No "War on Terror"

I don't normally comment on comment - although isn't that what Blogs are for? Many years ago I used to write a topical "Phrase Of The Day" on the whiteboard at Harlequin and even kept a list of them on one of the first web pages I ever wrote (sadly internal only in those days, and location currently unknown).

But..

The front page of the Guardian yesterday (which I only read today, rural paper delivery having a somewhat random nature) had the most marvellous paragraph, written by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Sir Ken Macdonald:

"It is critical that we understand that this new form of terrorism carries another more subtle, perhaps equally pernicious, risk. Because it might encourage a fear-driven and inappropriate response. By that I mean it can tempt us to abandon our values. I think it important to understand that this is one of its primary purposes."

Read more of this clear thinking here.

Light Bulb

Light Bulb
Originally uploaded by DerekL.

This lightbulb is at least 15 years old - because it moved house with us in October 1991 - and probably a couple of years older than that.

It was one of our first low-energy lightbulbs, it weighs a ton, and says "18W 800 lumen" on the side. Dunno what that is equivalent to in standard watts, which is what they all say now.

We had it on the landing, because we left the light on when the children went to bed and didn't turn it off until we retired. That used to be later. Nowadays, obviously, we go to bed first - at least when Donna is home.

So why mention it? It has finally died. Pretty good value, even if I have no idea how much it cost. I'll quite miss it, the way it flickered into life and got gradually brighter as it warmed up. And it helped raise the children.