Q Marks the Spot 205

Sacred Treasure

• Permit a proud dad moment: here’s Josh with his 1st of hopefully many videos on translation matters. This is on Gen 1:1

• John D Witvliet offers 10 Reasons to Celebrate the Ascension

• Ian Paul on the Ascension as the key to the New Testament

• Helen Lewis is consistently good on US politics. Here on strong form on a corner of anti-feminist Christian Nationalism: The Men Who Want Women to be Quiet (usu $)

• Andrew Thompson embarks on a Christian pilgrimage… to Saudi Arabia?

• Harvey Kwiani is fascinating on Pope Leo XIV’s first encyclical Magnifica Humanitas

Topical Treasure

• Had no idea about this guy: the man who blew up a South African nuclear power station and then disappeared.

• This is punchy and undoubtedly has a very strong case. Is there any scope for some moderation if one can bear in mind all the caveats? Helen Collins on AI & the pornification of thought.

• Fun for all the family (of UK politics nerds): guess the candidate’s political party

• I was present at this remarkable evening: John Le Carré at the South Bank in 2017. Sadly it’s only 10 mins of it, but still gold.

Quirky Treasure

• You never know when you might require this so I’ll just park it here: The English to Shakespearean English translator.

• Artist Domingo Geronimo Mattle imagines famous paintings as seen from behind.

• How funny can a nonsense word get? Futility Closet on Snunkoople!

  • Also over at Futility Closet: The last speech of one malefactor Ebenezer Elliston as conveyed by the great Jonathan Swift.

  • What do you call a collection of Presbyterian clergy

  • Weird how many languages make N + eight = night

• One can always trust Tom Gauld to get to the nub of things:

• Growing up in pre-gentrified Notting Hill Gate (forget about the Richard Curtis movie vibes), I vividly remember our street party for the Queen’s Silver Jubilee in 1977. I do not remember, however, these amazing entries for the Nationwide Jubilee song competition! Once seen never forgotten!

• Regulars will know how much I love photography.

  • Well, the great Martin Parr died last December so here is a collection of some of his quirky takes

  • Here’s a wonderful collection by Louis Stettner (1922-2016) of Penn Station in 1958 New York.

• 20 best small museums in London (if ever at a loose end)