Madrid Teacher

Quite an interesting article on Dizzy Thinks blog today about the possibility of terrorists using google maps. He quotes from an article in the New York Post

It was argued that terrorists can use Google earth to find targets. This balance between the positive aspects of technology and the negative downsides always seems to cause problems. Should the internet be a place for freedom and a tool for developing knowledge? For example I frequently use google earth in my family history research, to compare what life was like then using old maps and comparing the place to present day times. Its useful for identifying churches, streets, areas and the farms where many of my ancestors worked.

However I can also understand the other side of the argument, could Google Earth be used by criminals or terrorists to plot targets? My own particular problem with any curtailment of uses of technology on the web is that it could destroy the fundemental objective of the web, a free exchange of ideas and views and a superb resource for developing understanding of issues, history and society. I remember reading an article many years ago when I studied law about who guards the gate keepers, it seems to me that this is still a moot point.

Labels: family tree, technology

This summer i am going to put my family tree history online. While searching for pictures to upload during the summer I found these. One is a boat on which my ancestors emigrated to the USA, next are the buildings in Leeds where my grandfather lived and finally Prince Edwin Street in Liverpool. This street was a Catholic street and the street next to it had graffiti which was not complmentary to the Pope at that time.



the SS Alaunia



Gouldens Buildings in leeds





Prince Edwin Street, Everton, Liverpool

Labels: family tree

As I have mentioned before I having been researching my family tree. I uncovered a bit of a scandal tonight. In 1821 my great great great great grandfather was up before the magistrates for drunkeness. I have just discovered he was a higgler, that is someone who bartered goods from one farm or village to another. However his son and one of his daughters later became farmers so they salvaged the family name.

1821.4 PLATTS James (Lea, Ww) Higgler [Drunk] t.i.c. (Blakiston)
1821.4 PLATTS James (Lea, Ww) Higgler [RTO: 17] fine: 20/= (Blakiston)


A twenty shilling fine. In this I am following the tradition, my fines so far have amounted to 420 euros for driving fast and about 60 in parking fines. I will update on the value of this 20 shillings in due course.



This is the view from the town where he lived. I wonder if he stumbled home a few times across here

Labels: family tree

I have recently started researching my dads side of my family tree, his father and his ancestors were miners all the way back to 1820s and maybe before, its on my list of places to visit, Durham, Warwickshire and Bally Robin when in the UK this summer. Here is a clip from the film brassed off reminding me of when I played in several brass bands in Yorkshire (although I was no where near as good as these) and thinking about what happened to the miners. During the strike my dad was living in a pit village outside Leeds, I just wish I had understood the issues of the strike then.

Labels: family tree