A Bit of Poetry

When I was at university, we had to study this poem:

This Is Just to Say
(by William Carlos Williams)

I have eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox

and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast

Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold

While I was convinced that this was not really a poem but rather a note he'd left on the kitchen table that had fallen out of his ephemera; others in the class got terribly serious about his literary style. Today I was delighted to find this blog. Enjoy.

The Story of Susan Travers

The amazing story of the only woman ever to serve in the French Foreign Legion is reported here.

"When France fell to the Nazis she made her way to London and signed up with General De Gaulle's Free French and was attached to the 13th Demi-Brigade of the Legion Etrangere, which sailed for Africa. Volunteering as a driver to the brigade's senior officers, she exhibited such nerves of steel in negotiating minefields and enemy attacks that she earned the affectionate nickname "La Miss" from her thousand male comrades."

She would have been 100 this week.

If James Dean Had Lived

This is an ad for an investment company I think. Nevertheless I like what they have done. Have always been a big James Dean fan :-)

Jedi ejected from Tesco's Supermarket

This lovely story via the Telegraph and a fb friend:

"Daniel Jones, 23, who created the International Church of Jediism, claims he was “victimised over his beliefs” by staff at the supermarket in Bangor, North Wales. The religion, inspired by the sci-fi films, is practised by 500,000 around the world and requires believers to cover their heads in public places. But Mr Jones, from Holyhead, said that staff ejected him from the store over security fears when he refused to remove his hood. Mr Jones, also known by his Jedi name Morda Hehol, told The Sun: "I told them it was a requirement of my religion but they just sniggered and ordered me to leave. "I walked past a Muslim lady in a veil. Surely the same rules should apply to everyone." The handbook of the UK Jedi Church, founded by the Star Wars fan last year, states: "Jedis must wear a hood up in any public place of a large audience." Daniel added: "It was discrimination. I was really upset. Nobody should be treated like that.” "I'll advise worshippers to boycott Tesco if it happens again. They will feel the Force."A Tesco spokesman said: "Jedi are very welcome to shop in our stores although we would ask them to remove their hoods."Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda and Luke Skywalker all went hoodless without going to the Dark Side. "If Jedi walk around our stores with their hoods on, they’ll miss lots of special offers.""

To find out more about the Church of Jediism, you might try clicking here.

What's In a Name (2)?

Apparently Nigella Lawson's mother originally intended to name her 'Gondola'.

For this, and other tidbits, watch this BBC 5-Minute interview.

Twinkle Twinkle Mega Star

My friend Yuri posted this for me to see, and I thought the musical ones among you might be interested, as I was, to hear the diversity of Indian musical traditions.

A Message From the President

Thank you Mr. President, and congratulations to both the writer of your speech and the person who helped you practice the Hebrew words so they came out right :-)

Happy New Year to you if you are celebrating Rosh Hashana; Eid Mubarak and/or a great weekend to everyone else!

R.I.P. Mary Travers

Growing up in England, with a mother who was a classical pianist, I was not terribly exposed to American folk music of the 1960's. It wasn't until our friend Bob z"l gave me an album by the Weavers when I was about 18 that I got my first taste of it. To this day I continue to listen, and the songs of Peter, Paul and Mary have a place in that canon. Thus I say thank you and good night to Mary Travers.

Telegraph announcement.