#Robert Aitken

[cobotis]

Become more and more alive, authentic, responsive… Even if there is a possibility to go astray, go astray, because there is no way to grow if you are so afraid of committing errors. Errors are good... Mistakes have to be committed. Never commit the same mistake again, but never be afraid of committing mistakes... People who become so afraid of committing mistakes never grow. They go on sitting in their place, afraid to move. They are not alive…

~ Osho

[xenxone]

“Practicing compassion goes hand-in-hand with practicing realisation. On your cushions in the dojo, you learn first of all to be compassionate towards yourself. …we vow to save all beings, but how do you save the roughnecks in your own mind? Treat them as neighbors who come to the door when you were meditating. Take a moment to acknowledge them. They are closer than neighbours after all.

“Oh, there you are you violent thought.” with this recognition, you are Kanjizai, at ease with yourself because you are no longer blindly responsive to your thinking and feeling- and thus no longer at the mercy of your karma. Then, when your boss or somebody else takes a roll in the old family play that formed your life, you can exclaim “Oh, I remember you!” and the pain will be reduced. You’ll be left to deal with circumstances which might be difficult enough without clouds of childish emotions to confuse them.”

an exerpt taken from the book The Mind of Clover by Robert Aitken. i will forever give praise to this book for the enlightenment it holds.

[thisisyourdriverspeaking]

It's the most iconic race in the world so it's deserved it's own post & playlist. I give you the all the drivers in the 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans racing tunes. Enjoy (even though this post is a little late). 😊

John Hartshorne (18th April 1957) - Malcolm Vaughan - The World Is Mine

Thomas Flohr (17th March 1960) - Bert Weedon - Big Beat Boogie

Claudio Schiavoni (14th November 1960) - Brenda Lee - I Want To Be Wanted

Satoshi Hoshino (7th April 1961) - Nat 'King' Cole - The World In My Arms

Johnny Laursen (16th February 1964) - Cliff Richard - Don't Talk To Him

George Kurtz (5th May 1965) - Pretty Things - Honey I Need

Hiroshi Koizumi (25th May 1969) - Marvin Gaye - I Heard It Through The Grapevine

Takeshi Kimura (22nd October 1970) - Tom Jones - I (Who Have Nothing)

Ben Keating (18th August 1971) - Gilbert O'Sullivan - We Will

John Falb (13th December 1971) - The Who - Let's See Action

Alexander Mattschull (2nd March 1972) - The Partridge Family - It's One Of Those Nights

Michael Wainwright (25th July 1973) - Stevie Wonder - You Are The Sunshine Of My Life

Rodrigo Sales (2nd November 1973) - Rod Stewart - Oh No Not My Baby

Ian James (22nd July 1974) - Main Ingredient - Just Don't Want To Be Lonely

Naveen Rao (21st May 1975) - Billy Swan - Don't Be Cruel

Giacomo Petrobelli (7th November 1975) - George Harrison - You

Hiroshi Hamaguchi (1st October 1976) - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - Tears Of A Clown

Francois Perrodo (14th February 1977) - Fleetwood Mac - Go Your Own Way

Valentino Rossi (16th February 1979) - The Pretenders - Stop Your Sobbing

Sebastien Bourdais (28th February 1979) - Elvis Costello & The Attractions - Oliver's Army

Brendan Iribe (12th August 1979) - David Bowie - DJ

David Heinemeier Hansson (15th October 1979) - Secret Affair - Time For Action

Jenson Button (19th January 1980) - Rupert Holmes - Escape (The Pina Colada Song)

Scott Dixon (22nd July 1980) - Leo Sayer - More Than I Can Say

Ryan Hardwick (3rd October 1980) - Gladys Knight & The Pips - Taste Of Bitter Love

Frederic Makowiecki (22nd November 1980) - David Bowie - Fashion

Ahmad Al Harthy (31st August 1981) - Central Line - Walking Into Sunshine

Patrick Pilet (8th October 1981) - Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - Souvenir

Andre Lotterer (19th November 1981) - The Four Tops - When She Was My Girl

Loic Duval (12th June 1982) - Danger Danger - Comin' Home

Jose Maria Lopez (26th April 1983) - Eurthymics - Love Is A Stranger

P.J Hyett (10th August 1983) - Shakin' Stevens - It's Late

Augusto Farfus (3rd September 1983) - Paul Young - Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home)

