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Short views on miscellanous things:

For previous items (2006-08)         memories  France  Language  Health  Other bits
For previous items (2009)
             memories  France  Language  Health  Other bits
For previous items (2010)
              memories  France  Language  Health  Other bits
For previous items (2011)     memories  France  Language  Health  Other bits  Gallery
For previous items (2012)     memories  France  Language  Health  Other bits  Gallery

New this month:


Memories - little stories from short and long ago: Harry's arm - toddler frightened by Harry's bandaging;
The month of May - my mother's month  
France - things I am learning about France: May Day in France - French traditions of May 1; Francois Hollande - presidential election
Language -my interest in language & public speaking: Pronunciation poem - humourous poem; Haywire - interesting etymology
Health - about health conditions I have or am afraid of getting: Notes on epigenetics and similar - weird quirks of genetics
Other bits - miscellaneous items:  Too dumb to know it - mismatch in competence & self-confidence; A moral issue - Hansen says climate change is a moral issue
Gallery - various images: Simon Beck's snow art
                                             
Quotes 

The will of the people, moreover, practically means, the will of the most numerous or the most active part of the people; the majority, or those who succeed in making themselves accepted as the majority; the people, consequently, may desire to oppress a part of their number; and precautions are as much needed against this, as against any other abuse of power. - John Stuart Mills

                                                                                                                                                         Gallery

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“Artist Simon Beck must really love the cold weather! Along the frozen lakes of Savoie, France, he spends days plodding through the snow in raquettes (snowshoes), creating these sensational patterns of snow art. Working for 5-9 hours a day, each final piece is typically the size of three soccer fields! The geometric forms range in mathematical patterns and shapes that create stunning, sometimes 3D, designs when viewed from higher levels.
How long these magnificent geometric forms survive is completely dependent on the weather. Beck designs and redesigns the patterns as new snow falls, sometimes unable to finish a piece due to significant overnight accumulations. Interestingly enough, he said, 'The main reason for making them was because I can no longer run properly due to problems with my feet, so plodding about on level snow is the least painful way of getting exercise. Gradually, the reason has become photographing them, and I am considering buying a better camera.” Spectacular art for the sake of exercise!”