# Precious Moments



## Aquarius

*Precious Moments With Mama*

A Polar bear mother with her cubs.




To share their moments of happiness and bliss,
please follow the link below:

‘Polar Bear And Cubs’

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## 20oz

Awww, that's pretty sweet. It's almost disgustingly sweet. Since I'm feeling nice today, it's only "pretty sweet".

At least until the horns grow back. :evil:


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## Khalid M

A moment worth all the troubles of life.


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## Olly Buckle

It looks cute, but remember it is about minus 20 or something there, and if she is feeding cubs she will be looking for food all the time. Females are much smaller than males, she probably weighs in at something like 500 pounds, would stand about eight feet tall and can run at 30 mph. She could smell you a mile off, literally, and would happily tear you to pieces for those cubs. Cute on film.


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## Aquarius

Olly Buckle said:


> It looks cute, but remember it is about minus 20 or something there, and if she is feeding cubs she will be looking for food all the time. Females are much smaller than males, she probably weighs in at something like 500 pounds, would stand about eight feet tall and can run at 30 mph. She could smell you a mile off, literally, and would happily tear you to pieces for those cubs. Cute on film.



That no doubt is the reason why the video was made.


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## Aquarius

*A Mother Cat Talks To Her Kittens


* 
Please follow the link below:

‘Mother Cat And Kittens’

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## Aquarius

Olly Buckle said:


> It looks cute, but remember it is about minus 20 or something there, and if she is feeding cubs she will be looking for food all the time. Females are much smaller than males, she probably weighs in at something like 500 pounds, would stand about eight feet tall and can run at 30 mph. She could smell you a mile off, literally, and would happily tear you to pieces for those cubs. Cute on film.



When one considers the size, power and might of this beautiful creature, isn’t it all the more astonishing with what patience and tenderness, love and kindness she takes care of her offspring? And yes, she is at all times prepared to defend them – should the need arise – with her own life. Could there be a finer manifestation and demonstration of the meaning of love anywhere?

Animals reveal to us the characteristics we can only glimpse in ourselves, but which form the core of our own self. The structure and organisation of their societies, as well as their behaviour patterns can tell us a great deal about the instinctive reactions of our lower earthly animal nature. It is possible to sense through our relationships with animals how we can recover that which is true within us and, through this find a better understanding of the spiritual direction of our life. Most importantly, animals teach us about love. How to love, how to enjoy being loved, how loving itself is an activity that generates more love and the way it radiates out and encompasses an ever larger circle of others. 

‘Animals share their whole being and their abundance with us and invite us to do the same. They teach us the language of the spirit. Through our contact with animals we can learn to overcome the limits imposed by our individuality and the notion that we are all different from each other. They can help us reach beyond the walls we have erected between the mundane and the sacred, and stretch ourselves to discover new frontiers of consciousness. Although animals cannot speak the human way to us, they can and do communicate with us in a manner that does not require words. They show us how words often are not even helpful and only get in the way of understanding.

‘To paraphrase Mahatma Gandhi, I believe that the evolutionary level of any person and nation, as well as of our whole world, reveals itself in the way we treat our animals, not merely those we keep as beloved pets, like cats, dogs and horses, but all of them.’’

From ‘Animal Teachers’

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## Aquarius

*On Expedition With Richard Sidey


*
​ Richard Sidey lives in Wanaka, New Zealand and earned a Bachelor of Visual Communication Design with Honors in Wellington. He has spent over a decade photographing the Polar Regions and various remote areas of natural interest working on Expedition Vessels. For his project ‘Speechless’ he has endeavored to document scenes of outstanding natural beauty and interest through the eyes of a film-maker. The viewer is not told what to think and can create their own experience from this individual journey.

Enjoy some fantastic photography of some far reaches of the world that few get to see by following the link below:

‘On Expedition’

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## Aquarius

*Montreal** Mosaic Culture 
*​Once every three years an international competition in horticultural sculpture by the name of ‘Mosaiculture’ takes place in one of the major cities of our world. In the year 2013 it took place in Montreal. It is not a topiary exhibition but a display of sculptures that have been created out of living plants.  The greatest horticulturalists from twenty different countries submit their plans a year in advance.  Steel armatures are later created to support the works, some of them forty feet high. They are wrapped in steel mesh and filled with earth and moss and watering hoses.  Three million plants of different shades of green and brown and tan are ordered, which this year were cultivated in greenhouses all over Quebec.  In late May, the horticulturalists came to Montreal to shape their plants in the desired forms at the Montreal Botanic Gardens, where fifty major sculptures have been standing since then along a path that is two miles long. 

 To share this incredible sight, please follow on the link below:

‘Mosaiculture’

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## Sonata

Those sculptures are fantastic.  Thank you for posting the link to the pictures.


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## bazz cargo

God as an artist.


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## Aquarius

*Precious Moments With Mama*

*Part 3 - Elephants


* 
 Please follow the link below to take a look at

‘Elephants Coming For Dinner’

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## belthagor

Aquarius said:


> *Precious Moments With Mama*
> 
> A Polar bear mother with her cubs.
> 
> View attachment 11524
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ​



Polar bears are brilliant...

It's covered in white fur all over, except for one small spot. Its nose... so when a polar bear wants to eat something, it covers it's nose with it's paw, so the tiny animals cant see it coming close in the wind and snow... heh.


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## Aquarius

I never knew that! Thank you for telling us about it.


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## belthagor

Aquarius said:


> I never knew that! Thank you for telling us about it.



Oh no problem, I have thousands of those things.


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## UtopiasCult

bazz cargo said:


> View attachment 11727
> God as an artist.



um... in all actuality Man is an "artist". Or at least with tulips. The original plant / flower looked nothing like what you find nowadays.


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## Olly Buckle

UtopiasCult said:


> um... in all actuality Man is an "artist". Or at least with tulips. The original plant / flower looked nothing like what you find nowadays.


Not a tulip, but a rose, you are right about the cultivar though, roses were one of the first flowers man bred. I think that one is probably 'Graham Thomas', a bush rose, a bit susceptible to black spot but grows well as a specimen plant on its own. Mr T. was not the breeder but a gardener who had some excellent plants named after him I believe, there is a really good honeysuckle.

Edit: if we are having God as artist could we have some ichneumon flies?


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## Aquarius

UtopiasCult said:


> um... in all actuality Man is an "artist". Or at least with tulips. The original plant / flower looked nothing like what you find nowadays.



Yes, but without God's will and help humankind would not have been able to change anything ever. As a matter of fact, without it there would be no Earth, no you and me, nor anything else.


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## Aquarius

And now into a different vein, as the vampire said.

*Morphing Part One*

*Beautiful Women


*

 A video of fifty women thought of as the most beautiful ones of our world by someone,
morphing one into the other to the sound of music.​
To admire them, please follow the link below:

‘The Fifty Most Beautiful Women’​ 
In order of their birth: Greta Garbo, Katherine Hepburn, Carole Lombard, Ginger Rogers, Vivien Leigh, Hedy Lamarr, Ingrid Bergman, Olivia de Havilland, Joan Fontaine, Rita Hayworth, Jennifer Jones, Maureen Ohara, Gene Tierney, Lana Turner, Jane Russell, Deborah Kerr, Veronica Lake, Ava Gardner, Joan Collins, Lauren Bacall, Marilyn Monroe, Gina Lollabrigida, Janet Leigh, Jean Simmons, Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, Elizabeth Taylor, Kim Novak, Sophia Loren, Bridget Bardot, Claudia Cardinale, Natalie Wood, Julie Christie, Ann Margret, Raquel Welch, Catherine Deneuve, Farrah Fawcett, Carole Bouquet, Michelle Pfeiffer, Meg Ryan, Helen Hunt, Halle Berry, Nicole Kidman, Julia Roberts, Naomi Watts, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Jennifer Connelly, Penelope Cruz, Angelina Jolie, Charize Theron and Natalie Portman.   

Music: ‘Different Dreams’ by Richard Kates
Sung by Claire Moore.

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## Aquarius

*Morphing Part Two 

Calling All Cat Lovers*



 This video shows fifty cats and kittens morphing and blending one into the other to the sound of music.

To enjoy this spectacle, please click the words below:

‘Cat Breed Morphing’

​
The cat breeds are: American Curl Cat, American Shorthair Cat, Birman Cat, Black Cat, British Shorthair Cat, Burmese Cat, Egyptian Mau Cat, Exotic Cat, Ginger Cat, Havana Brown Cat, Himalayan Cat, Maine Coon, Norwegian Forest Cat, Oriental Cat, Persian Cat, Ragdoll Cat, Ruddy, Abyssinian Cat, Russian Blue Cat, Russian Siberian Cat,Turkish Van, Scottish Fold (longhair and shorthair), Siamese Cat, Sphynx Cat, Tabby Cat, Tuxedo Cat. 

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## Aquarius

*Morphing Part Three *

*Calling All Dog Lovers*




Here is a video for you that shows different breeds of dogs 

morphing and blending into each other to the sound of music.

Please follow the link below:

‘Dog Breed Morphing’

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## Aquarius

*Descent into Queenstown, New Zealand



*A cockpit view landing through thick cloud.

Best viewed with sound on and full screen. 

‘Descent Into Queenstown’

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## Aquarius

*Chinese Acrobatics*



A beautiful demonstration of agility, technique, discipline and strength.

Please follow the link below.

‘Chinese Acrobatics’

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## Aquarius

*Canadian Moments Of Surprise*



To watch them, please follow the link below:

‘Canadian Surprises’

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## Aquarius

*Did you know that *

*Rita Hayworth Is Still In Our Midst?

*

Don’t take my word for it, see for yourself by following the link below:

‘Rita Hayworth – Alive!’

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## Aquarius

*Two Dogs Dining*



Have you ever seen anything like this?