Francois Heriau (25th October 1983) - Hot Streak - Body Work

Neel Jani (8th December 1983) - Robert Plant - In The Mood

Richard Lietz (17th December 1983) - Ann Breen - Pal Of My Cradle Days

Alessandro Pier Guidi (18th December 1983) - Black Lace - Superman

Oliver Jarvis (9th January 1984) - Lionel Richie - Running With The Night

James Cottingham (21st January 1984) - Pat Benatar - Love Is A Battlefield

Daniel Serra (24th February 1984) - Bourgie Bourgie - Breaking Point

Franck Perara (21st March 1984) - World Famous Supreme Team - Hey DJ

Nicolas Lapierre (2nd April 1984) - Rockwell - Somebody's Watching Me

Arnold Robin (7th October 1984) - Orange Juice - Lean Period

Matteo Cressoni (28th October 1984) - Tracey Ullman - Helpless

Nick Tandy (5th November 1984) - Paul McCartney - No More Lonely Nights

Robert Kubica (7th December 1984) - Meat Loaf - Nowhere Fast

Ben Hanley (22nd January 1985) - Bronski Beat - It Ain't Necessarily So

Filipe Albuquerque (13th June 1985) - Bruce Springsteen - Born In The USA

Salih Yoluc (22nd August 1985) - Maria Vidal - Body Rock

Renger Van Der Zande (16th February 1986) - The Damned - Eloise

Rahel Frey (23rd February 1986) - Madonna - Dress You Up

Maxime Martin (20th March 1986) - Dee C Lee - Come Hell Or Waters High

Paul Di Resta (16th April 1986) - Simple Minds - Sanctify Yourself

Romain Grosjean (17th April 1986) - Jim Diamond - Hi Ho Silver

Mathias Beche (28th June 1986) - Madonna - Live To Tell

Davide Rigon (26th August 1986) - Pam Hall - Dear Boopsie

Kamui Kobayashi (13th September 1986) - Modern Talking - Brother Louie

Rene Rast (26th October 1986) - Marti Webb & The Simon May Orchestra - Always There

Edoardo Mortara (12th January 1987) - Mick Karn - Buoy

Francesco Castellacci (4th April 1987) - Lionel Richie - Se La

Alex Malykhin (17th August 1987) - Total Contrast - Jody

Tom Van Rompuy (8th September 1987) - Marshall Hain - Dancin' In The City

Darren Leung (25th September 1987) - ABC - The Night You Murdered Love

Jean-Karl Vernay (31st October 1987) - Rick Astley - Whenever You Need Somebody

Nicky Catsburg (15th February 1988) - The Cure - Hot Hot Hot

Paul Lafarque (8th July 1988) - Natalie Cole - Everlasting

Daniel Mancinelli (23rd July 1988) - Maxi Priest - Wild World

Colin Braun (22nd September 1988) - The Beatmasters & PP Arnold - Burn It Up

Kevin Estre (28th October 1988) - Bobby McFerrin - Don't Worry By Happy

Sebastien Buemi (31st October 1988) - Robert Palmer - She Makes My Day

Miguel Molina (17th February 1989) - Big Country - Peace In Our Time

Sarah Bovy (15th May 1989) - Royal House ft Ian Star - A Better Way

Christopher Mies (24th May 1989) - Swing Out Sister - You On My Mind

James Calado (13th June 1989) - Robert Palmer - Change His Ways

Matt Bell (5th November 1989) - Erasure - Drama!

Marco Wittmann (24th November 1989) - D Mob Introducing Cathy Dennis - C'mon And Get My Love

Brendon Hartley (10th November 1989) - Phil Collins - Another Day In Paradise

Mirko Bortolotti (10th January 1990) - Inner City - Whatcha Gonna Do With My Lovin'

Andrea Caldarelli (14th February 1990) - The Beloved - Hello

Stephane Richelmi (17th March 1990) - David A Stewart ft Candy Dulfer - Lily Was Here

Ollie Millroy (21st April 1990) - Lloyd Cole - Don't Look Back

Jean-Eric Vergne (25th April 1990) - MC Duke - The Final Conflict

Earl Bamber (9th July 1990) - Luciano Pavarotti - Nessun Dorma

Michael Christensen (28th August 1990) - DNA ft Suzanne Vega - Tom's Diner

Marco Sorensen (6th September 1990) - Happy Mondays - Step On

Matthias Kaiser (22nd January 1991) - Alexander O'Neal - All True Man

Jack Hawksworth (28th February 1991) - Patsy Cline - I Fall To Pieces

Ryan Cullen (26th March 1991) - The Bee Gees - Secret Love

Ben Barker (23rd April 1991) - Inspiral Carpets - Caravan

Daniel Juncadella (7th May 1991) - Pet Shop Boys - Where The Streets Have No Name

Laurens Vanthoor (8th May 1991) - Vic Reeves & The Roman Numerals - Born Free

Jordan Taylor (10th May 1991) - K-Klass - Rhythm Is A Mystery

Will Stevens (28th June 1991) - Divinyls - I Touch Myself

Klaus Bachler (27th July 1991) - Amy Grant - Baby Baby

Robin Frijns (7th August 1991) - Voice Of The Beehive - Monsters And Angels

Jakub Smiechowski (11th October 1991) - Gloria Estefan - Live For Loving You

Paul-Loup Chatin (19th October 1991) - Oleta Adams - Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me

Harry Tincknell (29th October 1991) - Public Enemy - Can't Truss It

Nicolas Costa (14th November 1991) - Love And Money - Winter

Rene Binder (1st January 1992) - James - Sound

Nico Muller (25th February 1992) - Texas - Alone With You

Stoffel Vandoorne (26th March 1992) - The Charlatans - Weirdo

Zacharie Robichon (31st May 1992) - Michael Jackson - In The Closet

Norman Nato (8th July 1992) - KWS - Please Don't Go

Felipe Nasr (21st August 1992) - Luther Vandross & Janet Jackson - The Best Things In Life Are Free

Alex Lynn (17th September 1993) - Pet Shop Boys - Go West

Pipo Derani (12th October 1993) - Salt-N-Pepa - Shoop

Antonio Giovinazzi (14th December 1993) - Brian May - Last Horizon

Michelle Gatting (31st December 1993) - Belinda Carlisle - Lay Down Your Arms

Alex Riberas (27th January 1994) - Peabo Bryson & Regina Belle - A Whole New World

Ryo Hirakawa (7th March 1994) - Morrissey - The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get

