Monday 30 May 2016

TUESDAY 31st MAY 2016 07:47 BST

Read my book - ENLIGHTENMENT FOR ORDINARY FOLK
 

Also available - EMOTIONAL MANAGEMENT FOR ORDINARY FOLK
 
WISDOM, HUMOUR, AND LOTS OF OTHER INTERESTING STUFF CAN BE FOUND ON MY PINTEREST PAGE and FACEBOOK PAGE
TO FIND OUT WHAT I DO, CHECK OUT MY WEBSITE

1. ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

31st May 1916: The Battle of Jutland
The Battle of Jutland (German: Skagerrakschlacht, the Battle of Skagerrak) was a naval battle fought by the British Royal Navy's Grand Fleet under Admiral Sir John Jellicoe, against the Imperial German Navy's High Seas Fleet under Vice-Admiral Reinhard Scheer during the First World War. The battle was fought from 31 May to 1 June 1916 in the North Sea, near the coast of Denmark's Jutland Peninsula. It was the largest naval battle and the only full-scale clash of battleships in the war. It was the third fleet action between steel battleships, following the smaller but more decisive battles of the Yellow Sea (1904) and Tsushima (1905) during the Russo-Japanese War.

Germany's High Seas Fleet's intention was to lure out, trap and destroy a portion of the Grand Fleet, as the German naval force was insufficient to openly engage the entire British fleet. This formed part of a larger strategy to break the British blockade of Germany and to allow German naval vessels access to the Atlantic. Meanwhile, Great Britain's Royal Navy pursued a strategy to engage and destroy the High Seas Fleet, or keep the German force contained and away from Britain and her shipping lanes.

The German plan was to use Vice-Admiral Franz Hipper's fast scouting group of five modern battlecruisers to lure Vice-Admiral Sir David Beatty's battlecruiser squadrons into the path of the main German fleet. Submarines were stationed in advance across the likely routes of the British ships. However, the British learned from signal intercepts that a major fleet operation was likely, so on 30 May Jellicoe sailed with the Grand Fleet to rendezvous with Beatty, passing over the locations of the German submarine picket lines while they were unprepared. The German plan had been delayed, causing further problems for their submarines which had reached the limit of their endurance at sea.

On the afternoon of 31 May, Beatty encountered Hipper's battlecruiser force long before the Germans had expected. In a running battle, Hipper successfully drew the British vanguard into the path of the High Seas Fleet. By the time Beatty sighted the larger force and turned back towards the British main fleet, he had lost two battlecruisers from a force of six battlecruisers and four battleships, against the five ships commanded by Hipper. The battleships, commanded by Rear-Admiral Sir Hugh Evan-Thomas, were the last to turn and formed a rearguard as Beatty withdrew, now drawing the German fleet in pursuit towards the main British positions. Between 18:30, when the sun was lowering on the western horizon, back-lighting the German forces, and nightfall at about 20:30, the two fleets – totaling 250 ships between them – directly engaged twice.

Fourteen British and eleven German ships were sunk, with great loss of life. After sunset, and throughout the night, Jellicoe manoeuvred to cut the Germans off from their base, hoping to continue the battle the next morning, but under the cover of darkness Scheer broke through the British light forces forming the rearguard of the Grand Fleet and returned to port.

Both sides claimed victory. The British lost more ships and twice as many sailors, supporting the German claim to victory. However, the Germans had failed to break the British blockade and depleting German resources were consequently not being replaced. The battle was therefore a British victory, though they had contained rather than destroyed the German navy. 

The heavy British losses were due to safety procedures being ignored in order to increase the rate of fire, a disastrously counterproductive strategy. This was compounded by Royal Navy commanders failing to fully embrace the new available radio technology to communicate, and preferring to use an obsolete signal flags system.

Beatty's arrogance, narcissism and lack of caution undoubtedly caused more loss of life. Jellicoe, heavily criticized for overcaution and subsequently demoted, actually saved unnecessary further losses - it was not necessary to destroy the German fleet to achieve the objective, merely deter it - this Jellicoe achieved very successfully. The German fleet never attempted a breakout again, and depleted German resources undoubtedly contributed to Allied victory in 1918.