Please follow the link below:

‘The Dining Dogs’

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## Aquarius

*Precision Helicopter Flying

*

​The last two elements of the mast of the Tour Incity, Lyon, were laid by helicopter. With this metal arrow of 50 meters and 25.9 tons, the building had reached its final height of 200 meters, which confirmed its status of tallest tower in Lyon and third highest tower in France. Three aerial beacons and a lightning rod were placed at the top. To watch how it was done, please follow the link below:

 ‘Precision Helicopter Flying’

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## Aquarius

If you are ready for a rare treat,
 please follow the link below:

'The Bird of Paradise'

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## Aquarius

*Bored Engineers
*

Have you ever wondered what they might be doing then?

Please follow the link below to see what one of them did:

‘Bored Engineers’

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## Courtjester

*Russian Ballet With A Difference

*

To take part in it, please follow the link below:

‘Russian Ballet’

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## Aquarius

​Today I have an extra special video for you. It shows two men carrying out some breathtaking repair work on the statue of Christ The Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It towers at the peak of the seven-hundred metres high Corcovado mountain in the Tijuca Forest National Park at an imposing height of thirty metres on a pedestal that adds another eight metres to the total height.

The statue was erected in honour of Jesus Christ and overlooks the city of Rio de Janeiro. Originally erected as a symbol of Brazilian Christianity, it has become an icon for the city and the whole of Brazil. It is made of reinforced concrete and soapstone and its construction was completed in 1931, two years before Hitler and the Nazis came to power in Germany on 30 January 1933. Please click the link below to participate in the repair work:

‘Christ The Redeemer’

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## Aquarius

_*The Latest In Alcohol Testing



*_1. Click the man's nose in the picture.
2. When the new window opens, click his nose again.
3. For each time you manage to do this you are allowed another pint!

Cheers!

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## Aquarius

*Shakespeare Festival 2016

*

To take part in two of the events, please follow the links below:
​


[*=center]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEs8rK5Cqt8
 



[*=center]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61z2fPAOr8g
 

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## Aquarius

Having reached the merry, merry month of May,
I would like to share with you

‘The Dance Of The Flowers’

Enjoy!

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## Aquarius

_*Dramatic Surprises Are In Store For You!*_



They are waiting for you in a small Belgian Town.
Please follow the link below:

‘Dramatic Surprises’

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## Aquarius

_*Air Travel Of Your Dreams

*_

Have you ever dreamed of air travel without endlessly waiting in airports
and having to arrive hours before take-off?
A plane maybe even taxiing down your street to come and collect you?
This is now possible – virtually at least!
To find out more, please follows the link below:

‘Air Travel With A Difference’

Best watched full screen. 
For doing so click the square in the bottom right hand corner of the video.

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## Aquarius

*Something To Bring A Smile To Your Face



*‘Puppy Power’*

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## Aquarius

I hope you are in the mood for some



‘Card Tricks’

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## Aquarius

*Test Your Reactions

*

If you feel like having a go, please follow the link below:

‘Reactions Test’

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## Aquarius

*Three Dimensional Drawings*

* By Stefan Pabst*



‘The Art Of Stefan Pabst’

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## Aquarius

*Rescue Operation For A Baby Deer*




To take part in it, please follow the link below:

‘Excavator To The Rescue’

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## escorial

Aquarius said:


> *Rescue Operation For A Baby Deer*
> 
> View attachment 14380
> 
> To take part in it, please follow the link below:
> 
> ‘Excavator To The Rescue’
> 
> * * *
> ​



beautiful man...


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## The Green Shield

Going out for a boat ride then rescuing a man whose boat stalled in the waters. He's safe and sound now.


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## Aquarius

The Green Shield said:


> Going out for a boat ride then rescuing a man whose boat stalled in the waters. He's safe and sound now.



Is that what you did? If so, congratulations! It must make you feel good.


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## The Green Shield

Aquarius said:


> Is that what you did? If so, congratulations! It must make you feel good.



I was happy to assist him; saved him a few hours of difficulty.


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## Aquarius

*Thinking Of Joining A Seniors Group?*



Better first take a look at what can happen.
Please follow the link below:

‘Senior Group In Action’

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## escorial

hope they were all ok.....


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## Aquarius

I think they probably were!


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## Aquarius

*Commercials*



And now for a change here is one for dog food:

‘Dog Food’

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## LeeC

Aquarius said:


> *Commercials*
> 
> View attachment 15222
> 
> And now for a change here is one for dog food:
> 
> ‘Dog Food’
> 
> * * *
> ​



Indeed beautiful animals, which makes it all the sadder in how we place what we love most on the sacrificial alter of material gain. In this case pushing doom-kibble with its higher profit margin, and farmers subsidized at our further expense on the pretense of feeding the world's hungry. It's called externalizing costs in our pyramid economic paradigm.


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## Aquarius

*Greetings From The Yo-Yo World Championship*



‘The Winner’

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## Aquarius

*Happy Holidays With A Difference

*

Here is a special holiday treat for you with 

A Goats’ Jingle Bells Performance

Please follow the link below:

‘Jingle Bells’

Happy Holidays!

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## DATo

Check out the link below. Guaranteed to put a "precious moment" smile on your face.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwAYpLVyeFU


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## Aquarius

Oh yes, it most certainly brought a great big smile to my face. 

Thank you for sharing this link with us.

With love - Aquarius

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## alexvx

That giggle with the goats was awsome ! Happy Holidays!


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## Aquarius

*The KFPS Royal Friesian Horse Show


*
​The Friesian is a horse breed that has its origins in Friesland, in the Netherlands. Although the build of the breed resembles that of a light draught horse, Friesians are graceful and nimble for their size. It is believed that during the Middle Ages, ancestors of Friesian horses were in great demand as war horses throughout continental Europe. Through the Early Middle Ages and High Middle Ages, their size enabled them to carry a knight in armour. In the Late Middle Ages, heavier, draught type animals were needed. 
 
Though the breed nearly became extinct on more than one occasion, the modern day Friesian horse is growing in numbers and popularity, used both in harness and under saddle. Most recently, the breed has also been introduced to the field of dressage. And now, please follow the link below and take a look at:



 The KFPS Royal Horse Show 

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## Aquarius

*Life On The North And South Pole

*

One of the finest videos of the natural world that has ever come my way.

Please follow the link below:

‘Life On The North And South Pole’

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## Aquarius

*Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines

*

 Rowland Emmett’s Featherstone Kite Gentlemen’s Flying Machine

To see it in action, please follow the link below:

‘Come fly with me!’

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## Aquarius

_*A Clock With A Difference
*_
_*

*_

Please click the image of the clock 
to find out what time it is precisely in your part of the world*.

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*
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## Aquarius

*The Irish Cup Song

*
​ 
Here is something that can’t be seen every day. It’s good to observe children when they are away from their computers, like these making music flawlessly and taking great pride in what is accomplished. Six hundred well-disciplined Irish students are occupied with this. It’s good to watch how pleased they are with the result.

To watch them in action, please follow the link below:

‘The Irish Cup Song’

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## Aquarius

*A Bird’s Eye View Of Our World


*

To enable you to see our world from this perspective,
please follow the link below:

‘Bird’s Eye View’

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## Aquarius

*Spectacular Images Of A Volcanic Eruption In Chile

*

Please click the link below:

‘The Volcano’

_To see a World in a Grain of Sand_
_ And Heaven in a Wild Flower,_
_ Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand_
_ And Eternity in an hour._

William Blake

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## Aquarius

*My Friend, The Sea

*

I must go down to the seas again,
To the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,
And the wheel’s kick and the wind’s song and the white sail’s shaking,
And a grey mist on the sea’s face, and a grey dawn breaking.

I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied.
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.

I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull’s way and the whale’s way,
Where the wind’s like a whetted knife’
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick’s over.

John Edward Masefield
1878 – 1967

Recommended Reading:
​


[*=center]‘Navigating The Ocean Of Life’ 
[*=center]‘The Sun In Pisces’ 
 
The video below explores the beauty and wonder of God’s creation in one of the oceans of our world:

‘Dakuwaqa’s Garden’
‘Underwater scenes from Fiji and Tonga’

From ‘The Mystery Of The Oceans’

From ‘Astrology As A Lifehelp In Relationship Healing’

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## Aquarius

*Bored Engineers

*

Have you ever wondered what engineers might be doing when they are bored?

Please follow the link below to see what one of them came up with:

‘Bored Engineers’

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## Aquarius

_*Invitation To The Dance*_



 If you wish to take part in a dancing party of the sixties,
please follow the link below:

‘Dance Party’

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## Kevin

Olly Buckle said:


> It looks cute, but remember it is about minus 20 or something there, and if she is feeding cubs she will be looking for food all the time. Females are much smaller than males, she probably weighs in at something like 500 pounds, would stand about eight feet tall and can run at 30 mph. She could smell you a mile off, literally, and would happily tear you to pieces for those cubs. Cute on film.


so what you're saying is recognizing a kindred spirit, she might want to snuggle. Totally agree...


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## Aquarius

*Traffic Jam With A Difference


*
​Watch the frustration of drivers when they encounter a row of old folks who are crossing a road in an orderly fashion to get to a corner store, only to discover that it’s closed when they are almost there. 

 
See what happens by following the link below:

‘Traffic Jam’

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## The Green Shield

In my whole life, I never thought I’d find myself looking at sketches drawn by a barely ten-year-old boy from Novgorod, Russia in the 1260s.


https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onfim

Just to remind you that sometimes history isn’t always about grand leaders and epic wars.


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## bdcharles

The Green Shield said:


> In my whole life, I never thought I’d find myself looking at sketches drawn by a barely ten-year-old boy from Novgorod, Russia in the 1260s.
> 
> 
> https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onfim
> 
> Just to remind you that sometimes history isn’t always about grand leaders and epic wars.



Wow, that's amazing! I'm fascinated by these little-known bits of humanity. There is such a story in here.


