Friday 23 September 2011

South Wales

"In those days, the blag slag, the waste of the coal pits, had only begun to cover the side of the hill. Not enough to mar the countryside nor blacken the beauty of our village. For the colliery had only begun to poke its skinny black fingers between the green"

(Philip Dunne screenplay based on 'How Green was my Valley' by Richard Llewellyn)






By noon 436 of the men who had descended the mine for the days work had been bought safely to the surface. Leaving 485 still below.
For these caught in the immediate theatre of the blast, there seemed little hope, for to  the horrer of the blast there had been added the terror of fire and no rescue party, however intrepid, and there was no lack of brave men ready to answer the call of the most forlorn hope-could live through that raging furnace.

(South Wales Daily News Wednesday October 15th 1913. Report of the  Senghenydd Colliery Disaster)

Friday 16 September 2011

Brighton

Rose: "People change"
Ida: "I've never changed,it's like one of those sticks of rock. Bite one all the way down, you'll still read Brighton. Thats human nature."

(Brighton Rock. Graham Greene)








Ever since I was a young boy,
I've played the silver ball.
From Soho down to Brighton,
I must have played them all.

(Pinball Wizard. The Who)

Friday 9 September 2011

Santorini

Anybody can become angry-that is easy, but to become angry with the right person and to the right degree and at the right time and for the right purpose, and in the right way-that is not within everybody's power and is not easy.

(Aristotle)










I am indepted to my father for living, but to my teacher for living well.

(Alexander the Great)