2. TODAY IN MY LIFE
Blogging
Local errands
Hedge Trimming
Me Time
Meditation
Missus Time

Twitter Followers = 2,247 (down 1)
Never-followed unfollowers eliminated = 1

@RussellExolta
Followed unfollowers eliminated = 0
-
New Followers followed back = 0
-
Spammers not followed back = 0
-

3. TODAY'S SELF-OBSERVATION
In between the new experience of periods of zero-libido, and for the last five years not rising to the desired occasion without chemical assistance, I do still get times when I get spontaneously very horny - unfortunately these tend to be at around 3am and are mostly caused by urine in the bladder. I know full-well I would be best urinating and then seeing how I feel, but sometimes, especially with brain on half-power, the urge is indulged solo, while Missus, deeply sedated by Olanzapine, sleeps on none-the-wiser.

This can be a big mistake, making the bed very sweaty and taking 45 minutes getting nowhere, because what was really wanted was a wee. You'd then assume that every small-hours boner requires a wee. But it's not that simple! Occasionally there is a genuine bone fide urge, which can then be relieved quite quickly - it seems a terrible waste not to! I'm beginning to learn to feel the subtle difference. I can now discern when the bladder is reasonably full, so when to wee rather than fap.

This has important implications for sleep. Indulging a urine boner means you usually can't go back to sleep - you're very thirsty, wide awake and the bed is uncomfortably damp. A genuine urge is quickly relieved and you can go back to sleep reasonably easily. 

After two very early wakes (NOT because of urine boners - instead it was minor but upsetting incidents on Saturday) today I got up at the relatively reasonable time of 05:30 after hitting the sack at 23:40. A "genuine" urge around 03:00 was quickly relieved and I went back to sleep, despite feeling quite thirsty. I did have a couple of dreams thereafter which I remember being nonsensical, but now I can't remember anything about them at all!

4. TODAY'S QUESTION FOR YOU
How well is your mind in tune with your body?

5. TODAY'S WEATHER IN BRADFORD
In brief
Mainly dry, cool and overcast

Details

















Moon





Weathertrack














Air Pressure
1020 millibars and rising

6. TODAY'S ONELINER
You know that tingly little feeling you get when you fancy someone? That's your common sense leaving your body. :D

7. NOW THAT'S FUNNY!
Natasha Leggero on hip-hop

8. TRIVIA
On average, flying fish can glide 160 feet (50m), but have been known to glide as far as 660 feet (200 m). And they can reach heights up to 19 feet (6m).

9. ZEN WISDOM
When facing adversity, we may think we’ve reached our limit, but unless we actually die, the more trying the circumstances, the closer we are to making a breakthrough. The darker the night, the nearer the dawn. 

Sunday 29 May 2016

LATE SPRING BANK HOLIDAY MONDAY 30th MAY 2016 07:19 BST

Read my book - ENLIGHTENMENT FOR ORDINARY FOLK
 

Also available - EMOTIONAL MANAGEMENT FOR ORDINARY FOLK
 
WISDOM, HUMOUR, AND LOTS OF OTHER INTERESTING STUFF CAN BE FOUND ON MY PINTEREST PAGE and FACEBOOK PAGE
TO FIND OUT WHAT I DO, CHECK OUT MY WEBSITE

1. ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

30th May 1536: Jane Seymour marries Henry VIII
Jane Seymour was likely born at Wulfhall, Savernake Forest, Wiltshire, the daughter of Sir John Seymour and Margery Wentworth. Through her maternal grandfather, she was a descendant of King Edward III's son Lionel of Antwerp, 1st Duke of Clarence. Because of this, she and King Henry VIII were fifth cousins. She shared a great-grandmother, Elizabeth Cheney, with his second and fifth wives, Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard.

She was not educated as highly as King Henry's previous wives, Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn. She could read and write a little, but was much better at needlework and household management, which were considered much more necessary for women. Jane's needlework was reported to be beautiful and elaborate; some of her work survived as late as 1652, when it is recorded to have been given to the Seymour family. 

She became a maid-of-honour in 1532 to Queen Catherine, but may have served her as early as 1527, and went on to serve Queen Anne. The first report of Henry VIII's interest in Jane Seymour was in early 1536, some time before Catherine's death.