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## Aquarius

The Green Shield said:


> In my whole life, I never thought I’d find myself looking at sketches drawn by a barely ten-year-old boy from Novgorod, Russia in the 1260s.
> 
> https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onfim
> 
> Just to remind you that sometimes history isn’t always about grand leaders and epic wars.



How interesting! Thank you for sharing this link with us. I have always found the life of ordinary citizens during past ages of greater interest than what we are being told about their leaders. To my mind, every war has always represented nothing short of a crime against all of humankind. The legends surrounding their 'heroes' are likely to have been made up by the propaganda machinery of their time. Remember: history has always been written by the winners of conflicts, never the losers.


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## Aquarius

*Fly Yorkshire Airways*

For the experience of a lifetime,
please click the link below:

**
‘Yorkshire Airways’

Bon voyage and many of them,

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## Aquarius

*A New Use For Empty Beer Bottles
* 
To find out what it is, please follow the link below:

‘Empty Beer Bottles’

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## Aquarius

[video=youtube;ezZqe5cVoXw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezZqe5cVoXw[/video]​


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## Aquarius

*Thoughts For The Festive Season

*

To get you into the right mood,
please follow the link below:

‘Christmas Dinner For The Elderly’

* * *

Then read this:

_*Getting On A Bit*_

Review your life said Socrates – no doubt he had a point.
One dwells on this when old and grey with creaks in every joint. 
The great man didn’t quite mean that – he dwelt on higher planes, 
And grappled with philosophy far more than aches and pains.

But he’s been gone two thousand years so will not mind a bit, 
If I tamper with his discourses and try to make them fit. 
Adapt them to the physical, those matters of the flesh,
That press upon us ever more when we’re not young and fresh.

The old boy downed a hemlock drink – some say he didn’t care.
Most likely he was wondering what more he’d have to bear.
He’d just about got to the end of three-score years and ten. 
So probably he deemed it wise to end things there and then.

So passed from the Hellenic world a thinker of renown,
A fellow upon whom today the scholars seldom frown.
But enough of ancient Athens, let us now get up to date. 
I have a little tale to tell – bet you can hardly wait.

My first six decades went quite well, the seventh wasn’t bad, 
But number eight has been so hard, it’s made me rather sad. 
It started promptly on the day, the big seven-o came round. 
While walking through a local park, I tumbled to the ground.

At first it didn’t seem severe, I strode along all right. 
My trouble started later, in the middle of the night. 
Rib-cage, back and abdomen hurt like they were on fire. 
Hips and shoulders joined in too, the situation dire.

It took three weeks to simmer down, four more to disappear. 
A very inauspicious start to such a landmark year.
Two further months without a hitch and life seemed fairly kind, 
Until I was oppressed again, this time it was the mind.

My landlady assailed me with some nasty allegations,
Backed up by a battery of vicious imprecations.
She’d always been so reticent, I never thought she’d try
To scold me, then I realised that her mind had gone awry.

Her son turned up that evening, confirming what I thought. 
He apologised profusely, poor fellow was distraught.
I calmed him down but told him that our ways would have to part. 
Though hardly a spring chicken, I was game for one more start.

Why stop at domicile I thought, I’ll try something more grand. 
So as well as changing residence, I also swapped the land. 
Left the Emerald Isle behind and made for Albion’s shores, 
Excitement making me forget that when it rains it pours.

I got a house and settled down, but not for very long.
A few months in my new abode then something else went wrong.
 The waterworks failed suddenly, a bolt out of the blue. 
What hitherto was crystal clear took on a different hue.

My visits to the smallest room caused maximum dismay. 
I’d started passing pure vin rouge instead of Chardonnay. 
I scuttled off to see the doc, whose face betrayed some worry. 
He wanted me in hospital, and said we’d better hurry.

The surgeon spoke harsh words to me of baccy, booze and diet. 
I had an argument in mind, then thought I’d best keep quiet.
 He seemed a formidable lad, not wise to make him cross. 
I was prostrate, he had a knife, so that made him the boss.

He did his work then called on me and seemed in better humour. 
I’d soon be on my feet, he said, he’d shaved away a tumour. 
So back to domesticity – all quiet for a spell,
Until another happening, that rendered me unwell.

While out on foot one winter night, I sought a litter bin, 
But came upon a flower tub, located with my shin.
A strip of me three inches long and nearly half as wide
Had vanished, and though in some pain I sought it far and wide.

I had no luck, so limped off home and got another shock. 
The missing rasher wasn’t lost but rolled up in my sock. 
I tried to fix it back in place, with plaster and saliva,
Plus some herbal ointment that had set me back a fiver.

I got it right and turned my mind to sprucing up the dwelling
And overdid the labouring, but quite how there’s no telling.
This time a whopping lump emerged above the right-side groin. 
It felt much like a cricket ball embedded in the loin.

So off to the GP again – by then it was a habit.
‘Spread out upon the couch,’ he said, ‘we’ll just let dog see rabbit.’
He diagnosed a hernia, no cause for great alarm.
The surgery was simple and I needn’t have a qualm.

The sawbones was a gloomy chap but knew well what to do.
Got through four jobs like mine that day, with me last in the queue. 
I’m back and in the saddle now, at work with pen and ink, 
With senses honed by recent woes, or so I like to think

Carved up twice in fourteen months, I’m wondering what’s next. 
Another in the lower regions, that would get me vexed. 
But providence is on my side, I feel it in my bones.
It won’t be liver, pancreas, or even kidney stones.

I’m going for lobotomy, if fate will let me choose.
The old grey matter’s addled, so I haven’t much to lose.
When this thought occurred I guessed my brain would just go reeling,
Then I got the point that where’s there’s no sense there’s no feeling.

From ‘Madazine’

The Season’s Greetings from

Courtjester & Aquarius

* * *


​


----------



## Aquarius

*Gene Kelly


*
​Eugene Curran Kelly (August 23, 1912 – February 2, 1996) was an American dancer, actor of film, stage and television, singer, film director, producer, and choreographer. He was known for his energetic and athletic dancing style, his good looks and the likable characters he played on screen. His many innovations transformed the Hollywood musical, and he is credited with almost single-handedly making the ballet form commercially acceptable to film audiences.

To watch Gene performing with great style and elegance,
please follow the link below:

‘Gene Kelly At His Best’

  * * *  
​


----------



## Aquarius

*People Doing Good Things For Our Animal Friends*

*
*
To see what they are doing, please follow the link below:

 ‘Doing Good Things For Our Animal Friends’​
To paraphrase Mahatma Gandhi: ‘I believe that the evolutionary level of any person and nation, as well as of our whole world, reveals itself in the way we treat our animals, not merely those we keep as beloved pets, like cats, dogs and horses, but all of them.’

 * * *​


----------



## Aquarius

*Paragliding Adventures

*
​
Jean-Baptiste Chandelier was born 18[SUP]th[/SUP] August  1985. He is a Sun Leo and professional show-off, who lives in Embrun City, France. He is also a expert paragliding pilot, movie maker, paragliding designer and test pilot. He is sponsored by Adidas outdoor and Dudek paragliders.In his videos Jean-Baptiste shares with us his vision of flying. He has been a paragliding pilot since 2004 and his speciality are acrobatic and proximity flight. In his videos he shares with us his delight for flying, in the hope that they will help to make everyone’s dream of flying come true, at least a little bit. As far as I am concerned, he most certainly succeeds. And if I have shared this video with you on this thread before, I make no apologies for it. This is such a beautiful video that, to my my mind, it's well worth another viewing.

To see Jean-Babiste in action,​
please follow the link below:​
‘Come Fly With Me!’

    * * *  


​


----------



## Aquarius

On Holiday In The Greek Islands

[video=youtube;T4chpyTIE5Q]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4chpyTIE5Q[/video]​


----------



## escorial

a remarkable human being...who could always define himself to those who asked

[video=youtube_share;SaXPFuIXpk4]https://youtu.be/SaXPFuIXpk4[/video]

inspirational to me


----------



## Aquarius

How about the following?

[video=youtube;Hcn_VdkDfMQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hcn_VdkDfMQ[/video]​


----------



## escorial

he can be funny,entertaining.....


----------



## Aquarius

escorial said:


> he can be funny,entertaining.....



What do you mean 'he'? I just love it when the Dame calls us her possums.

:rofl:​


----------



## escorial

dame...of all the bars in all the world


----------



## Aquarius

escorial said:


> dame...of all the bars in all the world




Of all the dames in all the worlds, we have to meet her here . . .


----------



## escorial

play it again spam


----------



## Aquarius

escorial said:


> play it again spam



You played it for him, you played it for her, you played it for everybody. Now play it for me, Escorial.


----------



## Aquarius

*The Typewriter



*​Leroy Anderson, 1908-1975, was an American composer of Swedish descent. He wrote short and light concert pieces, many of which were introduced by the Boston Pops Orchestra under the direction of Arthur Fiedler. As with all his other compositions, Leroy Anderson wrote ‘The Typewriter’ to be performed by an orchestra. The work was completed October 9, 1950.

This particular orchestration was presented to the public in a concert  on June 12, 2011 by members of the National Orchestra and Chorus of Spain in Madrid. The soloist on the typewriter is Alfredo Anaya. 
This is the funniest video that has come my way for quite a while.
If you have seen it before, it's so good that it's well worth another viewing.

Please take a look at the link below:

‘The Typewriter’​
Enjoy!

* * *​


----------



## Aquarius

*A Virtual Trip To The Niagara Falls*

For an excursion with a difference, please follow the link below:

‘Niagara Falls’​ 
We stand – or rather in our case – sit in awe and wonder as the beauty of God’s Creation unfolds before us. Included in this are the technological miracles that make it possible for us to go on such a splendid journey and can with equal ease take us to many other marvels of our world. At the top of your screen is says: ‘Open 1000 panoramas from around the world’. Click it and see what happens!

