Donkeyshott & Xuitlacoche

Look back, look around - and get going Tony Hall, in this posting of early 2006, goes into a rave of global proportions, looks modern history in the eye, and asks: doesn't it all add up to a multitude of models, a huge variety of lessons, a rich tapestry of possibilities for a broad consensus of the left? Dear debaters… I am so exercised with the enormity of present events and the fallout ahead, that like many of us, I am spreading out into a rave of global proportions. In my case, it's about revisiting almost at random, moments in the history of modern times, not afraid of the contradictions, but really to call up the positive, and to build a broader consensus than ever. I hope some will want to follow and stay the winding course of my meander, picking up or knocking down points and pointers as they go along. Most of all, I hope that people will read this roundup, and other blog essays before it, and postings to follow, as my archive of actuality, my rhetoric of reality. As a

No, Hodge was right. What you get after a revolution. The French revolution say, is a cultural revolution. This is a "good" thing. Let me give you the example of the Mexican Cultural revolution, which was messy and partial, like the Mexican Revolution itself. Well before the revolution the descendants of the Olmecs and the Zapotecs and the Tarascos and the Aztecs and the Mayas were despised and looked down upon by the ruling class in Mexico. After the Revolution this changed. Now in every school in Mexico they are taught to be fiercely proud of the achievements of the old Mexican civilisations going back about 3000 years. Statues to the kings and princes, like Cuahtemoc and Nezahualcoyatl, went up in every town. And when we look at France, or at any country that has been mature enough and lucky enough to get rid of its ancien regime, then we see the cultural flowering that happened as a result. Russia in the 20s, despite the grinding poverty and the civil war, was a great cul

1. Soak four layers of Victoria sponge with sherry. 2. Bind the discs of sponge together using clotted cream and lemon curd. 3. Mix some Elderflower cordial into whipped Jersey cream. 5. Layer the whipped cream mixture on top of the cake. 6. Arrange the raspberries and blueberries into a Union Jack on the cream. 7. Decorate with sparklers and ribbons. http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/food/2008/02/ask_allegra_tarts_and_open_pie.html

It is apt that the most glorious moment of Antonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez de Lebrón's life was when a gun on a French ship blew his leg off. Well done that ship! He was an old fashioned, white, middle class Mexican, who openly despised Indians and seduced the maids. Not a nice boy. He was clever and half educated. He was a bully! He was born in Xalapa, which is a pretty town. Though Xalapa doesn't boast about him much. He started out as as a shopkeeper in Vera Cruz and then became Captain Arredondo, the Indian killer's cadet, which was a Bad move. And bad move followed bad move. He stole money to gamble, womanised. In the early years, he follwed Arredondo about hunting down Mexican fighters for Independence and killing the so called Chichimecas and then, when the Spanish were already on the run, really, he chose to fight for the Mexican "Emperor" Iturbide, who made him a general. By way of thanks, Antonio helped overthrow Iturbide. The

 109 million dollar investment in solar power near the King Abdullah City  for Atomic and Renewable Energy King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy The state is the only really effective power in the war against climate change and it needs to force businesses to come along with it Phil Hall February 1, 2008 8:00 AM It was Kurt Vonnegut, who admired the American volunteer firefighters very much, who said that the noblest war of all was the war against combustion. And don't his words ring true? Preventing global warming and reducing CO2 emissions is indeed the grandest and most noble war of the 21st century. But has society lost the habit of engaging in grand "good" wars ? Set aside, for the moment, the corporate driven wars like the recent Iraq oil war. In the 1930s and 40s, our governments organised the all-out fight against fascism and millions laid down their lives willingly to defeat the Nazis. The state is the only entity with the democrat

Tony Hall 1936 – 2008 Tony Hall, beloved husband of Eve Hall, died peacefully at home on 30th January 2008 three months after his wife, Eve Hall. Loved and mourned by his sons Phil, Andy and Chris, his grandchildren Natalie, Lucy, John, Myles, Betty, Carmen, Jess, Alice, Eve and Bobby, and his daughters-in-law Tere, Kate and Anne. He will also be deeply missed by all his family and friends. This loss has devastated us all. But we are all determined to celebrate his wonderful life, just as we did our mother's. The funeral will be on 7th of February. Dad's ashes will be mixed with mom's