
*Sir Edgar Bertram Mackennal, KCVO (12 June 1863 – 10 October 1931), usually known as Bertram Mackennal, was an Australian sculptor, most famous for designing the coinage and stamps bearing the likeness of King George V. Signature: "BM".

"Your great-grandfather as Duke of York opened our first Parliament House in 1927."
    

Great Britain. 1937 
KING GEORGE VI
Typography by Eric Gill 
Portrait by Edmund Dulac
OVERSTAMPED : THE GAS LIGHT AND COKE COMPY.

Many decades hence, when a currently unknowable Australian Prime Minister welcomes King George VII as King of Australia, that will be a sign of ...
       
       
detail
A Person Looks At A Work Of Art/
someone looks at something ... 

LOGOS/HA HA
   
      
And, many decades hence, when a currently unknowable Australian postage stamp features a portrait of the King of Australia over-stamped with Clive Palmer's Gas Light and Coke Company (sic) that too will be a sign of ...
    
       
detail
A Person Looks At A Work Of Art/
someone looks at something ... 

LOGOS/HA HA