What power and might reveals itself to us through things like these! There is no greater power than that of God. It not only controls our lives down to their smallest details but also brings new Universes, planets and solar systems and everything that dwells in them into being. It holds them in their places, moves them through space and – when they have outlived their usefulness – destroys them again, at will? That certainly puts our existence on this planet into perspective for me. One marvels at the magnificence of life that is almost too great to grasp for our small earthly minds. Then at the latest my soul wants to go down on its knees, join the Swedish Pastor Carl Boberg and sing:

O Lord my God! When I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made.
I see the stars; I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the Universe displayed.
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee;
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

* * *
​


----------



## Aquarius

See you in Russia:

[video=youtube;TCAx0gp4t6Q]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCAx0gp4t6Q[/video]​


----------



## Aquarius

[video=youtube_share;yBi3nc34QWE]https://youtu.be/yBi3nc34QWE[/video]​


----------



## Aquarius

*For Cooling You Down During A Heatwave

*please follow the link below:

'Cooling Pictures'

How cool can anyone get?

* * *


​


----------



## NeoKukulza

This is adorable, but I'm going to agree with the general direction of the thread and say that this should stay adorable at a distance.  Polar bears are no joke, and I have no desire to see an angry and hungry mama come barreling at me.


----------



## Aquarius

NeoKukulza said:


> This is adorable, but I'm going to agree with the general direction of the thread and say that this should stay adorable at a distance.  Polar bears are no joke, and I have no desire to see an angry and hungry mama come barreling at me.



I could not agree more! So that you can adore the polar bears at a distance, that's the reason for sharing this link with you.


----------



## Aquarius

_*The Beginning Of The Internet

*_
​
In ancient Israel, it came to pass that a trader by the name of Abraham Com did take unto himself a healthy young wife by the name of Dorothy. Dot Com was a comely woman, large of breast, broad of shoulder and long of leg. Indeed, many called her Amazon Dot Com.

One day she said unto her husband Abraham: ‘Why dost thou travel so far from town to town with thy goods when thou canst trade without ever leaving thy tent?’

Abraham did look at her as though she were several saddle bags short of a camel load, but simply said: ‘How, dearest?’

Dot replied: ‘I will place drums in all the towns and some in between to send messages saying what you have for sale, and people will reply telling you who hath the best price. The sale can be made on the drums and delivery made by Uriah's Pony Stable (UPS).’

Abraham thought long and decided he would let Dot have her way with the drums. And so they did and became an immediate success. Abraham sold all the goods he had at top price, without ever having to move from his tent.

To prevent neighbouring countries from overhearing what the drums were saying, Dot devised a system that only she and the drummers knew. It was known as Must Send Drum Over Sound (MSDOS). She also developed a language to transmit ideas and pictures and called it ‘Hebrew To The People’ (HTTP).

And the young men did take to Dot Com's trading like a greedy horsefly takes to camel dung. They were called Nomadic Ecclesiastical Rich Dominican Sybarites or NERDS.

And lo, the land was so feverish with joy at the new riches and the deafening sound of the drums that no-one noticed that the real riches were going to the most enterprising drum dealer known as Brother William of Gates. He bought every drum maker in the land and then insisted that drums should only be made that work with Brother Gates’ drumheads and drumsticks.

Sadly Dot said: ‘Oh, Abraham, what we have started is being taken over by others.’

And Abraham looked out over the Bay of Ezekiel, or eBay as it came to be known and said: ‘We need a name that reflects who and what we are.’

Dot replied: ‘Young Ambitious Hebrew Owner Operators.’

‘YAHOO,’ said Abraham. And because it was Dot's idea, they named it YAHOO Dot Com.

Abraham's cousin, Joshua, being a young Gregarious Energetic Educated Kid (GEEK), soon started using Dot’s drums to locate things around the countryside.

It soon became known as God’s Own Official Guide to Locating Everything (GOOGLE).

* * *
​


----------



## Aquarius

_*The New Flood


*_​A new flood is foretold. In five days the rain will be incessant and our world wiped out. 

The Dalai Lama in an interview asks all Buddhists to prepare for their next reincarnation. 

The Pope holds an audience and advises all Catholics to confess their sins and pray.

The Chief Rabbi of Israel on TV announces: ‘Friends, we have five days to learn how to live under water.’


* * *​


----------



## Aquarius

*Religious Humour*
​ 
A lady was mailing an old family Bible to her brother in another part of the country. ‘Is there anything breakable in this parcel?’ asked the postal clerk. ‘Only the Ten Commandments,’ the woman replied.

There are only two kinds of people in the world. Those who wake up in the morning and say: ‘Good morning, Lord,’ and those who wake up in the morning and say: ‘Good Lord, its morning.’

A minister parked his car in a no-parking zone in a large city because he was short of time and couldn’t find a space with a meter. He put a note under the windshield wiper that read: ‘I have circled the block ten times. If I don’t park here, I’ll miss my appointment. Forgive us our trespasses.’ When he returned, he found a ticket from a police officer along with this note: ‘I’ve circled this block for ten years. If I don’t give you a ticket, I’ll lose my job. Lead us not into temptation.’

A pastor got up one Sunday and announced to his congregation: ‘I have good news and bad news. The good news is that we have enough money to pay for our new gym fellowship hall building program. The bad news is, the money is still in your pockets.’

While driving in Pennsylvania, a family caught up to an Amish carriage. Attached to the back of the carriage was a hand printed sign that read: ‘Energy efficient vehicle. Runs on oats and grass. Caution! Do not step into what drops from the exhaust.’

A Sunday School teacher began her lesson with: ‘Boys and girls, what do you know about God?’ A hand shot up. ‘God is an artist!’ the child said. ‘Really? How do you know that?’ asked the teacher. ‘It’s because our Father, who does art in Heaven,’ the youngster replied.

A minister waited in line to have his car filled with petrol before going on a holiday weekend. Although the attendant worked quickly, the minister had to wait a long time because there were many cars ahead of him. Finally the attendant motioned him toward a vacant pump. ‘Reverend,’ he said, ‘I’m so sorry about the delay. It seems that everyone waited until the last minute to get ready for today’s trip.’ The minister chuckled: ‘I know just what you mean. It’s like that in my business, too.’

Some people are strange. They want to sit at the front of the bus, the back of the church and still be the centre of attention.

One Sunday after church a mother asked her small daughter what the lesson had been about. The girl replied: ‘Don’t be scared, you’ll get your quilt.’ The mother was perplexed. The pastor later called at their house, so she asked him what that morning’s Sunday school lesson had been about. The reply was: ‘Be not afraid, thy comforter is coming.’

A minister was preoccupied with thoughts of how to prepare his congregation for donating more money than usual towards the repair bill of their church building. To his annoyance he found that the regular organist was sick and a substitute had been brought in at the last moment, who wanted to know what to play. ‘Here’s a copy of the service,’ the minister said. ‘You’ll have to think of something suitable to play after I make the announcement about the finances.’

Created by Anon.
Edited by Aquarius

* * *
​


----------



## Aquarius

[video=youtube;I9xVSj_tTHI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9xVSj_tTHI[/video]​


----------



## Aquarius

_*Interesting Facts About Hummingbirds*_




[video]https://www.youtube.com/embed/FPRswRWZ23Q[/video]

* * *​


----------



## Aquarius

*Please Pass The Salt

*[video]https://www.youtube.com/embed/6_-xTxP1hD4?autoplay=1[/video]

* * * ​


----------



## Aquarius

*Changing A Light Bulb

*https://www.chonday.com/4517/tvtoaebulhju3/*

* * *
*​


----------



## Aquarius

One of the greatest wonders of our world:

[video]https://www.youtube.com/embed/88UVJpQGi88[/video]​


----------



## Aquarius

[video=youtube;oxcftjJ39BU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxcftjJ39BU[/video]​


----------



## Aquarius

Come and join me on a journey to some of the wonders of our world:

[video]https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1bG6OnjM38BOgNVnyJjrCE40_Fn1u2xtUaIutI1tOFGU/preview#slide=id.p17[/video]

* * *​


----------



## Aquarius

*A Trip Down Memory Lane*

*Another Time, Another Place*

Please follow the link below:

‘Lost In The Fifties’

* * *
​


----------



## Aquarius

[video=youtube;zqHdzatTBhA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqHdzatTBhA [/video]​


----------



## Aquarius

*Pole Dancing
*
​Pole dance is a performance art, traditionally associated with strip clubs, that combines dance and acrobatics centred around a vertical pole. It has recently gained popularity as a form of fitness and mainstream entertainment, practised by many enthusiasts in gyms and dedicated dance studios. 

A wide range of amateur and professional competitions are held in many countries around the world.Since the mid 2000s, promoters of pole dance fitness competitions have been trying to change peoples’ perception of this kind of dancing and are promoting it as a non-sexual form of dance and acrobatics. Pole dance has furthermore been influenced by Chinese pole, a form of acrobatics that is performed in cabaret, circus and on stage in a non-erotic environment. Competitive pole dance competitions are performed in a non-prurient fashion which combines a range of dance styles and/or gymnastics.

Pole dance requires significant strength, flexibility and endurance. In a commercial pseudo-erotic setting, however, pole dance is often performed less gymnastically and is used more as a prop in striptease, Go-Go or lap dancing, with the performer simply holding the pole or moving around it without performing acrobatics. Proper pole dance involves athletic moves such as climbs, spins and body inversions using the limbs to grip. Upper body and core strength are required to attain proficiency. To achieve this, rigorous training is necessary. This type of dance is more and more recognised as a form of exercise. It can be used as both an aerobic and anaerobic workout. To see a truly magnificent performance of it, please follow the link below.

