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20/2/2017 0 Comments Beverley artist Fred Elwell The First Born is a popular art work on regular display at the Ferens Art Gallery Hull. It is not however universally popular as some dismiss it as "chocolate box" art. But is is a skilful work of art whether you like the subject matter or not. It was painted by Fred Elwell a semi-local artist. Fred Elwell Fred Elwell was born in Beverley, Yorkshire, in 1870 and died in 1958. If you search the Internet for him you will find that information is fairly scarce. However, in my city Kingston-upon-Hull his is a fairly well-known name. Fred attended evening art classes, before winning a scholarship to the Lincoln School of Art in 1887. He was a successful student and won many awards. Although he experimented with modern influences he opted for the traditional style of painting which was currently popular. Fred travelled abroad painting in Antwerp and Paris and had plans to move to London and make the capital his home. However, this was not to be. Financial constraints and poor health saw him return to Beverley. There is little doubt that if circumstances had been different his name would have been more widely known. In 1914 Fred married Mary Dawson, a local widow, who was also an established, local artist. With an improved financial position Fred and Mary travelled extensively and Fred became a full member of the Royal Academy in 1938. Ultimately Fred believed that :- "painting is 90 per cent perspiration and 10 per cent inspiration" and regarded modern art movements as "misguided attempts at being different ". A traditional artist, many of Fred's paintings are disliked by modern artists and dismissed as chocolate box, sentimental and chintzy. There is no denying though that Fred was an exceptional artist and his work is charming and well as professional. One of his most famous paintings locally is "The first born" which is part of the Ferens Art Gallery's vast collection. The painting shows a young husband sitting on the bed of his wife as she holds their newly born first child. It is sweet and very much of the time. There are works of art by Fred Elwell on display at galleries around the country including in Beverley and Bristol.  Beverley, East Yorkshire is quite rightly proud of Fred Elwell and his local links.
For 2009 a Fred Elwell trail was created organised. It meant that some of Fred's paintings were hung in prominent positions around Beverley; places significant to each piece of work. Most of Fred's paintings incorporated areas and settings in and around Beverley. Beverley still has a quaintness, retaining much of its old world charm, despite having modern shops and roads. Ferens Art Gallery The Ferens is located in Victoria Square in the centre of Kingston-Upon-Hull and is free to visit. It is owned, run and maintained by the local council. The gallery has permanent collections on display which include works of art by Canaletto and Frans Hals as well as modern works and temporary displays. The gallery's gift shop sells greetings cards and posters of The First Born and more. Beverley Beverley is around 7 miles outside of Kingston-Upon-Hull in East Yorkshire, England. It is a small market town which is very pretty. Within a short distance there are the Yorkshire wolds, York, Harrogate and the coast. Beverley has a through train station with links around the country and a good bus service. As a base for exploring East Yorkshire it would be a perfect. Beverley though small has a racecourse with a good programme of events. There is a large market held every Saturday and a smaller Wednesday market. The Westwood, a short walk from the centre of Beverley, is a great place to picnic or just stretch your legs. Beverley has a good selection of shops, restaurants and cafes. Good antiquarian book stores and antique shops are dotted around. Beverley has a Minster and the historic St Marys Church which are also worth a visit. Fred Elwell Hull Museums http://www.museums.eastriding.gov.uk/treasure-house-and-beverley-art-gallery/collections/the-elwells/ http://fredelwell.org/
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 Does at least one person living in your home leave a mess after a trip to the bathroom during the night? It is not fair to generalise but men have enough problem "hitting the spot" in daylight hours let alone at the dead of night. A sleepy adult or child can also cause problems. If any of this sounds all too familiar perhaps a glow--in-the-dark toilet seat could be the answer to your prayers? The bright at night loo seat is the brainchild of Tim Fittler of Fittler Sales & Marketing. His idea was developed and manufactured in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. During the day the loo seats are white, a popular colour for bathrooms and bathroom fittings these days. As night time falls though the seat colour morphs into a blue or green glow. Early versions of the glowing toilet seat were a novelty item with only a short span of "light time". The latest glow-in-the-dark seats will be marketed with hotels, nursing homes and hospitals in mind. They should prove a useful addition as in such establishments people are less familiar with their surroundings. According to the inventor, Tim Fittler, the new NightGlow toilet seat requires minimal light to charge. Fully charged the loo seat offers up to eight hours of "glow". Various light sources can be used to charge the seats. Research and development is ongoing as tougher and more appropriate materials are tested. Currently the seats retail at around £34.99. We wonder if they have longevity? We found various items online such as the loo seat illustrated at the Glow Company.  Op-ed: So Mr and Mrs Trump are together in Florida.