Giorgio Roda (18th March 1994) - Urban Cookie Collective - Sail Away

Daniil Kvyat (26th April 1994) - Roxette - Sleeping In My Car

Mathieu Jaminet (24th October 1994) - Take That - Sure

Matthieu Vaxiviere (3rd December 1994) - Sophie B Hawkins - Don't Don't Tell Me No

Raffaele Marciello (17th December 1994) - PJ & Duncan - Eternal Love

Mikkel Jensen (31st December 1994) - Pearl Jam - Spin The Black Circle

Nyck De Vries (6th February 1995) - M People - Open Your Heart

Matt Campbell (17th February 1995) - MN8 - I've Got A Little Something For You

Alessio Rovera (22nd June 1995) - Pizzaman - Sex On The Streets

Charlie Eastwood (11th August 1995) - Oasis - Some Might Say

Jack Aitken (23rd September 1995) - Vanessa Williams - Colours Of The Wind

Dennis Olsen (14th April 1996) - Oasis - Supersonic

Antonio Fuoco (20th May 1996) - Kavana - Crazy Chance

Matteo Cairoli (1st June 1996) - Gloria Estefan - Reach

Kelvin Van Der Linde (20th June 1996) - Blur - Charmless Man

James Allen (4th July 1996) - Gina G - Ooh Aah.. Just A Little Bit

Larry Ten Voorde (2nd November 1996) - Los Del Rio - Macarena

Sean Gelael (1st November 1996) - Huff & Puff - Help Me Make It

Ben Barnicoat (20th December 1996) - Phil Collins - Dance Into The Light

Mikkel O.Pedersen (26th January 1997) - The Prodigy - Poison

Nicklas Nielsen (6th February 1997) - Kavana - I Can Make You Feel Good

Ben Tuck (3rd March 1997) - Space - Dark Clouds

Alex Palou (1st April 1997) - Spice Girls - Who Do You Think You Are

Louis Deletraz (22nd April 1997) - Michelle Gayle - Sensational

Ferdinand Habsburg (20th June 1997) - Sneaker Pimps - Six Underground

Laurents Horr (11th September 1997) - Refugee Allstars & Lauryn Hill - The Sweetest Thing

Frederik Schandorff (26th December 1997) - Course - Best Love

Dries Vanthoor (20th April 1998) - Ultra - Say You Do

Erwan Bastard (9th June 1998) - Solid Harmonie - I Want You To Want Me

Job Van Uitert (10th October 1998) - Ultra - The Right Time

Callum Ilott (11th November 1998) - Culture Club - I Just Wanna Be Loved

Mick Schumacher (22nd March 1999) - Men Of Vizion - Do You Feel Me? (Freak You)

Marino Sato (12th May 1999) - Melky Sedeck - Raw

Sheldon Van Der Linde (13th May 1999) - Busta Rhymes ft Janet Jackson - What's It Gonna Be?

Fabio Scherer (13th June 1999) - Bjork - All Is Full Of Love

Riccardo Pera (4th July 1999) - Salt Tank - Dimension

Julien Andlauer (5th July 1999) - Luscious Jackson - Ladyfingers

Phil Hanson (5th July 1999) - Tina Cousins - Forever

Ritomo Miyata (10th August 1999) - Lolly - Viva La Radio

Robert Shwartzman (16th September 1999) - Paul Johnson - Get Get Down

Bent Viscaal (18th September 1999) - Supergrass - Moving

Rui Andrade (23rd September 1999) - Lauryn Hill - Everything Is Everything

Gregoire Saucy (26th December 1999) - Holly Johnson - The Power Of Love

Scott Huffaker (28th December 1999) - Leann Rimes - Crazy

Felipe Drugovich (23rd May 2000) - Mel C & Lisa 'Left Eye' Lopes - Never Be The Same Again

Timur Boguslavskiy (30th April 2000) - Andreas Johnson - Glorious

Yifei Ye (16th June 2000) - Peter Lazonby - Sacred Cycles

Sebastian Baud (6th July 2000) - Morgan - Flying High

Oliver Rasmussen (6th November 2000) - Texas - In Demand

Nicolas Varrone (6th November 2000) - Darude - Feel The Beat

Jean-Baptiste Simmenauer (19th November 2000) - Robbie Williams & Kylie Minogue - Kids

Clement Novalak (23rd December 2000) - Kandi - Don't Think I'm Not

Alex Quinn (29th December 2000) - Britney Spears - Stronger

Simon Mann (10th February 2001) - ATB ft York - The Fields Of Love

Roman De Angelis (15th February 2001) - Ash - Shining Light

Charles Milesi (4th March 2001) - Spooks - Things I've Seen

Joel Sturm (28th November 2001) - Dido - Hunter

Frederik Vesti (13th January 2002) - Westlife - Queen Of My Heart

Olli Caldwell (11th June 2002) - Sugababes - Freak Like Me

Bijoy Garg (15th July 2002) - The Prodigy - Baby's Got A Temper

Antonio Serravalle (18th September 2002) - Nore - Nothin'

Reshad De Gerus (1st July 2003) - Flaming Lips - Fight Test

Malthe Jakobsen (29th October 2003) - Sheryl Crow - The First Cut Is The Deepest

Carl Bennett (2nd September 2004) - Stonebridge ft Therese - Put Em High

Esteban Masson (18th September 2004) - Easyworld - How Did It Ever Come To This

Nico Pino (21st September 2004) - Kylie Minogue - Slow

Kyffin Simpson (9th October 2004) - The 411 - Dumb

Nolan Siegel (8th November 2004) - Kaiser Chiefs - I Predict A Riot

Lorenzo Fluxa (23rd November 2004) - Daniel Bedingfield - Nothing Hurts Like Love

Jonas Ried (18th December 2004) - Natasha Bedingfield - Unwritten

Vladislav Lomko (27th December 2004) - Electric Six - Radio Gaga

Morris Schuring (20th February 2005) - Keane - Bedshaped

Maceo Capietto (12th January 2006) - James Blunt - Goodbye My Lover

Conrad Laursen (11th May 2006) - Beyonce ft Slim Thug - Check On It

And here is the link to the playlist 😊

[weaversweek]

Advertising in the music trade press, this week in 1989.