‘Pole Dancing’
​
* * *​ ​


----------



## Aquarius

*The Latest In Electric Cars
*
​They said it couldn’t be done, but someone did it.  Please take a look at the result by following the link below:


‘The Mercedes AA’​
* * * 
​


----------



## Aquarius

[video=youtube;CaFAVWR9Oxc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaFAVWR9Oxc[/video]​


----------



## Aquarius

[video=youtube;P-Wm3vEGbLU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-Wm3vEGbLU[/video]​


----------



## Aquarius

*The Latest About Brexit*




Please follow the link below to the video that tells you all about it.

‘Brexit’

* * *
​


----------



## Aquarius

_*The Sick Note*_

Dear Sir,

I write this note to inform you of my plight
And at the time of writing I am not a pretty sight.
My body is all black and blue, my face a deathly gray
I write this note to tell why Paddy's not at work today.

While working on the fourteenth floor, some bricks I had to clear
And to throw them down from off the top seemed quite a good idea.
But the gaffer wasn't very pleased, he was an awful sod.
He said I had to cart them down the ladder in me hod.

Well clearing all those bricks by hand, it seemed so very slow,
So I hoisted up a barrel and secured the rope below.
But in my haste to do the job, I was too blind to see
That a barrel full of building bricks is heavier than me.

So when I had untied the rope, the barrel fell like lead
And clinging tightly to the rope I started up instead.
I took off like a rocket and to my dismay I found
That half way up I met the bloody barrel coming down.

Well the barrel broke my shoulder as on to the ground it sped
And when I reached the top I banged the pulley with me head.
I held on tight, though numb with shock from this almighty blow
And the barrel spilled out half its load fourteen floors below.

Now when those building bricks fell from the barrel to the floor,
I then outweighed the barrel so I started down once more.
I held on tightly to the rope as I flew to the ground
And I landed on those building bricks that were scattered all around.

Now as I lay there on the deck I thought I'd passed the worst,
But when the barrel reached the top, that's when the bottom burst.
A shower of bricks came down on me, I knew I had no hope
And in all this confusion, I let go the bloody rope.

The barrel being heavier, it started down once more
And landed right on top of me as I lay on the floor.
It broke three ribs and my left arm, and I can only say
That I hope you'll understand why Paddy's not at work today.

‘The Sick Note’

* * *


​


----------



## Aquarius

_*Christmas

*_

It was Christmas Eve on a Friday.
The shops were full of cheer,
With tinsel in the windows
And presents twice as dear.
A thousand Father Christmases,
Sat in their little huts,
And folk were buying crackers
And folk were buying nuts.

All up and down the country,
Before the light was snuffed,
Turkeys they get murdered
And cockerels they got stuffed,
Christmas cakes got marzipanned,
And puddin’s they got steamed,
Mothers they got desperate
And tired kiddies screamed.

Hundredweights of Christmas cards,
Went flying through the post,
With first class postage stamps on those,
You had to flatter most.
Within a million kitchens,
Mince pies was being made,
On everyone’s radio,
‘White Christmas’, it was played.

Out in the frozen countryside
Men crept round on their own,
Hacking off the holly,
What other folks had grown,
Mistletoe on willow trees,
Was by a man wrenched clear,
So he could kiss his neighbour’s wife,
He’d fancied all the year.

And out upon the hillside,
Where the Christmas trees had stood,
All was completely barren,
But for little stumps of wood,
The little trees that flourished
All the year were there no more,
But in a million houses
Dropped their needles on the floor.

And out of every cranny, cupboard,
Hiding place and nook,
Little bikes and kiddies’ trikes,
Were secretively took.
Yards of wrapping paper
Was rustled round about
And bikes were wheeled to bedrooms
With the pedals sticking out.

Rolled up in Christmas paper
The Action Men were tensed,
All ready for the morning,
When their fighting life commenced,
With tommy guns and daggers,
All clustered round about,
‘Peace on Earth - Goodwill to Men’
The figures seemed to shout.

The church was standing empty,
The pub was standing packed,
There came a yell: ‘Noel, Noel!’
And glasses they got cracked.
From up above the fireplace,
Christmas cards began to fall,
And trodden on the floor, said:
‘Merry Christmas, to you all.’

Pam Ayres

* * *




​


----------



## Aquarius

_*Christmas In Our Time*_
​ 

The Rocking Song
Little Jesus, sweetly sleep, do not stir.
We will lend a coat of fur.
We will rock you, rock you, rock you.
We will rock you, rock you, rock you.

Fur is no longer appropriate wear for infants, both due to risk of allergy to animal fur, and for ethical reasons. Therefore faux fur, a nice cellular blanket or perhaps micro-fleece material should be considered a suitable alternative.

Please note, only persons who have been subject to a Criminal Records Bureau check and have enhanced clearance will be permitted to rock baby Jesus. Persons must carry their CRB disclosure with them at all times and be prepared to provide three forms of identification before rocking commences.

* * *​
Jingle Bells
Dashing through the snow,
In a one horse open sleigh,
O’er the fields we go,
Laughing all the way.

A risk assessment must be submitted before an open sleigh is considered safe for members of the public to travel on. The risk assessment must also consider whether it is appropriate to use only one horse for such a venture, particularly if passengers are of larger proportions. Please note, permission must be gained from landowners before entering their fields. To avoid offending those not participating in celebrations, we would request that laughter is moderate only and not loud enough to be considered a noise nuisance.

* * *​
While Shepherds Watched
While shepherds watched
Their flocks by night,
All seated on the ground,
The Angel of the Lord came down
And glory shone around.

The union of Shepherd’s has complained that it breaches health and safety regulations to insist that shepherds watch their flocks without appropriate seating arrangements being provided, therefore benches, stools and orthopaedic chairs are now available. Shepherds have also requested that due to the inclement weather conditions at this time of year that they should watch their flocks via CCTV cameras from centrally heated shepherd observation huts.

Please note, the Angel of the Lord is reminded that before shining his / her glory all around she / he must ascertain that all shepherds have been issued with glasses capable of filtering out the harmful effects of UVA, UVB and Glory.

* * *​
Little Donkey
Little donkey, little donkey on the dusty road.
Got to keep on plodding onwards with your precious load.

The RSPCA have issued strict guidelines with regard to how heavy a load that a donkey of small stature is permitted to carry, also included in the guidelines is guidance regarding how often to feed the donkey and how many rest breaks are required over a four hour plodding period. Please note that due to the increased risk of pollution from the dusty road, Mary and Joseph are required to wear face masks to prevent inhalation of any airborne particles. The donkey has expressed his discomfort at being labelled ‘little’ and would prefer just to be simply referred to as Mr. Donkey. To comment upon his height or lack thereof may be considered an infringement of his equine rights.

* * *​
We Three Kings
We three kings of Orient are
Bearing gifts we traverse afar
Field and fountain, moor and mountain
Following yonder star

Whilst the gift of gold is still considered acceptable – as it may be redeemed at a later date through such organisations as ‘cash for gold’ etc, gifts of frankincense and myrrh are not appropriate due to the potential risk of oils and fragrances causing allergic reactions. A suggested gift alternative would be to make a donation to a worthy cause in the recipients name or perhaps give a gift voucher.

We would not advise that the traversing kings rely on navigation by stars in order to reach their destinations and suggest the use of RAC routefinder or satellite navigation, which will provide the quickest route and advice regarding fuel consumption. Please note as per the guidelines from the RSPCA for Mr Donkey, the camels carrying the three kings of Orient will require regular food and rest breaks. Facemasks for the three kings are also advisable due to the likelihood of dust from the camels hooves.

* * *​
Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer
had a very shiny nose.
And if you ever saw him,
you would even say it glows.

You are advised that under the Equal Opportunities for All policy, it is inappropriate for persons to make comment with regard to the ruddiness of any part of Mr. R. Reindeer. Further to this, exclusion of Mr R Reindeer from the Reindeer Games will be considered discriminatory and disciplinary action will be taken against those found guilty of this offence. A full investigation will be implemented and sanctions – including suspension on full pay – will be considered whilst this investigation takes place. Don’t worry about old age. It doesn’t last that long.


* * * 

Merry Christmas, in spite of all that.

* * *
​


----------



## Aquarius

_*The True Story Of Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer*_
​
Depressed and brokenhearted, a man named Bob May one dark and cold December night looked from his drafty apartment window. His four year old daughter Barbara sat on his lap and was quietly sobbing. Her mother, Evelyn, was in hospital dying of cancer and the little girl couldn’t understand why she would never see her again. Looking up into her Dad’s eyes she asked: ‘Why isn’t my mummy like everybody else’s? Why can’t she be here with us?’ 

Bob’s jaw tightened and his eyes welled with tears. Barbara’s question flooded him with waves of grief and also of anger. The story of his life had been that he was different and never fitted in anywhere. As a child he had often been bullied by the other boys. He was too small to compete in sports and his companions often called him names he would rather not think of, now. 

Having completed college, he found a loving wife and was grateful to get a job as a copywriter at Montgomery Ward during the Great Depression. Then the Universe blessed their loving union with a little girl. But their happiness was short-lived. Evelyn’s cancer stripped them of all their savings, so that in the end Bob and his daughter had to make do with a two-room apartment in the Chicago slums. 

Evelyn died just days before Christmas in 1938. Bob struggled to give hope to his child and he couldn’t even buy her a Christmas present. Well, if he couldn’t buy a gift he was jolly well going to make one! The idea for a storybook came to him about an animal character, whose story he told his little girl to comfort her and give her hope. Time and again, Bob repeated the tale and each time he embellished it a bit more. 

Who was the character and what was the story all about? In fable form Bob told the story of his own life – it was an autobiography. It’s main character was a small reindeer with a big and shiny nose that made it a misfit and an outcast, just like Bob had always been. The book was finished just in time for Christmas and that’s what he presented to his little girl. 

However, our story doesn’t end there. The general manager of Montgomery Ward got to know about Bob’s story and offered him a nominal fee for the rights to print it in book form. They called the book ‘Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer’ and it was given to the children who came visiting Santa Claus in their stores. By 1946 Wards had printed and distributed more than six million copies of this book. 

