Clouds drifting by

In all the furore over Harry and Meghan, I find this Buzzfeed article fascinating.

It highlights the difference in how the press covers Kate vs. Meghan. Like Kate tenderly cradling her baby bump vs. Meghan "is it pride, vanity, acting or a new age bonding technique?"

I think my favourite is Meghan endangered Charlotte's life by having lily of the valley flowers in her wedding. Kate also had lily of the valley flowers in her wedding but there was no implication she was trying to off one of her bridesmaids.

If someone was continuously posting crap like this about me, I'd be all, "Screw it, I'm out."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-30878265Kerr

Judith Kerr, the author of the Mog series has died.

I really liked her book When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit. It detailed her and her family's escape from pre-war Germany, into France, then finally to England.

From the article:
On Desert Island Discs in 2004, she told Sue Lawley: "I think of the business of the Holocaust, and the one and a half million children who didn't get out as I got out, in the nick of time -- I think about them almost every day now, because I've had such a happy and fulfilled life and they'd have given anything to have had just a few days of it.

"And I hope I've not wasted any of it: I try to get the good of every bit of it because I know they would have done if they'd had the chance."


Godspeed, lady.

(https://urbanintellectuals.com/malawian-teen-taught-build-windmill-junk-brought-power-village-learned-library-books/?fbclid=IwAR2rmY0AUyf2SiwdiNogK1kW1tt_3xNeg2wEF_J0sfi9ua2fIIIKAGzvzUY)
Link to Urban Intellectuals.com.

(Shortened version of the article.)
William Kamkwamba was born in 1987 in Dowa, Malawi, and grew up on his family's farm in Masitala Village, Wimbe.

When he  was 14, in 2001, his parents couldn't afford to send him to school any more, so he turned to his local library for books. After reading a book on windmills and turbine power, he was determined to build one to power his family's home and farm, which was without any electricity at all.

"Subsequent projects have included clean water, malaria prevention, solar power and lighting for the six homes in his family compound; a deep water well with a solar powered pump for clean water, a drip irrigation system, and the outfitting of the village team Wimbe United with their first ever uniforms and shoes."

His autobiography is on Amazon UK for 99p. (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Boy-Who-Harnessed-Wind-ebook/dp/B003IDMUJA/ref=la_B002BRKQEK_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1556613232&sr=1-1)

~~~

I'm absolutely in awe. This guy sounds determined and amazing.

June Whitfield has passed on at 93.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-46712694

She was in one of my favourite Carry Ons, Carry On Abroad, where she played this shrew of a wife who was never happy. "That sun is too hot. This shade is too cold. I'm going inside." She was hilarious.

Godspeed, lady.

The community that rushed to help.

♥

( Read more... )

BBC article.

Letting water get anywhere near your contact lens can let Acanthamoeba Keratitis (AK) infect your eyes.

AK is "a rare but serious eye infection caused by a micro-organism that's common in tap water, sea water and swimming pools".

Symptoms of Acanthamoeba keratitis include the following:

Sensitivity to light and excessive tearing
Blurred vision with eye redness and pain
Sensations of having something in your eye
Severe headaches

Check it out!

Apparently it's to celebrate NASA's announcement of the relatively nearby galaxy with 7 Earth sized planets they've discovered.

I don't blame the artist who made this for calling out these people on their extreme lack of awareness.
( Read more... )

BBC link.

That must have been one riveting book!