metal – SANGHA KOMMUNE (SSR)

The hole, located outside a branch of bank on Bath Street, Ilkeston, became a tourist hotspot during Covid, with the bar's installation drawing widespread criticism. Picture: Facebook

UK: Weird Things Happening in England – Bank-Hole Bar Protest! (21.1.2026)

21/01/2026 Adrian (釋大道)

Following the bar’s installation, one local commented on a Facebook post highlighting the bar’s installation: “I’m assuming this has been constructed to allow two people to pass through the hole at the same time, thus cutting down the queuing time down Bath Street.

Another wrote: “So who is going to be the first person to get stuck in the hole and have to be rescued by our brave fire brigade?”

A third added: “Council asked “how can we make money from this” and someone suggested the council should turn it into a bar.”

“I hear it is being turned into a HMO on the top half and a Turkish barbers at the bottom,” wrote another.

The bank are yet to publicly comment on or justify the reasons behind the installation, with many locals left baffled by the high street addition.

The swift pushback from locals and fans of the ‘Bank [trade name omitted] Hole’ alike quickly caught the attention of local MP Adam Thompson.

In a written response, the MP wrote that the hole had become an “iconic symbol” of the town, noting the bar’s installation had raised “concern and speculation among Ilkeston residents”.

“The hole is well known locally and has become something of a landmark,” he continued, insisting the whole is “one of those small quirks that contributes to Ilkeston’s unique character and identity.”

“I believe I speak for many residents in saying there is relief the pole has been removed,” he said.

Adding: “that being said, I’d appreciate some clarification as to why the pole was installed in the first place, and, if possible, the reason for its removal.”

Both plaques were found in scrapyards in Essex, with one substantially damaged

UK. Stolen Kent WWI Memorial Recovered & Replaced! (10.1.2026)

10/01/2026 Adrian (釋大道)

Although we are not Christians (we have nothing against Christianity – if only it were literally true – or that everyone took Christ serious) – but we are forever in and out of old churches seeking out “old” and “esteemed” history. Our children view churches not as alien places we should not go – but rather as the venerable search-engines of the past (when the Church was the sole preserver of data) into modern focuses of spiritual endeavour in a brutal and material world. Of course, we do not support war, especially imperialist war, but as ordinary workers ourselves, we respect the effort that each ordinary man and woman went through (including the terror of war) who were forced to served in the Armed Forces through circumstance and condition.

Representatives of disabled artists pose for a group photo during an exhibition held at the Sensory Experience Gallery of the Palace Museum in Beijing, capital of China, Nov. 21, 2025. Featuring artworks created by disabled artists from Shanghai, the exhibition kicked off here on Friday. Under the guidance of inheritors of intangible cultural heritages, these artists infused their love for life and reverence for culture into their works. (Xinhua/Cai Yang)

China: Exhibition Held at Palace Museum Highlights Artworks Created by Disabled Artists! (21.11.2025)

21/11/2025 Adrian (釋大道)

When my article “The Invalidation of the Worker” was printed in the far-left British Press – many responses were from Union representatives stating how naïve I was to think that People with Disabilities should be treated with “Equality” and possess equal “Access” to the wealth a capitalist society possesses and has to offer. In other words, the leaders of the working-class in the UK were of the opinion that Person with Disabilities should resign themselves to a life of terminal unemployment, poverty, and exclusion. And that was coming from the left! The right-wing and far-right approach simply talked of “removing” the problem – whilst being very careful not to explain exactly what they meant. Even so-called “Communists” thought the Disabled were surplus to requirement – ignoring the fact that Disabled people helped to assemble tanks in the beleaguered factories of Stalingrad.

CSA: Confederate Navy – Black & Foreign Workers! (15.10.2025)

15/10/2025 Adrian (釋大道)

The CSA Navy was primarily tasked with defending the waterways leading from the coastal areas (and the open sea) into the Southern hinterland from attack by the Union. The secondary mission was to venture out into the coastal areas and the open sea to attack any approaching Union ship. The problem with this latter requirement is that once CSA ships were drawn away from the protection of CSA estuary and coastal batteries – the Confederate ships were often sitting ducks. This being the case, and given that stocks of new iron were low, the secondary objective was only rarely exercised. Of course, Confederate submarines did do some surprising damage to Union shipping – but this technology was still new, quite often unreliable, and usually deadly to its own crew. Despite being side-lined in favour of the CSA Army – the CSA Navy (and those who administered it) did an extraordinarily good job against incredible odds. African-Americans, both free and still in slavery, assisted the CSA in its naval requirements.

Italy: Study Finds Winged Lion of Venice Has “Chinese” Origin! (11.9.2025)

11/09/2025 Adrian (釋大道)

It would seem that between the Tang and (Islamic) Yuan Dynasties (around six-hundred years) this Lion sat dutifully outside a temple (or a tomb) – before being transported to the West and extensively “altered” to suit Western sensitivities – although it is highly likely that very few Europeans knew what an African (or “Indian”) lion actually looked like. Most Chinese lions I have seen are sat-down and I have never seen such an object stood-up on all fours. It would be interesting to see what the Lion in question looked like before the alterations. Finally, it is interesting that the British author (and former Submarine Commander in the Royal Navy) – Gavin Menzies (1937-2020) – wrote a book entitled “1434: The Year a Chinese Fleet Sailed to Italy and Ignited the Renaissance” (2008). He discusses the Chinese delegation that met with Pope Eugenius IV in Florence (1434) – and suggests that China had some type of diplomatic connection with the City States (which included Venice). Those who criticise Menzies’ work – are the same people who would never have allowed for idea that St Mark’s Lion could be of a “Chinese” origin. Given that this Lion arrived in Venice around 1264 – this Chinese Mission would have occurred only 166-years later.

China: Socialist Tech-Breakthrough in “Terahertz Wave” Control! (24.1.2025)

24/01/2025 Adrian (釋大道)

The newly developed terahertz wave polarization modulator outperforms other existing models, offering enhanced multifunctionality, a broader operating bandwidth, and high-precision control.

Terahertz waves, which occupy the spectral region between millimetre waves and infrared light, are characterized by broad bandwidth and strong penetration capabilities, making them highly promising for applications in next-generation wireless communications, material testing, and bio-medicine.

The research was jointly completed by the Aerospace Information Research Institute and Nanjing University. Its results have been published in the international academic journal Optica.

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