That same year, a major publisher wanted to purchase the rights from Wards to print an updated version of the book. In a gesture of kindness, the CEO of Wards returned all rights to Bob May and the book became a best seller. Many toy and marketing deals followed and Bob May, now remarried with a growing family, became wealthy from the story he had once created to comfort his grieving daughter. 

And still the story doesn’t end with this. Bob’s brother-in-law, Johnny Marks, wrote a song about Rudolph. In spite of the fact that it was turned down by singers like Bing Crosby and Dinah Shore, the singing cowboy, Gene Autry, performed the song ‘Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer’. It was released in 1949 and became a phenomenal success that sold more records than any other Christmas song, with the exception of ‘White Christmas.’

This is how the gift of love that Bob May once created for his daughter kept on coming back to him, to bless him over and over again. And that’s how life itself taught Bob May the invaluable lesson that being different isn’t so bad after all and that for those who work with it and do the right thing, when their heart tells them to, their differentness can indeed turn into a great blessing. 

Created by Anon.
Edited by Aquarius

* * *​


----------



## Aquarius

_*More About Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer*_​
According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, while both male and female reindeer grow antlers in the summer of each year. The males drop their antlers at the beginning of winter, usually in late November to mid-December. The females, however, keep their antlers until after they have given birth in spring. Therefore, according to the historical presentations of Santa’s reindeer, every single one of them, from Rudolph to Donner and Blitzen, could only be a female. Let’s face it, they alone would be willing to drag a fat old man in a red velvet suit round our whole world in one night without getting lost.

This is how it came about that Santa Claus has a team of flying reindeer that pull his sleigh and help him deliver Christmas presents. Their names are Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen. The last two names are the German words for Thunder and Lightning. The names are based on those used in the 1823 poem ‘A Visit from St. Nicholas’ which is commonly known as ‘The Night Before Christmas’. And that is the origin of the reindeer’s popularity as Christmas symbols.
Merry Christmas to everybody.

Created by Anon.
Edited by Aquarius

* * *​


----------



## Aquarius

_*A Story For Christmas*_

If there had been three wise women instead of men, 
the following would have happened:

• They would have asked directions.
• Arrived on time.
• Helped deliver the baby.
• Cleaned the stable.
• Made a casserole.
• Brought practical gifts.
• And there would have been peace on Earth.

The Season’s Greetings to everyone.

With love and light,
Aquarius

* * *



​


----------



## Aquarius

_*Recipe For A Christmas Cake*_​
Ingredients:
1.    2 cups flour
2.    1 stick butter
3.    1 cup water
4.    1 tsp baking soda
5.    1 cup sugar
6.    1 tsp salt
7.    1 cup brown sugar
8.    Lemon juice
9.    4 large eggs
10.    Nuts
11.    2 bottles wine
12.    2 cups dried fruit

Sample the wine to check its quality. Take a large bowl, test the wine again. To be sure it is of the highest quality, first pour one level cup of it and drink. Repeat. Turn on the electric mixer. Beat one cup of butter in a large fluffy bowl. Add one teaspoon of sugar. Beat again. At this point it’s best to make sure the wine is still okay. Better try another cup. 

Just in case, turn off the mixerer thingy. Break two eggs and add to the bowl and chuck in the dried fruit. Pick the fruit off the floor. Mix on the turner. If the fried druit gets stuck in the beaterers, pry it loose with a drewscriver. Sample the wine to check for tonsisticity. 

Next, sift two cups of salt or something. Check the wine. Now shift the lemon juice and strain your nuts. Add one table, then a spoon of sugar or some fink. Whatever you can find. Greash the oven. Turn the cake tin 360 degrees and try not to fall over. Don’t forget to beat off the turner.

Finally, throw the bowl out of the window. Finish the wine and wipe counter with the cat. Then walk to the nearest supermarket and buy a cake.

Bingle Jells and Merry Christmas to all.

Created by Anon.
Edited by Aquarius

* * *​


----------



## Aquarius

_*The True Background Of Santa And His Reindeer

*_​
The story about the true background of Santa Claus and his reindeer pulled sleigh was unknown to me until a friend recently drew my attention to it. It’s a tale that takes us back hundreds of years to times when Christianity and Santa Claus had never been heard of. In those days local Shamans every year brought mushrooms that contain a consciousness expanding substance to the people of the Russian and European north. The mushrooms to this day are known as Amanita Muscaria and are growing in autumn in spruce and fir trees forests. Their red caps with white speckles makes them into a most picturesque sight. We were told as children to enjoy looking at them, but never to touch them because they are highly poisonous. 

However, the Shamans collected and placed them in the branches of trees so that Sun and wind could dry them. When they were ready, the mushrooms were collected and stored for the winter solstice, a time for celebrating the spiritual renewal of our world. In preparation of this event the Shamans delivered the mushrooms with the help of a reindeer pulled sleigh, the common form of winter transportation in that part of our world.

When the entrance door to a property was blocked by snow, the Shaman climbed onto the roof and dropped a parcel of his mushrooms into the chimney for those waiting below. Eating a certain amount of them provided them with an improved connection with the spirit realm which made it easier to celebrate together with their ancestors. As a sign of their appreciation, the people prepared food for their Shaman that would sustain him on his cold and often long journey home.

* * *

Extract from https://www.livescience.com/49118-magic-mushrooms-royal-gardens.html​
Amanita muscaria is a bright red-and-white mushroom and  is psychoactive when consumed. These fungi are known to grow near evergreen trees. They can also grow under deciduous trees, such as birch. The species is native to temperate and subarctic regions in the Northern Hemisphere, but it has also been introduced to the Southern Hemisphere. They are considered toxic to humans, but have been used in religious practices for their hallucinogenic properties, especially in Siberia, according to the book ‘Hallucinogens and Culture’ (Chandler & Sharp, 1976) by Peter T. Furst. The main psychoactive ingredient is the compound muscimol, which mimics the brain signaling chemical GABA, which inhibits neuronal activity. This results in feelings of relaxation and lessened anxiety.

Some scientists think these mushrooms were the inspiration for Santa Claus and other Christmas traditions, because Siberian shamans would give out bags of hallucinatory fungi as presents before the winter solstice. Growing under an evergreen tree, the red-and-white fungi could look like presents from Santa. In addition, some folklorists claim that the Christmas story about flying reindeer may have been a hallucination, since reindeer — who also consume the mushrooms — are common in Siberia. However, not all experts agree with the Santa-shamanism theory.

Edited by Aquarius

* * *​


----------



## Aquarius

_*Christmas Letter To God*_
​
Dear God,

I am an 83 year old widow and living on a very small pension. Yesterday someone stole my purse. It had £100 in it and that was all the money I had until my next pension payment. Coming Sunday is Christmas and I had invited two of my friends over for dinner. But without that money, I have nothing to buy food with and I have no family to turn to. Yyou are my only hope. Can you please help me?

Yours sincerely – Edna

A postal worker found this letter and was touched. He showed it to all the other workers. Each one dug into his or her wallet and came up with a few pounds. By the time he made the rounds, he had collected £96, which they put into an envelope and sent to the woman. The rest of the day, the workers felt a warm glow thinking of Edna and the dinner she would be able to share with her friends.

A few days after Christmas another letter to God came from the same old lady. The workers gathered around while it was opened. It read:

Dear God,

How can I ever thank you enough for what you did for me? Because of your gift of love, I was able to fix a glorious dinner for my friends. We had a very nice day and I told them of your kindness. By the way, the amount was four dollars short. I think it might have been those rotters at the post office who took it.

Yours sincerely – Edna

* * *​


----------



## Aquarius

The following is the essence of a teaching from the White Eagle group of spirit guides that appeared in Stella Polaris under the heading ‘Sayings of the Gentle Brother – Simplicity’: ‘We, your spirit guides and helpers are with you always. We are looking at all happenings in earthly life with love and humour. Oh yes, we have a good sense of it. That’s what you need with the kind of work we are doing. Mind you, our humour is of the kindly type and we hope that with the passing of time yours will become ever more like ours. In any kind of situation you are sure to find it helpful to keep your heart smiling and your eyes twinkling, the way we are doing.’ 

Happy New Year to all of you, dear Friends. 
What could be more appropriate than celebrating New Year’s Day with the following: 


_*Independence Day*_​
Greetings, my fellow Zubukians! I intended to address you today from the balcony of Government House. Unfortunately, current circumstances preclude that, so I must ask you to accept this television broadcast as a substitute. When I finish speaking here, I shall try to make my way to Revolution Square and review the annual parade of our magnificent Republican Guard, after the insurg . . . er . . . merrymakers now occupying that holiest of grounds have, entirely of their own free will, dispersed. I am informed that this will be within an hour.

For all of us, this is a solemn day, yet also a joyous one. Solemn because it gives us the opportunity to commune on a national basis, feeling ourselves at one with our ancestors, and joyous because it was exactly twenty years ago that we threw off the yoke of colonialism. Further, it is nineteen years to the day since the events took place which resulted in my becoming Prime Minister and, three weeks later, President of our beloved country.

I am deeply conscious of the heavy burdens placed upon me by the simultaneous holding of the two highest offices of our state, the more so as there is nobody who will, or can, lift them from me. I fear that I shall not be able to relinquish these duties this side of the grave. We live in troubled times. Everywhere in the world there is disorder, and we cannot insulate ourselves. There is no denying that we have our problems. Even in my own party, the National Alliance for Zubukian Integration, there has been unrest and, it must be admitted, corruption. Many of you will recall that only seventeen short years ago, I was obliged to dismiss the ministers of finance, home affairs, foreign relations and transport. Having no suitable replacements, I was forced to assume their portfolios myself – yet more responsibilities that I shall, however reluctantly, be required to discharge for the rest of my days.

