Friday 17 December 2010

What was in the papers last Tuesday

Out here on the wild Atlantic, we've seen the arrival of a little weather. Mainly snow and lots of wind, resulting in big waves, a bouncy ship and ultimately a lack of helicopters arriving to take me home. Really though, there is no complaint as we were 3 days late getting out here for weather reasons. 

It does give me plenty of opportunities to have another look at Tuesday's newspapers. Actually once you remove all references to Wikileaks, the X Factor and Strictly Come Dancing from the papers, there's not all that much left apart from the footy and the following snippets that you may have missed, since you'll likely have given up Tuesday's paper, just as soon as Wednesday's paper drops through the letter box.


The Times and the Grauniad have no less than 3 articles about art auctions. Since I am unlikely to be turning up at Bonhams with my checkbook, these articles are more a last chance to see the odd picture before they disappear into somebodies London Penthouse for ever.

The picture above is the product of one Mr Banksy, who was once a famous exterior decorator (does he still do that kind of thing). It was painted for a Greenpeace advertising campaign but they decided it might not be a very good idea when Disney started asking a few questions about the use of it's characters. Pop round to Bonhams next month and it could be yours for around £80000.

If you're leanings are for something a little more classical, then the painting on the left is "La Virgen del Sombrero" (I see no big hat!! (actually maybe I do)) by Luis del Morales. You may look though but I'm afraid you cannot buy as it's just been sold for a chunky old £1600000.


Here's 10 things you didn't know about turkeys - I'll just let you read it yourself.



The chap above is is Liu Daiyun and is seen here fishing a bone out of his very old soup. The soup is thought to be 2400 years old and was found in a 3 legged bronze pot with a lid, in an ancient tomb which just happened to find itself under the new extension to Xi'an airport. The soup surface was covered in a green film which would suggest to me that it was likely past it's eat by date. The bone soup is not the oldest soup that has ever been found, in 2005 a 4000 year old pot of noodle soup was found near the Yellow River.

What better way to finish off a visit to the papers than to see what Calvin and Hobbes are up to in the Daily Opinionated.


See you all when I get back on shore.

17 comments:

The Glebe Blog said...

A very entertaining post Sandy.
I believe Banksy is all legit nowadays.He'll still paint exteriors but at a price.
I once made a pot of soup full of pulses that lasted me a week.That was almost turning when I'd finished the last helping.

David McK said...

I note that it's left to the reader to theorise on what the contents of the black mug by your side in the final picture might be. Not soup from the Jurassic era I suspect, but if not that.... then WHAT?

Michael (Light-In-A-Box) said...

Hey Sandy, I sure hope you make it home for X-Mas! Our weather out here has gotten a little colder again with very fluffy snow...
I certainly think Disney takes their copywrite pretty seriously.
Strangly enough, I did not know those ten things about turkeys!
Alright well.. Merry X-Mas Sandy!
Michael

Dave Wenning said...

#11. They're not only too fat to fly, they're too fat to reproduce. It's all done artificially. Anybody need a job? Very enjoyable post Sandy. Looks like nice digs on the rig. Do they have wifi?

John @ Beans and I on the Loose said...

A fun post. I enjoyed the facts about turkeys. I always see them on my hikes and refer to the lot as a 'herd' so now I know it is a 'rafter'. Just learned not long ago a group of crows is called a 'murder'. I think ol' Liu Daiyun is delving into a petrified bowl of turkey soup. Looks like the wishbone he is holding.

Shundo said...

Damn thing swallowed my last comment...It was on the lines of: a little weather is better than none, and we have a week of rain heading our way.
And is that one of those Ikea chairs you are comfortably installed on in the last photo? Snap. I would think they are handy when the boat starts to rock, as they have a little flexibility in the frame. I love mine...

Sandy's witterings said...

Jim, I think you're right about Banksy - I know he had an exhibition on at the Bristol art gallery a while ago which is hardly outside the artistic society fold.
Certain foods are almost impossible for me to judge the right amount. It doesn't look enough when you add it so you add more - perhaps why your pot of soup took a week to eat.

Mr McK - good groodle of course DF

Michael - Glad to increase your knowledge of turkeys - Over there you're going to outsnow us most of the time I suspect.

Dave, It's bad enough getting eaten for christmas without them taking what small joys of life there are away - glad i'm not a turkey!
Rig Digs are just fine and dandy.

Sinbad's mate, I wonder just what Liu Daiyun is wishing - maybe a couple of bits of 2000 year old bread to dip in his soup.

Shundo - This is a Norwegian boat with lots of Norwegian people so I wouldn't be at all surprised if they get the chairs from Scandinavia's favorite furniture makers - it is very comfortable and responds in a pleasing manner to a gentle swell at sea - usually resulting in sleep.
Murphy's law states, amongst other things, that the longer your comment the more likely it is to be eaten by your computer.

Becky said...

Quite fun, thank you.

JennyD said...

Sandy, hi. I am in Virginia in the USA and out of pure providence found your blog. I love it and have now read all of your posts for December and plan on reading November's later this evening (and working my way back from there). Your writings and photos are SO good that I feel like I'm there and who could ask for more than that? It's been a pleasure and I'll be back for more :)
Oh, one last little thing about turkeys. There used to be an old comedy series here about a radio/tv station called WKRP in Cincinnati. One of the shows had to do with Thanksgiving and the stations attempts to do the biggest and best thing the city had ever seen. They decided to supply the entire city with turkeys. Now, the problem was, they were going to drop these turkeys from a huge heliocopter right over the main street. All the tv stations and radio stations were out in full force to witness it, the copters floor opened up, the turkeys were coming out in droves, and then all of a sudden WKRP's manager screamed, "OMG, turkeys can't fly!" Ohhhh, the bloodbath. Just thought I'd tell you that. :D
Cya later ~~

Sandy's witterings said...

You're welcome Becky.

Welcome to my blog Jenny and thank you for your story about turkeys in Cincinnati - I was going to go and google this story but then thought that this is one tale where I'd rather have the 1000 words than the picture.

Crafty Green Poet said...

Very entertaining. Excellent painting by Banksy, fascinating facts about turkeys and that soup, wow! I can see the sombrero too!

Poppy (aka Val) said...

Hi Sandy! I had a bit of trouble finding you for some reason, but I finally made it!! Just wanted to wish you all the very best for Christmas and the New Year, take care x

JennyD said...

Thanks so much for the welcome, Sandy :D Just dropped by on this Eve to wish you a very Merry Christmas!

Sandy's witterings said...

Thanks Juliet, Jenny and Poppy for commenting after I last commented myself.

To everyone, it's all been a bit of a whirl the last few days. Tomorrow it's mince pies and maybe a wee glass of something and normal service will be resumed sometime after that
Merry Christmas folks

Hadriana's Treasures said...

Loved all of that Sandy. Happy New Year to you and yours! Hadriana xx

JennyD said...

Running by to wish you a HAPPY NEW YEAR, SANDY!

Sandy's witterings said...

Thanks Jenny and Hadriana. A very Happy New Year to you both xx

And everyone else out there xxx