Context follows...

"Be free with your love" was Spandau Ballet's big comeback single, a big and breezy and brassy pop song. Lyric was a bit naff, Tony Hadley's voice rocked, and the instrumental break was awesome. Didn't quite make the top 40, and that's the last we heard of Spandau Ballet.

Jason Donovan introduced himself to Canadian programmers in the pages of RPM. "Too many broken hearts" remains the ultimate 1989 record, squealing guitars and the S-A-W drum pattern.

"The best reason to play Jason Donovan is because he's exceptional." Looking back on his career: yeah, the lad's done good.

Choices was the singles collection from the Blow Monkeys. Doctor Robert and his backing band came through the sophistipop scene, and never quite hit the top tier of fame like Tears For Fears and The Eurythmics did.

The band combined sharp social commentary with funky pop grooves, veering towards dance music at this late stage in their career. Dr Robert was always a left-wing critic, but edged his barbs with more wit and humour than certain Paul Wellers we could mention.

Lead single from this greatest hits album was "Choice?", a cracking dance groove with vocals from Sylvia Tella, and a three-minute deconstruction of R D Laing's "Public Choice" bullshit theory. (Or of the Section 28 attempt to legalise homophobia, as contemporaneous reports had it. Or both.)

"That's the way", an attempt at a comeback for Katrina and the Waves. They'd had a big hit with "Walking on sunshine" four summers ago, and been ever-present on radio with songs like "Sun street" and "Do you want crying".

But a second signature hit had evaded the group. Would this be the breakhrough they craved? And if it was, should they have released it a month earlier when it was still sunny outside?

Katrina and the Waves continued to plug away, to diminishing returns. They next crossed the public radar in early 1997, when they turned up amongst the has-beens and never-weres competing for the Eurovision Song Contest prize... but that's another story.

[famousdeaths]

Robert Grant Aitken was an American astronomer.

Link: Robert Grant Aitken

[mariocki]

New Scotland Yard: Ask No Questions (1.11, LWT, 1972)

"What's your real reservation? The girl was pregnant, on hard drugs -"

"And she was taking her O-Levels into the bargain. None of which adds up to a reason to throw her onto a heap of stinking garbage."

"So, we're back to that: sentiment. Lily on a dung heap, you don't like it."

"Look. Between here and that dump, there's a small copse - dark, secluded. Now, if Harris, or anybody else for that matter, wanted to get rid of the girl's body, why not dump it there; easiest thing in the world, but no, he drove on, deliberately. An act of contempt. Rubbish to rubbish."

[rabbitcruiser]

Union Square became state historical landmark on May 26, 1958.  

[crabtreee]

Murdoch Mysteries: Why is Everybody Singing? (Official Soundtrack) — Songs written and produced by Paul Aitken, Jono Grant & Robert Carli

[world-of-wales]

─ •✧ WILLIAM'S YEAR IN REVIEW : 𝐍𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑 ✧• ─

𝟑 𝐍𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑 : The Prince of Wales released a statement ahead of his trip to South Africa for the fourth annual Earthshot Awards. He departed from Heathrow Airport for South Africa. It was announced that Earthshot Awards had led to the creation of 650 jobs in Cape Town & contributed to their creative industries.

𝟒 𝐍𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑 : William arrived at Cape Town International Airport and was received by the British High Commissioner to the Republic of South Africa (Antony Philipson). Afterwards, he joined Young Environmentalists participating in the inaugural Earthshot Prize Climate Leaders Youth Programme. He then visited the Atlas Foundation at Ocean View Secondary School.

𝟓 𝐍𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑 : William met Rangers and Mayine e-Africa volunteers at Table Mountain National Park. He shot a Q&A video with Robert Irwin at Signal Hill. Later, he was received by the President of the Republic of South Africa (Cyril Ramaphosa) at his residence. The UK & Soth Africa delegation held a Bilateral Meeting. Afterwards, he attended Conservation Roundtable Meeting at Portside Tower. William attended the Earthshot+ Summit. Finally, William attended the United for Wildlife Global Summit, and announced the "Ranger Welfare and Standards Initiative" to provide rangers access to in-service & medical evacuation insurance cover, and training and leadership development opportunities.

𝟔 𝐍𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑 : The Prince of Wales held a Meeting with Finalists of the 2024 Earthshot Prize Awards at Kirstenbosch Gardens. He held a Meeting with Prince Rahim Aga Khan. Afterwards, he attended a Founding Partners' Lunch at Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa. William then attended a final rehearsal and gave an Interview to the BBC. In the evening, William attended the Earthshot Prize Awards at the Earthshot Prize Dome. Finally, he attended an Earthshot Prize Thank You Reception.