Reunited at last. The First Lady Melania Trump has not joined her husband in the White House following his inauguration, breaking with tradition. So an unconventional couple and an unconventional POTUS and First Lady. Whether that is in a good or bad way is up to you. But the media have been questioning "where's Melania" and this old long time married woman picked up on one thing. When Melania and Donald finally caught up with each other in Florida there was a photo opp and it was used for maximum publicity. It was staged and showy with Melania playing the trophy wife to perfection. But it did not show a traditional or conventional happy couple reuniting. Pres. Trump, so often the big showman, has appeared slightly tamed at least vocally since his inauguration. Except for on Twitter that is. He appears to have undergone a slight makeover. But body language can be a giveaway. The way Trump pats Melania's hand when they meet looks odd. Is he thanking her for joining him? Did she have to be persuaded? Is he a bully? Or was it simply reassurance as both of them settle into their new roles? Mr Trump has been married three times. Is marriage number three going through a wobbly period? Time will tell. The Obama's faced questions about their marriage in the media which appear to have been purely malicious. Related http://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/donald-trump-president-body-language-9225180  If there is one sure fire way to create a shortage it is to declare a shortage.
This time it is some fresh produce which is imported into the UK from countries like Spain. These countries have experienced unusually cold weather this winter and it has hit crops hard. But let's get real folks. UK shops and supermarkets carry a huge range of groceries. This woman can remember when there was little choice. There were a couple of brands of soap powder, tinned goods, minimal vegetable choice and the like. We have become used however in the 21st century to being able to buy any product at any time of year and that includes salad and summer fruits like strawberries in winter. But in 2017 if one item is unavailable there is bound to be a replacement on offer. Once a shortage is announced though it snowballs rapidly as people stock pile; that may not be so easy thankfully this time. The twitter image above shows the old jungle drums are working overtime to spread the news. In 2017 social media will add to shortage woes. Rationing in supermarkets adds to panic buying. Previous shortages People who lived through the war years know all about proper food shortages and rationing. This woman has experienced first hand at least three food shortages:
The bread shortage almost passed us by. We are hit and miss bread eaters sometimes consuming very little. We found we could get by and use crackers, rice cakes and crispbreads when necessary The sugar shortage was great. I quit taking sugar on cereal and in tea and my taste buds were soon re-tuned. To this day I only take sugar in coffee and then prefer to opt for a sweetener. And those three shortages were great for the hips! But all three resulted in sky high supermarket prices that some people just paid. Definition of a food shortage? "Food shortage may refer to: Famine, a general and persistent shortage of food. Economic shortage specific to food (not necessarily long term or leading to starvation, but not filling demand for speed, quantity, or type of edible goods)." Don't be a sucker You can opt to chase around to buy stocks available, you can pay inflated prices or you can simply adapt. This woman knows what she will be doing! BBC News Benefits of taking vitamins Dementia fighting Vitamin B 27/1/2017 0 Comments Ideas for going green in your home Environmentally friendly homes are the only sensible option these days. They will help save you money, save energy and, hopefully, protect the environment for future generations. Many of us these days unwittingly cause damage to the environment, for example, with our love of foreign travel and huge gas guzzling cars.