Why shall I not be able to cast off these millstones? I think you know. During the post-colonial disturbances, every party but my own in our hallowed land simply disintegrated, vanishing virtually overnight. It was left to us alone to carry the inextinguishable torch of democracy. True, there was an attempt made recently to form a viable opposition. To my deepest chagrin, that effort failed. I was greatly distressed by the collapse of the Alternative Progressive Enlightenment – the APE – party.

Feelings ran high at the time, and the prevailing mood affected me as much as anyone. I cannot look back without a sense of deep sorrow at my last words to the leader of the aspirant rival organisation. I merely intended to convey my admiration of the man as, so to speak, the dominant male in his movement. It was regrettable that I referred to him as the chief ape. Also, my remark was ill-timed, coming as it did two hours before the untimely and, I emphasise, totally accidental demise of that fine young statesman. May his soul forgive me.

The unfortunate disappearance of the APE party was not the last of our troubles. Even now there are elements in our revered homeland intent upon fomenting strife. Indeed, it is for this reason that I speak now from the National Security Compound, surrounded by three- – yes, three- – concentric perimeter fences of four-metre-high electrified wire. I ask you to remember that fact, though the last thing I want is to be separated from you by the defences of a totally impregnable fortress. My dearest wish is to be among you, wringing your . . . hands. Yes, my friends, your hands.

Our former colonial masters claimed to have left us with a working governmental system. I spit upon their assertion. If they had made adequate provision before their departure, why were we compelled to discard their arrangements? We even had to change the name of our country. The colonists left us with what? I will remind you. The stark and unimaginative Zubukia. With our modernisation plan, we changed that in less than two years to the People”s Democratic Republic of Zubukia, or PDRZ. Can anyone doubt that this is more appropriate to our status in the world?

My compatriots, we have recently been the target of unwarranted attention from various external bodies. The international team that visited us last year concluded that literacy standards here had declined since colonial days. I spit upon their report. They said that the level was formerly fifty-two per cent and that it had fallen to twenty-three per cent. Do these meddlers not realise that we have our own traditions, our storytellers, to meet our needs? Notwithstanding that, I strive ceaselessly for improvement. I aim to ensure that in under ten years, there will a book in every school and, where there is evening tuition, a candle in each classroom.

We have been told by another agency, whose name I cannot bear to utter, that we lag behind other democracies in terms of our degree of enfranchisement. I spit upon this supposed finding. Is it not true that every first-born male over the age of forty in our country now has the vote? How does that accord with the monstrous charge against us? Obviously it does not. Our advance has been exemplary and will continue at an appropriate pace.

I must now deal with the most unworthy of all the accusations hurled at us. I refer to a bulletin issued by the World Bank, saying that our ninety-billion-dollar finds of oil, gas, uranium, platinum, gold and copper should have been better used in the last nine years. We are told that a land of four million people should be reaping greater benefits from such bounty. At the risk of being censured for excessive expectoration, I spit upon that document. Such malice can have been engendered only by the fact that no interest has yet been paid on the loan of twelve billion dollars, made to us by the Bank eight years ago.

Who is at fault? These legalised loan sharks should have known better than to bury our poor country under such a mountain of money. Our financial structure could not cope. Inevitably, there was confusion, multipartite transactions and complex pecuniary allocations which I struggle unflaggingly to trace. I was, sorrowfully, obliged to seek the assistance of a certain European country, well-versed in these matters. The World Bank asks where the funds in question are now. I answer that that is m . . . our business. Further, if the masters of usury continue to badger us, I shall, on your behalf, repudiate the debt. Do you hear this, you Shylocks in Washington? Not one shavaster shall I pay.

Now, my friends, the cares of state demand that I leave you for the moment. I hear the clanking and rumbling of those tribulations closing in upon me. They are constantly at my gate. If you can still see or hear this transmission, I ask you to join me in singing our national anthem, Zubukia Forever. Let the rafters ring! 

From ‘Madazine’

With the kind permission of Courtjester, 
my husband of fifty-three years
and best friend for over sixty years.

* * *​


----------



## Aquarius

*Growing Old With A Smile
*
​Actress/vocalist, Julie Andrews, born 1[SUP]st[/SUP] October 1935, to commemorate her birthday made a special appearance at Manhattan’s Radio City Music Hall  for the benefit of the AARP. One of the musical numbers she performed was ‘My Favourite Things’  from the movie ‘Sound Of Music’, in which she played the leading role. These are the lyrics she used:

 Botox and nose drops and needles for knitting,
 Walkers and handrails and new dental fittings,
Bundles of magazines tied up with string,
 These are a few of my favourite things.

 Cadillacs and cataracts, hearing aids and glasses,
 Polident and Fixodent and false teeth in glasses,
 Pacemakers, golf carts and porches with swings,
  These are a few of my favourite things.

 When the pipes leak, when the bones creak,
 When the knees go bad,
 I simply remember my favourite things,
  And then I don’t feel so bad.

 Hot tea and crumpets and corn pads for bunions,
 No spicy hot food or food cooked with onions,
 Bathrobes and heating pads and hot meals they bring,
 These are a few of my favourite things.

 Back pain, confused brains and no need for sinnin’,
 Thin bones and fractures and hair that is thinnin’,
 And we won’t mention our short shrunken frames,
  When we remember our favourite things.

 When the joints ache, when the hips creak,
 When the eyes grow dim,
But I remember the great life I’ve had,
  Then I don’t feel so bad.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 

Try singing it – that makes it particularly funny!

Ms Andrews received a standing ovation from the crowd.
 It lasted over four minutes and repeated encores were asked for.

​P.S. AARP, Inc., formerly the American Association of Retired Persons, is a United States-based non-governmental organization and interest group, founded in 1958 by Ethel Percy Andrus, PhD, a retired educator from California, and based in Washington, D.C. It is a membership organisation for people age fifty and over.

 
Recommended Reading:
​


[*=center]‘Reflections On Growing Older’ 
 
Created by Anon.
Edited by Aquarius

* * *
​


----------



## Aquarius

Dear animal lovers everywhere,

please follow the link below:

‘The Hillside Animal Sanctuary’

Enjoy!

Created by Anon.
Edited by Aquarius

* * *
​


----------



## Aquarius

Please accept my apologies for offering this more than somewhat belatedly, 
but it's so funny that I hope you will nonetheless enjoy it now. 
​
Please follow the link below to take part in a

‘Christmas Dinner For The Elderly’

* * *

​


----------



## Aquarius

*An Eagle’s Eye  View From Our World’s Tallest Building*​ 
For a brief moment an eagle  really was on top of our world. With a camera strapped to its back and a gentle  release, the bird swooped down from the highest point on the Burj Khalifa, the  world’s tallest building, in Dubai, the  United Arab  Emirates. Minutes later it landed on the hand  of its falconer, who was waiting on the ground.

Made by Freedom  Conservation, this video is not the first recorded by a camera-carrying bird,  but it did set a record for the recorded bird flight from the highest man-made  structure. Attempts at a flight from an ever taller building will have to wait  until Saudi Arabia finishes  the Kingdom Tower, an even taller building than the Burj Khalifa,  currently under construction in Jeddah, Saudi  Arabia.  

To take part in the eagle’s  flight, please follow the link below:
​ ‘An Eagle’s Eye  View’

* * *
​


----------



## Aquarius

*To Russia With Love*

*A Journey **On The Zarengold Train*

*Of The **Trans-Siberian Railways


*


This video lasts thirty-five minutes
and takes us in style and splendour
through landscapes of breath-taking beauty.

If that sounds good to you,
Please follow the link below:

‘The Journey’

* * *


​


----------



## Aquarius

*Oh, Bubbles!

*

I’m forever blowing bubbles,
Pretty bubbles in the air.
They fly so high, nearly reach the sky
And then, like my dreams, just fade away.

Fortune’s always hiding.
I’ve looked everywhere,
But I’m forever blowing bubbles,
Pretty bubbles in the air.

Please follow the video link below:
​


[*=center]‘Blowing Bubbles’
 
* * *


​


----------



## Aquarius

*The Ascension Of Humankind*

 

Please follow the link below to 
as clear and beautiful an explanation of the ascension process 
as can be found anywhere.

‘The Ascension Of Humankind’

Recommended Reading:
​


[*=center]‘All Life Is Evolution’ 
 
* * *

​


----------



## Aquarius

*A German Miniature  Wunderland*

*Many A Father’s Dream Come True
*
​*

*Two German brothers created a     miniature train set that can be seen by following  the video link below. Whether it’s gambling     in Las Vegas, hiking in the Alps or paddling in Norwegian fjords, it seems that     in this wonderland everything is possible.
​
·            ‘A     Miniature Wonderland’

* * *​


----------



## Aquarius

*The Girl From Guantanamo *

*Guantanamera*

Watch a little fellow from the streets of New York
dancing to this tune
 by following the link below:

‘Guantanamera’

* * *
​


----------



## Aquarius

*Life In China Today

*
​
The New Century Global Centre is a multipurpose building in the Tianfu new area of Chengdu, China. It is our world’s largest building. The 100-metre-tall (330 ft) structure is 500 by 400 metres (1,600 by 1,300 ft) in size with 1,700,000 square metres (18,000,000 sq ft) of floor space, making it the world’s largest building measured by floor space. 

Developed by billionaire Deng Hong’s Entertainment and Travel Group (ETG), nearly 400,000 square metres (4,300,000 sq ft) of the building is devoted to shopping. It also houses offices, conference rooms, a university complex, two commercial centres, hotels, an IMAX cinema, a Mediterranean village, a pirate ship and skating rink. 

The centrepiece of the building is a water park, the Paradise Island  Water Park, which contains a 5,000 square metres (54,000 sq ft) artificial beach, where a giant 150 by 40 m (490 by 130 ft) screen forms the horizon and brings its visitors sunrises and sunsets. At night, a stage extends over the pool for concerts. A stand has been built overlooking the pool with a food court and entrance underneath at the floor level. 