𝟕 𝐍𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑 : William visited the National Sea Rescue Institute in Cape Town. Afterwards, he visited Abalobi - a 2023 Earthshot Prize finalist and took part in a traditional fish braai lunch. He met will wishers during a walkabout. Subsequently he attended a Seaweed Innovation Showcase at the Portside Tower. Finally, William departed Cape Town International Airport for the United Kingdom.

𝟖 𝐍𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑 : He arrived at Heathrow Airport in London from South Africa. William gave an Interview to the press on the conclusion of his trip to Cape Town. Kensington Palace marked Lady Louise's Birthday.

𝟗 𝐍𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑 : The Prince and Princess of Wales attended the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall. Kensington Palace released a 2024 Earthshot Prize short film documenting William's visit to Cape Town.

𝟏𝟎 𝐍𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑 : The Prince and Princess attended the Remembrance Day Service of Remembrance and laid a wreath at the Cenotaph. Afterwards, he took the salute at the March Past of Ex-Servicemen and Civilian Organisations on Horse Guards Parade. A new portion of William's Interview in South Africa was released.

𝟏𝟐 𝐍𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑 : William held an Investiture.

𝟏𝟑 𝐍𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑 : William held a Reception at Windsor Castle.

𝟏𝟒 𝐍𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑 : William was received by the Lord-Lieutenant of Belfast (Dame Fionnuala Jay-O'Boyle) at Simon Community. He visited The Foyer. Afterwards, he met representatives of the Northern Ireland Creative Industries and young people learning screen industry skills at Ulster University where he was received by Deputy Lieutenant of Belfast (Mr. Shane Quinn). Kensington Palace marked The King's Birthday.

𝟏𝟗 𝐍𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑 : The Prince of Wales attended the Diplomatic Corps Reception.

𝟐𝟎 𝐍𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑 : William visited Cyfannol Women's Aid in Newport. Later, he was received by the Lord-Lieutenant of Gwent (Robert Aitken) at the Nelson Trust. Subsequently, the Homewards Newport Coalition published the "Newport Women’s Joint Strategic Needs Assessment" Report. The Prince of Wales became Co-Patron of the 'Jewel of Arabia Expedition' along with Crown Prince HH Theyazin bin Haitham of Oman.

𝟐𝟐 𝐍𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑 : The Prince of Wales was received by Deputy Lieutenant of Greater London (Stuart Shilson) at the launch of Jewel of Arabia Expedition at the Royal Geographical Society. He was joined by the Crown Prince of Oman. William appeared in a video message to mark the 5th Anniversary of National Emergencies Trust.

𝟐𝟔 𝐍𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑 : William visited the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards at Salisbury Plain in his role as Colonel-in-Chief.

𝟐𝟕 𝐍𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑 : He attended the Tusk Conservation Awards at the Savoy.

𝟐𝟖 𝐍𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑 : William and Catherine released a personal statement offering their condolences on the passing of Liz Hatton.

[talonabraxas]

“When one displays the Buddha mudra with one’s whole body and mind, sitting upright in this samadhi even for a short time, everything in the entire dharma world becomes buddha mudra, and all space in the universe completely becomes enlightenment.” — Dōgen Zenji 道元禅師 1200 – 1253 CE

Indra's Net Talon Abraxas

Possibly first used in an early, c. 1000 BCE Atharva Veda Hindu text, the Avataṃsaka Sūtra repurposed this imagery to symbolize the Buddhist principles of emptiness and interdependent origination. The 7th Century Chinese Buddhist Huayan school developed these ideas further and "Indra's Net" became a symbol for "True Self" — the vast, interconnected web that includes all phenomenon.

Each interdependent, individual jewel or point of connection (our consciousness), in a mirror-like way reflects the totality of this vast network. All experience at these points spreads back and through Indra's Net influencing it just like all of the experiences at the other points come back and influence our "True Self."

These teachings became an important influence on Chinese Chan Buddhism, the Korean Hwaeom school, and the Japanese Shingon lineage. For hundreds of years, this concept permeated mystical traditions and taught the oneness and omnipresent sacredness of all life, the illusion of all feelings and thoughts of separateness.

Today, these ideas have entered the world of science, the multidimensional theories of modern physics, and as an insightful way of understanding how our brains function.

[metmuseum]

[Tree Study]. 1880s–90s. Credit line: Gift of Mrs. Robert Ingersoll Aitken, 1951 https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/269560

[aimeedaisies]

Court Circular | 6th December 2024

St James’s Palace

The Princess Royal this morning visited Crane Process Flow Technologies Limited’s new building in Grange Road, Cwmbran, Monmouthshire, and was received by His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Gwent (Brigadier Robert Aitken).

Her Royal Highness this afternoon opened the new engineering extension at Safran Seats GB, Kestrel House, Llantarnam Business Park, Cwmbran.

The Princess Royal, Patron, British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons, afterwards attended the Annual Congress at the International Convention Centre Wales, the Coldra, Newport, Monmouthshire.