Jane was highly praised for her gentle, peaceful nature, being referred to as "gentle a lady as ever I knew" by John Russell and being named as "the Pacific" by the Imperial Ambassador Eustace Chapuys for her peacemaking efforts at court. According to Chapuys, Jane was of middling stature and very pale; he also commented that she was not of much beauty. However, John Russell stated that Jane was "the fairest of all the King's wives." Polydore Vergil commented that she was "a woman of the utmost charm in both character and appearance." She was regarded as a meek, gentle, simple, and chaste woman, whose large family made her a suitable candidate to give birth to many children.

Henry VIII was betrothed to Jane on 20 May 1536, just one day after Anne Boleyn's execution. The couple married at the Palace of Whitehall, Whitehall, London, in the Queen's closet by Bishop Gardiner on 30 May 1536. She was publicly proclaimed as queen consort on 4 June 1536. She was never crowned because of plague in London, where the coronation was to take place. Henry may have been reluctant to crown Jane before she had fulfilled her duty as a queen consort by bearing him a son and a male heir.

Jane risked Henry's wrath by petitioning him to restore his first child, Princess Mary, to court and to the royal succession, behind any children that Jane might have with Henry. Jane brought up the issue of Mary's restoration both before and after she became Queen. While Jane was unable to restore Mary to the line of succession, she was able to reconcile her with Henry. Eustace Chapuys wrote to Charles V of Jane's compassion and efforts on behalf of Mary's return to favour. A letter from Mary to Jane shows that Mary was grateful to Jane. While it was Jane who first pushed for the restoration, Mary and Elizabeth were not reinstated to the succession until Henry's sixth wife, Queen Catherine Parr, convinced him to do so.

In late 1536, Jane became pregnant. She went into confinement in September 1537 and gave birth to the coveted male heir, the future King Edward VI, at two o'clock in the morning on 12 October 1537 at Hampton Court Palace. Edward was christened on 15 October 1537, without his mother in attendance, as was the custom. Both of the King's daughters, Mary and Elizabeth, were present and carried the infant's train during the ceremony.

Jane Seymour's labour had been difficult, lasting two nights and three days, probably because the baby was not well positioned. After the christening, it became clear that Jane was seriously ill. Jane Seymour died on 24 October 1537 at Hampton Court Palace at Kingston upon Thames.

2. TODAY IN MY LIFE
Blogging
Me Time
Meditation
Quality Missus Time

Twitter Followers = 2,248 (up 2)
Never-followed unfollowers eliminated = 0

-
Followed unfollowers eliminated = 0
-
New Followers followed back = 0
-
Spammers not followed back = 2
@fymicahJSRR3, @suhankthespank

3. TODAY'S SELF-OBSERVATION
I'm not sure whether it was Shadow The Cat, triumphantly yowling after bringing in its latest kill, or whether I'm still dealing Saturday's events, but either way I was again up at the ridiculously early time of 4am. Fortunately, if you're going to have disturbed sleep, a "slob day", for which today is earmarked, is a good day to have it on, as it's ideal for rest and recovery. It did also mean I got plenty of "me time"

Yesterday an ad for a "dead-end job" nearly turned my head. Just round the corner, it offered increased reliable income at the expense of a lot of time. I consulted Missus. A Paranoid-Schizophrenic she may be, but capable of Pearls of Wisdom she still is. Her response: "Right now, you're very happy, which makes me happy. If you took this job, you'd soon become unhappy, so why change things?"

Brilliant. Irrefutable logic. I was humbled and grateful.

It's great to see Son out and about, either working or socializing. His former long-distance relationship kept him cooped-up in his room for unhealthy prolonged periods. His increased absence also allows a more relaxed quality time with Missus, as Son does not approve of the weirder and more intimate aspects of our marriage taking place around him - understandably! As his former relationship was clearly in hindsight never a goer anyway, it's therefore a win-win all round. 