Its new Intercontinental Hotel is going to feature 1,009 rooms that will be spread over six eight story blocks around the edge of the complex. 

Please follow the link below to take a look at this architectural marvel
​
‘The New Century Global Centre’

* * *​






​


----------



## theoldman

A pair to avoid because you've got one at home.


----------



## Aquarius

theoldman said:


> A pair to avoid because you've got one at home.



???

* * *​


----------



## Aquarius

[video=youtube;WnrsWPmVzfk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnrsWPmVzfk[/video]​


----------



## Aquarius

*Why Women Stay Single*



To find out why they do, 
please follow the link below:

‘Why Women Stay Single’

* * *



​


----------



## Kevin

As a teen, a popular anti- 'anthem' around our set was _Six-pack_ ( American common name for a half dozen beer package):

 "_...my girlfriend asked me which one I liked better 
(chorus answers) Six-pack!
 I hope the answer don't upset her..._" 
It was a joke, then. 

Things change. Our 30th is coming up soon. What am I going to get her?
Gods, I hope I don't upset her.


----------



## Aquarius

Take heart, Kevin. Our 54th will soon be here. Where have all those years gone?


----------



## Winston

Kevin said:


> As a teen, a popular anti- 'anthem' around our set was _Six-pack..._



Black Flag.  Ah, memories.
It's a good thing I didn't meet my wife in High School.  I was a Punk Rocker, and she was a Goodie Two Shoes.  I think she actually thought Adam Ant was punk rock.


----------



## Aquarius

Winston said:


> . . .  I think she actually thought Adam Ant was punk rock.



Well, wasn't he?


----------



## Kevin

Nothing wrong with marrying a good girl. She straightens you up. 

Some of the Russian music is so filled with... Melancholy. I like it, but my gosh. I think of centuries of defeated peasants and countryside devasted by Mongol hordes; invasions; the people  alternately betrayed or repressed by their nobles; windswept, freezing cold, wilted cabbages. It's all an epic. Such beautiful music.

I suppose there's other melancholy cultures. Take Bosa Nova... such a sad lilt, undertone., but it's more modernist like a French new wave or something. We love, but we fail, but we love...


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## Aquarius

I believe it's the suffering of the Russian people that is making all their expressions of art to soulful and sad. I perceive it as a special kind of sadness that can be enjoyed by our own soul, who does know all about suffering and is in harmony with it. Something like that. Did you ever read 'Bonjour Tristesse' by Francoise Sagan?


----------



## Kevin

Bonjour Tristesse- I have not. I did read her bio just now. Again, I thank god I've never had an addictive personality. Sounds like an interesting read. thank you.


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## Aquarius

[video=youtube;lp2FqZjqRbU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lp2FqZjqRbU[/video]​


----------



## Aquarius

[video=youtube;bNgU3ojwlCM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNgU3ojwlCM[/video]​


----------



## Aquarius

[video=youtube;NbwAFQEodPI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbwAFQEodPI[/video]​


----------



## Aquarius

*Grand Tour Of China

*
 

If sounds interesting to you,
please follow the link below:

‘Grand Tour Of China’

*  *  *
​


----------



## Aquarius

Today I would like to share with you a unique insight into 
the miracle and wonder of God’s Creation. 


Please follow the link below:​ 
‘The Miracle’​ ​ * * *​ ​


----------



## Aquarius

*The Joys Of Lawn Mowing *



First take a look at the video link below:

·        ‘The Lawnmower Incident’​
There once was a man named Simon whose motor mower had broken down. His wife Maria kept dropping hints about getting it fixed before the grass grew too tall. But the message wasn’t getting through. Simon kept procrastinating and putting off the repair of the mower. 

In her frustration Maria one day had an idea for making her point. When Simon arrived home from work, she was sitting on the lawn and clipping it with a tiny pair of nail scissors. 

Silently watching his wife for a moment, Simon went into the house and after a few minutes appeared with a toothbrush. Handing it over to Maria, he said: ‘When you’ve finished cutting the grass, how about sweeping the pavement in front of our house?’

* * *​


----------



## Aquarius

*Making Friends

*

The link below takes you to a heart-warming video of a golden Labrador
trying to make friends with a small boy affected by Down’s Syndrome.

‘Making Friends’

* * *


​


----------



## Aquarius

*Passing The Salt

*Please follow the link below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nORRgU8sGdE

* * *
​


----------



## Aquarius

Irish Riverdance like you have never seen it before.

Please follow the link below:

'Riverdance'

* * *







​


----------



## Aquarius

_*Magic Moments*_

To take part in them, please follow the link below:

‘Magic Moments’

Created by Anon.
Edited by Aquarius

* * *
​


----------



## Aquarius

A woman goes back to work after thirty years.
To see what happens to her, please follow the link below:

•    ‘Back To Work’

* * *


​


----------



## Aquarius

Please see my thread 'Thought For Today' for my response to the above.

* * *​


----------



## Aquarius

This video is an unusually evocative one about animals
that presents us with a fresh perspective of their world.

To view it, please click the link below:

‘The Bear’

* * *



​


----------



## Aquarius

To watch one of the most delightful videos
that ever came my way,
please follow the link below:

•    ‘Cat Playing With A Dolphin’

* * *


​


----------



## Aquarius

_*Spy Camera Visits Polar Bears*_

Please follow the link below:

•    ‘Spy On The Ice’

Enjoy!

* * *


​


----------



## Aquarius

[video=youtube;T4chpyTIE5Q]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4chpyTIE5Q[/video]​


----------



## Aquarius

[video=youtube;CcsSPzr7ays]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcsSPzr7ays[/video]​


----------



## Aquarius

[video=youtube;BJKYjXe6ACE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJKYjXe6ACE[/video]​


----------



## Aquarius

Richard Sidey lives in Wanaka, New Zealand and earned a Bachelor of Visual Communication Design with Honors in Wellington. He has spent over a decade photographing the Polar Regions and various remote areas of natural interest working on Expedition Vessels. For his project ‘Speechless’ he has endeavoured to document scenes of outstanding natural beauty and interest through the eyes of a film-maker. Enjoy some fantastic photography of some far reaches of our world that few get to see by following the link below:

·        ‘On Expedition’

* * *
​ 


​


----------



## Aquarius

[video=youtube;sgm9E_cmvWA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgm9E_cmvWA[/video]​


----------



## Aquarius

Please follow the link below to take part in

·        ‘The Ultimate Senior Moment’


 * * *​


----------



## Aquarius

[video=youtube;KohD6EtWdfo]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KohD6EtWdfo[/video]​


----------



## Aquarius

[video=youtube;I9xVSj_tTHI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9xVSj_tTHI[/video]​


----------



## Aquarius

[video=youtube;lp2FqZjqRbU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lp2FqZjqRbU[/video]​


----------



## Aquarius

[video=youtube;hedTqhf5sLs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hedTqhf5sLs[/video]​


----------



## Aquarius

[video]https://www.flixxy.com/the-dutch-army-bicycle-band.htm [/video]​


----------



## Aquarius

https://www.youtube.com/embed/L62faWn-sa8

What a wonderful experience!

* * *​


----------



## Aquarius

​


----------



## Aquarius

https://www.youtube.com/embed/BISrGwN-yH4​


----------



## Aquarius

https://www.youtube.com/embed/6J6ElrZzCZg?rel=0​


----------



## Aquarius

*Success*​​It’s not the amount of money we have,​Or how many acres we own.​It’s not the mansions we live in​That spells success in our home.​​It’s the little things we do each day,​The kind words that are spoken.​It’s helping those who are down and out,​And healing hearts that are broken.​​It’s doing any job as best we can.​It’s the loving and giving in life.​It’s the keeping our eye on higher things​And our chins up in every strife.​​So, if you’re the kind that wants to succeed,​Make sure you help souls in distress.​A life that is clean, a heart that is true,​Doing our best, at all times,​That alone is true success.​​How much better we left our world​Than we once found it,​And the efforts we made to achieve this,​That alone is what counts when,​At the end of our present lifetime,​We once more stand before ourselves,​In the spirit world.​​Stripped of everything that belongs to the Earth,​We assess our performance so far.​Everything we have done in all our lifetimes​Up to that point,​Are placed into the scales of Divine justice.​Material success on its own​Brings no spiritual progress and​When weighed in these scales,​It is found wanting.​​Created by Anon.​Edited by Aquarius​​Recommended Reading:​•    ‘There Is No Judgement Day’​

			Rays Of Wisdom - Writings Of A Stargazer
		
​From ‘Words Of Hope & Encouragement’​​







						Words Of Hope And Encouragement, book by Aquarius
					


Read the book Words Of Hope And Encouragement by Aquarius. A collection of words of hope and encouragement in poetry and prose for all those who are in need of it.. Read the book free on Booksie.




					www.booksie.com
				


​* * *​​


----------



## Aquarius

*What A Whopper!*​
The Antonov An-225 Mriya is a strategic airlift cargo aircraft that was designed by the Soviet Union's Antonov Design Bureau in the 1980s. The An-225's name, Mriya (Мрiя) means "Dream" (Inspiration) in Ukrainian. It is powered by six turbofan engines and is the longest and heaviest airplane ever built, with a maximum takeoff weight of 640 tonnes. It also has the largest wingspan of any aircraft in operational service. The single example built has the Ukrainian civil registration UR-82060. A second airframe was partially built; its completion was halted because of lack of funding and interest.

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						An-225 Mriya is the world’s largest aircraft (English version)
					


An-225 Mriya (which is referred to Dream from Ukrainian) is the heaviest airlift cargo aircraft ever taken off in the sky. The maximum takeoff weight makes 640 tons. An-225 was designed, due to the necessity to create the air transport system for the Soviet reusable Space Shuttle Buran. This is the…





					gelio.livejournal.com
				




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