[thisisyourdriverspeaking]

In honour of Le Mans today, here's a little soundtrack for you. This is motorsport number twos, the edition for all the drivers. Enjoy 😊

Sebastien Loeb (26th February 1974) - Alvin Stardust - Jealous Mind

Tony Kanaan (31st December 1974) - Wombles - Wombling Merry Christmas

Juan Pablo Montoya (20th September 1975) - Leo Sayer - Moonlighting

Mark Webber (27th August 1976) - Wings - Let 'Em In

Kimi Raikkonen (17th October 1979) - The Police - Message In A Bottle

Jenson Button (19th January 1980) - Billy Preston & Syreeta - With You I'm Born Again

Felipe Massa (25th April 1981) - Ennio Morricone - Chi Mai

Heikki Kovalainen (19th October 1981) - Laurie Anderson - O Superman

Andre Lotteter (19th November 1981) - The Police - Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic

Pippa Mann (11th August 1983) - Paul Young - Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home)

Simon Pagenaud (18th May 1984) - The Pointer Sisters - Automatic

Robert Kubica (7th December 1984) - Jim Diamond - I Should Have Known Better

Nico Rosberg (27th June 1985) - Madonna - Crazy For You

Jerome D'Ambrosio (27th December 1985) - Whitney Houston - Saving All My Love For You

Rahel Frey (23rd February 1986) - Diana Ross - Chain Reaction

Kamui Kobayashi (13th September 1986) - Boris Gardiner - I Want To Wake Up With You

Rene Rast (26th October 1986) - Status Quo - In The Army Now

James Hinchcliffe (5th December 1986) - Berlin - Take My Breath Away

Oliver Turvey (1st April 1987) - Mel and Kim - Respectable

Sebastian Vettel (3rd July 1987) - The Firm - Star Trekkin'

Alexander Sims (15th March 1988) - Rick Astley - Together Forever

Molly Taylor (6th May 1988) - Fairground Attraction - Perfect

Simona De Silvestro (1st September 1988) - Brother Beyond - The Harder I Try

Sarah Bovy (15th May 1989) - Kylie Minogue - Hand On Your Heart

James Calado (13th June 1989) - Cliff Richard - The Best Of Me

Brendon Hartley (10th November 1989) - Milli Vanilli - Girl I'm Gonna Miss You

Earl Bamber (9th July 1990) - Luciano Pavarotti - Nessun Dorma

Cristina Gutierrez (24th July 1991) - Heavy D & The Boyz - Now That We've Found Love

Abbie Eaton (2nd January 1992) - Michael Jackson - Heal The World

Timmy Hansen (21st May 1992) - Guns 'N' Roses - Knockin' On Heaven's Door

Daniel Abt (3rd December 1992) - Charles & Eddie - Would I Lie To You?

Alice Powell (26th January 1993) - Exterminate ft Niki Harris - Snap!

Tatiana Calderon (10th March 1993) - Shaggy - Oh Carolina

Christine GZ (22nd July 1993) - 4 Non Blondes - What's Up?

Alex Lynn (17th September 1993) - Pet Shop Boys - Go West

Bubba Wallace (8th October 1993) - DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince - Boom! Shake The Room

Michelle Gatting (31st December 1993) - Take That - babe

Naomi Schiff (18th May 1994) - Stiltskin - Inside

Jessica Hawkins (16th February 1995) & Luca Ghiotto (24th February 1995) - Annie Lennox - No More I Love Yous

Beitske Visser (10th March 1995) - Alex Party - Don't Give Me Your Life

Nicholas Latifi (29th June 1995) - Outhere Brothers - Boom Boom Boom

Jack Aitken (23rd September 1995) - Michael Jackson - You Are Not Alone

Oliver Askew (12th December 1996) - The Prodigy - Breathe

Louis Deletraz (22nd April 1997) - Robbie Williams - Old Before I Die

Catie Munnings (15th November 1997) - Natalie Imbruglia - Torn

Cem Bolukbasi (9th February 1998) - Backstreet Boys - All I Have To Give

Jamie Chadwick (20th May 1998) - Aqua - Turn Back Time

Kevin Hansen (28th May 1998) - All Saints - Under The Bridge

Mick Schumacher (22nd March 1999) - Boyzone - When The Going Gets Tough

Toni Breidinger (14th July 1999) - ATB - 9pm (Till I Come)

Max Fewtrell (29th July 1999) - Five - If Ya Gettin' Down

Robert Shwartzman (16th September 1999) & Bent Viscaal (18th September 1999) - Lou Bega - Mambo No. 5 (A Little Bit Of...)

Felipe Drugovich (23rd May 2000) - Madison Avenue - Don't Call Me Baby

Marta Garcia (9th August 2000) - Craig David - 7 Days

Arthur Leclerc (14th October 2000) - Mariah Carey ft Westlife - Against All Odds

Sophia Florsch (1st December 2000) - Leann Rimes - Can't Fight The Moonlight

Clement Novalak (23rd December 2000) - Eminem - Stan

Frederik Vesti (13th January 2002) - Puretone - Addicted To Bass

Luke Browning (31st January 2002) - A1 - Caught In The Middle

Liam Lawson (11th February 2002) - No Doubt - Hey Baby

Olli Caldwell (11th June 2002) - Eminem - Without Me

Jack Doohan (20th January 2003) - Busted - Year 3000

All added to this playlist 😊😊

[chussyracing]

what is happening in the world of motorsports?