On Tuesday, reality kicks back in and I must get stuff done and fight battles, but that's for tomorrow. Today, it's me, Missus and cats just chillin' and doing our thing

4. TODAY'S QUESTION FOR YOU
Do you know what the sources of happiness are?

5. TODAY'S WEATHER IN BRADFORD
In brief
Dry, cloudy and mild

Details

















Moon





Weathertrack














Air Pressure
1019 millibars and static

6. TODAY'S ONELINER
My first live-in girlfriend told me to put some magic into our relationship, so I disappeared :D

7. NOW THAT'S FUNNY!
Natasha Leggero - miscellaneous amusing gags

8. TRIVIA
Because it was formerly an independent country, Texas flies the State Flag at the same height as the USA Flag

9. ZEN WISDOM
The only valid excuse not to be relentless in the pursuit of goals is that you have been killed.

SUNDAY 29th MAY 2016 08:22 BST

Read my book - ENLIGHTENMENT FOR ORDINARY FOLK
 

Also available - EMOTIONAL MANAGEMENT FOR ORDINARY FOLK
 
WISDOM, HUMOUR, AND LOTS OF OTHER INTERESTING STUFF CAN BE FOUND ON MY PINTEREST PAGE and FACEBOOK PAGE
TO FIND OUT WHAT I DO, CHECK OUT MY WEBSITE

1. ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

29th May 1453: The fall of Constantinople to the Turks
In 330, the city of Byzantium had been the renamed Constantinople and made the capital of the Roman Empire. While the Western Roman Empire had ended in 476, the Eastern Roman Empire continued. By the end of the 6th Century however, the Empire had become predominantly Greek in language and culture, with a structure retaining Roman law.

Constantinople remained the capital of this Empire throughout, ideally positioned to control both land and sea trade and with formidable fortifications. In 1204 it had finally fallen to western crusaders and was sacked, but by 1261 it was retaken by Greeks, and the Empire, though very diminished and weakened, had been restored.  

By 1453, due to civil war and external aggression, The Empire had been reduced to little more than Constantinople itself. All surrounding territory and empires had been conquered the the rising power in the region, the Ottoman Empire. 

In 1451, the Ottoman Sultan Mohammed II had resolved to eliminate Constantinople as a threatening enclave in the centre of his empire. In preparation he built Rumelihisan, a formidable fortress outside Constantinople, giving him complete control of the sea route into Constantinople and levying a toll on all ships going to the city.

By 1453 the sultan was ready to take the city. Beginning in April, after a 57-day siege, the overwhelming numbers and firepower of the Ottomans overwhelmed the defences and the city fell on May 29. Constantinople was made the new capital of the empire.

There were numerous consequences of the fall of Constantinople. The Ottoman Empire now had no serious opponents in the Balkans and conquered the entire subcontinent by 1526. The flight of Greek scholars and preserved ancient writings triggered the Renaissance in Europe. The Ottoman control of the trade from China prompted the European search for an alternative sea route, leading to European world-colonisation. Russia claimed to be the successor state to the Byzantine Empire, claiming the title "Third Rome" and adopting the Byzantine double-headed eagle in its coat of arms and founding the Russian Orthodox Church. 

2. TODAY IN MY LIFE
Blogging
The milk run
Me Time
Lunch 
Meditation
Missus Time

Twitter Followers = 2,246 (down 2)
Never-followed unfollowers eliminated = 2

@howogakepizi, @SwindonLovers
Followed unfollowers eliminated = 0
-
New Followers followed back = 0
-
Spammers not followed back = 0
-

3. TODAY'S SELF-OBSERVATION
A smooth run of events came to an abrupt halt on Saturday with a double-whammy of encountering an aggressive drunk at the Weekend Job and receiving a fine over prescription-charge avoidance from the NHS, which I now have to set about contesting on Tuesday when everyone's available again. 

Neither of these two events are particularly serious in long-term consequence, but they did upset my equilibrium, disturb/shorten Saturday night's sleep and prompt some inner reflection. In both cases a lack of experience meant that I didn't make the best decisions. I consequently won't be too harsh on myself but will learn the lessons.

Being a sensitive person, these sort of events cause significant mind malfunction, and to manage it is hard work, as my default is for thought to go into all manner of dark places. I now have the techniques and tools to do this, but it still takes days to regain full internal composure. Bottom line is always the Discipline Of Acceptance, letting go of the resentment of what isn't, allowing me to make the best of what still is.

The hardest part of this is FOCUS, putting attention on the positive - it calls for considerable mental effort when my particular focus has the traits of a puppy with a deathwish.

4. TODAY'S QUESTION FOR YOU
Are you fully in control of yourself?

5. TODAY'S WEATHER IN BRADFORD
In brief
Mild and dry with sunny periods

Details

















Moon






Weathertrack














Air Pressure
1016 millibars and rising slightly

6. TODAY'S ONELINER
“Latte” is Latin for: You paid too much for that coffee. :D

7. NOW THAT'S FUNNY!
John Oliver on Fanta

8. TRIVIA
A balanced diet for humans is almost the same for rats

9. ZEN WISDOM
Ideal love is fostered only between two sincere, mature and independent people. Real love is not two people clinging to each other; it can only be fostered between two strong people secure in their individuality.

Thursday 26 May 2016

FRIDAY 27th MAY 2016 07:19 BST

Read my book - ENLIGHTENMENT FOR ORDINARY FOLK
 

Also available - EMOTIONAL MANAGEMENT FOR ORDINARY FOLK
 
WISDOM, HUMOUR, AND LOTS OF OTHER INTERESTING STUFF CAN BE FOUND ON MY PINTEREST PAGE and FACEBOOK PAGE
TO FIND OUT WHAT I DO, CHECK OUT MY WEBSITE

1. ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

27th May 1199: The coronation of King John
John was the youngest of the sons of Henry II and had never been groomed for the throne, inheriting it only because his brother Richard I had died without an heir. 

John is considered one of the worst kings of England, brought about by his undiplomatic treatment of powerful figures, particularly his own barons. This led to a disastrous war with France in which all the northern territories in France were lost, leaving only Aquitaine in the south-east. 

By 1215 the barons were in open revolt and John was forced to sign a Bill of Rights, the famous Magna Carta at Runnymede. John however subsequently had it annulled and civil war broke out again. The Barons invited Louis VIII of France to take the English throne and John was losing the war when he died in 1216. 

With his death, the barons withdrew their support for Louis and the majority recognized John's infant son as Henry III as the new king, setting up a regency to rule on his behalf.

2. TODAY IN MY LIFE
Blogging
Ironing
Me Time
Shift 1 of the Weekend Job
Missus Time

Twitter Followers = 2,248 (up 3)
Never-followed unfollowers eliminated = 0

-
Followed unfollowers eliminated = 0
-
New Followers followed back = 1
@JustMgzn
Spammers not followed back = 2
@IHipnosis, @wypuvogibito, 

3. TODAY'S SELF-OBSERVATION
It's great to see Son recovering his morale so quickly, a matter of days after feeling gutted. I put this down mainly to excellent support. I also suspect that now standing outside of the relationship, he can clearly see that this was not Miss Right. Someone who has been deceiving you from start to finish is not a worthy life-partner. Freed of this failed relationship, he now has many opportunities open to him.

With helping Son through his breakup and indulging personal pleasures, whilst keeping house as usual, has made another week shoot by at high speed. I blinked and it is Friday again. I have accepted that the time remaining to be will zip by rapidly, and so instead focus on the difference made, which unashamedly includes getting my rocks off. I therefore count this week as a success!

I go into the weekend at peace with myself and therefore clutching life's greatest prize.

4. TODAY'S QUESTION FOR YOU
Are you making the difference you want to make?

5. TODAY'S WEATHER IN BRADFORD
In brief
Dry, cloudy and mild

Details
















Moon






Weathertrack














Air Pressure
1018 millibars and static

6. TODAY'S ONELINER
The chap who named the umbrella meant to call it a brella, but he hesitated. :D

7. NOW THAT'S FUNNY!
Would I Lie To You - Who knows Marie?

8. TRIVIA
La Femme is an all-female beach in Egypt, away from the prurient view of men and cameras, where Muslim women can replace their long head and body coverings with bikinis without feeling as if they are sinning.

9. ZEN WISDOM
The Human mind is indeed wondrous. You may be ill physically, but as long as your spirit is strong, it most certainly will exert a positive influence on your body.