Williams confirmed they will send Alex's (technically Logan's) chassis damaged in Japan back to their UK factory before China to repair it (so they will both have repaired ones) and their destructor championship cost is already around 2m for this year (that means up to one or two upgrade packages in F1 numbers)

Ralph Schumacher is trying to stir the pot as per usual because he said that Logan Sargeant doesn't have a contract for the full year and he gets contract for each GP individually meaning he could be replaced for any GP from now on (I call BS)

Rumouredly, Mercedes is looking into a possibility of hiring Pierre Waché from RBR

Also, a rumour slash insider info from my comm (maybe others knew but I am kinda shocked): a lot of teams are surprised by the tyres this year from one race to another because apparently Pirelli mixes them a bit more than just for every reason, but the features are different for every race basically (so although Bahrain and Japan had the same allegation of tyres, it's not just the weather conditions and track surface why they act differently)

Marko Helmut spoke to OE24 (Austrian journal) and mentioned that they are ready to give Checo Perez a new contract after they saw his results because he is their best option for the second seat and Checo himself said he expects a lot of contracts being announced in upcoming weeks, including his own future which should be settled within a month

NXT GEN Cup won't be supporting Formula E at all this season due to "unexpected constraints" although it was supposed to support all European races, and they already tested at Misano World Circuit (FE spokesperson also says they want to raise young talents through FIA Girls on Track and other positive initiatives)

Misano will also feature a 30 mins FE rookie test on Friday with some familiar faces like Zane Maloney, Robert Shwartzman, Ciao Collet, Taylor Barnard, Tim Tramnitz, Jack Aitken or Jordan King

Lewis reportedly walked out of an interview after a reporter asked if he was jealous of Ferrari's results, saying "don't you have any better questions?" (go off tbh)

Speaking of Lewis, am I the last person to learn he has his own TV and movie production company, Dawn Apollo Films?

Peter Kenyon, who previously worked in Manchester United and Chelsea, is joining Williams as a commercial advisor

Regarding Carlos still being jobless, Eddie Jordan believes he is going to Aston Martin starting 2025 (but has "no real hardcore evidence") and racingnews365 reported that Audi (and Seidl who already worked with Carlos) are interested in him but want to lock drivers for their 2026 in 2025 already so they gave him a deadline to give his final answer by the end of April on their deal and Helmut Marko said they have no interest in the market right now and you won't hear from them till mid-season at least concerning new drivers or personnel

Lewis is looking into the possibility of testing the monocoque of Ferrari at the end of this year but "doesn't know if Mercedes will allow him"

Katherine Legge will race Indy 500 for e.l.f. cosmetics brand with number 51

Heikki Kovalainen, who underwent a heart surgery, says that he might fully recover thanks to a fast intervention from the doctors

Fernando was asked if he will try to get the Mercedes seat and joked that he is not interested in a team that is behind them in pace, so Toto won't hear from him any time soon

after some F1 tests and current results, Kimi Antonelli now has enough points to drive in F1 with superlicence but since he is still 17, he has to wait to be of age

RB and Sauber are testing in Suzuka these days for the 2025 Pirelli tyres testing (so both dry and wet condition tyres)

speaking of the future of F1, some rumours leaked about the 2026 regulations and it doesn't look good, because to simplify it, the active aero on the rear wing in combo with the engine on full power makes drivers spin out on straights or in the mildest of turns in simulations with a test car - and to avoid it they have to drive slowly to the point of going slower than the current regulation of F2 cars; there are also some concerns about the 50/50 split engine (the problem is it is too late to change the 2026 regs so what they will try now is to make the active aero on both front and rear wing and see how it goes)

like they teased previously and like rumours suggested, Prema is joining Indycar with two entries starting with 2025 season

René Lammers (15 years old Dutch f4 driver) won Ferrari's scouting camp and 2023 CIK-FIA European championship and his father Jan Lammers now told GPFans that his son was offered a 10 year deal from Ferrari but they decided to refuse although it looked promising at first so he will stay non-related to any F1 team and continue with MP Motorsport in Spanish F4

Max spoke about F1 Academy and especially the competitiveness, the ladder to F1 and the impact of F1 teams and I have a lot of mixed thoughts I won't share here but I'm willing to discuss if anyone is interested

apparently during Lewis' talks with Ferrari, he completely omitted his current manager, so he saved money and got the deal for himself (but also this comes from a Czech source that is not super reliable)

also in GQ Lewis said that Niki Lauda wasn't happy with his ventures into the fashion world at first because he thought it would be distracting him from racing

Theo Pourchaire will be on "standby" for McLaren's Indycar car number 6 for the next race (because David Malukas got injured and they are not sure if he will be good to race and because Callum Ilott who is on standy has WEC duties that weekend)

British American Tobacco (BAT) renewed sponsorship of McLaren - they began sponsoring them in 2019 but European Union banned the advertisement of tobacco, now they will advertise electronic cigarettes and nicotine pouch products on both F1 and FE cars

[scotianostra]

The Scottish actor Hamish Wilson passed away on March 26th 2020.

Probably most famous for replacing Frazer Hines for two episodes of Dr Who in the 60’s. Wilson was another one who started early, aged just 14 he started studying at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.

He was born James Aitken Wilson in Glasgow, in 1942. His family moved to Cambuslang when he was very young. His father, also James, was a sales rep for a paint firm; his mother Isobel (née Willock) worked in the rag trade. After they divorced Isobel married another Wilson, Robert, and Hamish and his sister Jan grew up with step-siblings Leslie, Sheila and Robbie.

He discovered his love of drama while at West Coats Primary School. Later, at the Glasgow Academy, this love drove him to do “that stupidly romantic thing of running away from school to appear on the stage”. He was soon working professionally – he understudied Jimmy Logan for a summer season at the King’s Theatre and appeared in Peter Duguid’s 1957 Glasgow Citizen’s Theatre production of Enemy of the People.

He then attended the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and gained more professional experience during the summer holidays. He played the title role in 1959’s live ITV play, The Boy from the Gorbals, did a 1960 episode of Para Handy with Duncan Macrae, and met Walt Disney while he was working on his film adaptation of Greyfriars Bobby.

“I was trying to chat up a pretty blonde extra, with no success at all”, he once recalled, “and this gentleman with blond hair and a little moustache came over and started chatting to me. We nattered away for five minutes and then he wandered away. The girl was terribly impressed, but I spoilt it because I didn’t recognise him. I said, ‘Who was that?’ and she stopped being impressed. ‘That was Walt Disney!’, she said”.

He graduated from the RSAMD in 1963, winning the award for Most Promising Male Performance, and appeared on stage at Coventry’s Belgrade Theatre , Perth Theatre and Dundee Repertory Theatre (1970-71), where his performance in Mark But This Flea was described as “remarkable” by The Stage, the trade weekly – not least because he had stepped in 24 hours before opening night after the original actor had broken his leg.

On television he appeared in The Wednesday Play, The Vital Spark , This Man Craig (three different roles, 1966), Softly, Softly and The Revenue Men (three different roles.

In 1968 Doctor Who regular Frazer Hines, who played Patrick Troughton’s Jacobite companion Jamie, fell ill with chickenpox while making the adventure The Mind Robber. After an ingenious, hasty rewrite Jamie underwent a temporary metamorphosis and with one day’s rehearsal Wilson took over, cramming his lines overnight and recording the first of his two episodes the next day.

Further TV roles followed, including The Borderers Boy Meets Girls (1969), Adam Smith, and The View from Daniel Pike but he found that he needed to turn his attention away from acting because “ a beautiful girl smiled at me”. Intent on marriage and starting a family, he gained more secure employment as an announcer for STV.

In 1975 he went to Radio Forth as its arts and drama producer. With limited resources but boundless ambition, he broadcast original writing, late-night horror classics, and a six-month long serial about Mary Queen of Scots, told in 130 twelve-minute episodes, broadcast daily. Drama of this kind on commercial radio was largely unheard of.

In 1979 he did an adaptation of The Slab Boys for Radio Clyde, ultimately joining the station and founding Independent Local Radio’s first drama department there.

His many productions at Clyde included The Bell in the Tree a series of dramas about the history of Glasgow by Edward H Chisnall; Donald Campbell’s Till the Seas Run Dry, with Tom Fleming as Robert Burns and Mary Riggans as Jean Armour), and Nick McCarthy’s Elephant Dances with Katy Murphy).

He also encouraged new talent, instigating initiatives which gave professional breaks to aspiring comedy writers and awarded contracts and prized Equity cards to final-year drama students.

He left Clyde in 1989 and joined the BBC, where he produced a huge number of plays and series for Radio Scotland, Radio 3 and Radio 4. He really believed in radio: “It allows you to creep inside somebody’s head”, he said, “and paint pictures that are going to stay long after the programme is finished.”

In all, he won 23 awards for his radio productions – his ‘Oscars’, as he jokingly referred to them – and served a juror in the Prix Italia (where he was also the first ILR producer to be jury chairman), Prix Futura Berlin and the Prix Europa.

When he left the BBC after ten successful years he went back to the old trade, doing voiceover work and acting in episodes of Taggart,, Monarch of the Glen and Still Game .

On March 21st 2020 Tony contracted coronavirus and sadly passed away only 6 days later on March 26th aged 77. He worked for many years for the actors union Equity, the Scottish Secretary of the union said of him:

“He led a full life and touched many people. He was one of life’s enthusiasts and succeeded at most everything he turned his hand to. Time in his company was always enjoyable and often informative. Remember that mischievous grin and raise a glass to him. RIP.”

The beautiful girl who smiled at him was Diana (née Baron), a wardrobe mistress at Dundee Rep, whom he had met in 1972. They married the following year and had three daughters, Emma, Alice and Abigail, who all survive him, as do grandchildren Colin, Finley, Amelia and Gregor.

[troutfur]

Buddhist Animal Fiction Reading List

Hey there! Remember how a while back I mentioned how sometimes I toy with the idea of writing original xenofiction about Buddhist temple cats and the conflict between inherent Buddha nature and need to kill to survive of an obligate carnivore.

I thought I may as well compile a list of all Buddhist animal fiction I'm aware exists to survey the field and since this is also occasionally a general xenofiction blog I thought y'all may want to hear about my findings.

(List subject to expansion as I find more.)

The Buddha's Law Among the Birds: A Tibetan poem originating from folk literature. It tells the story of the Bodhisattva (a highly advanced Buddhist disciple that has attained great wisdom and supernatural abilities) Avalokiteshvara (T: Chenrezig) taking rebirth as a cuckoo in order to preach the Dharma among birds. Squarely a didactic tool to teach Buddhism to the masses.

Zen Master Raven: Written by the late Robert Aitken, a very influential figure in the development of Zen Buddhism in America, this book compiles a series of parables based on true events. The characters are based on real people Aitken Roshi met but presented through a whimsical veil of animalization. The titular Raven Roshi is, of course, the author. The blurb says the stories are "koan-like" which I'm not fully sure if it's just a marketing gimmick to make it feel more authentically Zen or if they truly are meant to be studied and meditated on like a koan ("Zen riddle", it's complicated but in a nutshell they're paradoxes, anecdotes or some form of language trick meant to get the student to break free from concept-based thinking)