In the home we have so many gadgets and appliances that our energy bills are often through the roof. There are many changes we can make around the home, both small and large, that will help our homes to become more environmentally friendly and most will save you money too. Solar Energy This is probably one of the biggest changes that you can make to your home's use of energy. It will involve some initial expense, and a little upheaval, but in the long run, should save you a fortune. Of course, as solar power simply utilises the sun's energy for fuel it is kind to the environment. So if this option if not for you what else is available? Home improvement There are other home improvement options, which may help reduce your fuel bills, save you money and help the environment. 1 - Double Glazing. Secondary glazing is a very cost effective way to save heat in your home. Even if you have double glazed window and door units already, if they are old they may not be as cost effective as you imagine. Consider upgrading to the latest energy efficient options. 2 - Cavity Wall Insulation This is not suitable for all homes. However if your home is one of those brick built types that could have cavity wall insulation then go for it. Yes, there will be some cost but, in the long run, it will save you money. 3 - Loft Insulation. Even if your loft or roof space is insulated it is possible that the insulation no longer meets minimum requirements. In the UK government grants are available toward the cost. Update your appliances Traditional white goods such as refrigerators, washing machines and cookers have come a long way in recent years. The newest versions are all manufactured with protecting the environment in mind. They are energy efficient and use minimal amounts of water and energy. You may not be able to afford to replace such appliances immediately but you need to buy environmentally friendly options when you are replacing old goods. The initial extra cost will soon be recovered by the savings made. Make sure that everything is in good working order Leaking washing machines and faucets, or taps, will waste valuable resources and money. Be environmentally wise and repair such items sooner rather than later. Energy saving light bulbs Replace all of your light bulbs with the energy saving kind. This is a quick, cheap and easy way to save money and power. Lower all thermostat settings Make sure that thermostats for hot water, heating, air conditioning, freezers and the like are set at the lowest level as long as good results are still given. Forget stand-by modes Make sure that you switch appliances off at the wall. Leaving such appliances in stand-by mode wastes power and money. You will be surprised how much of each it wastes; most stand-by modes are not necessary and sometimes only leave an unnecessary clock still working. Dimmer switches and lamps Use a dimmer switch or lamplight to create mood lighting and cut down on the use of energy. Stop using cleaning products that will damage the environment Many of us have cupboards full of harsh cleaning products. The ranges available just keep growing. However if you research more natural and traditional cleaning agents, such as lemon, white vinegar and baking soda, you will find that they will clean a wealth of dirty objects without harming the environment. Recycling Separate your waste products in order to recycle as much as possible. In England many local councils already offer different collection bins for paper, bottles and or tin cans. However, you can make your own recycling bins and then dispose of them as appropriate. Compost what waste you can in order to complete your green waste campaign. Make do and mend Think about items that can be traded, re-sold or re-used. For years we have been living in a throwaway society and we really need to change our wasteful habits. Home offices Use your shredded paper waste for added bulk in your composter. Do not print documents and emails unless really necessary. Instead save an electronic copy on an external hard drive. Recycle old printer inks and toners. Water Butts Water butts are cheap and easy to install. Simply connect to your fall pipe. In times of low rainfall use washing-up water and the like to water your garden. Batteries Invest in a battery charger and make sure that you use it. Laundry Whenever possible line dry your laundry. Avoid using a tumble drier unless you really have to. Tumble driers should be used as an emergency not as a matter of course. In the garden or yard Opt for low voltage garden lights, LED or solar powered ones. Plants such as lavender will entice bees and butterflies into your garden. Even if you only have a small patio you can have some plants growing in tubs or pots. The world needs as much planting as possible, especially these days. Small garden plants are also good for the environment. In conclusion Once you start to assess your needs and your lifestyle you will be amazed at the improvements you can make around your home that will save you money and be environmentally friendly. Use your imagination, have fun going green and enjoy the extra cash you will now have!  Winter and YOU
When Autumn in the UK is just around the corner the odd grim day offers a glimpse of what is to come. Unfortunately it will rarely be a pretty as a picture scene, as in the one shown. Cold, wet and windy weather will be the order of the day. In the UK our seasons continue to shift but cold and tough weather hits us all some of the time. With limited amounts of daylight, let alone sunlight, it is all too easy to get run down and feel tired and depressed. These days though it does not have to be like that. As usual forward planning is the order of the day. It is up to you. If you look after yourself, throughout the winter months, you can emerge in Spring slim, fit and well rather than overweight, out of condition and feeling drained. A handful of ways to stay fit during Winter Your diet Our diet is as important as ever in Winter. In fact it is probably more important. With less exposure to sunlight we can all end up lacking in some vitamins. Vitamin supplements are OK but it is better by far to take in your vitamins via your diet. Fresh fruit and vegetables can be a little more expensive in Winter. However if you buy seasonal fruits and veg they should be good value for money. Remember that some frozen vegetables still offer a good source of vitamins, are easy to store, have a good shelf life and can be a cheaper option. Ensure that your winter diet does not just include stodgy, winter warming foods but that it also includes:-
Try to avoid filling up on sugary foods. Salads can still be tasty in Winter but may seem an unsuitable cold alternative. Try a warm salad instead. This way your body will receive the vital minerals and vitamins needed for good health and you will enjoy a tasty warming meal. Coughs, Colds, Chills and the Flu As if the usual winter bugs were not enough we now have the threat of Swine Flu lurking at our doors. Keep yourself as fit as possible in order to minimise the risk of developing flu and colds. Remember that good hygiene also plays a part. Wash your hands regularly throughout the day and dispose of used tissues as soon as you have used them. Sticking them in your pocket or handbag will only compound problems. Eat a good diet and consider taking a daily supplement of Echinacea. Many people swear by this as a coughs and colds preventative. Eat a vitamin C rich diet or, if this is not possible, take a supplement. Reduce or stop smoking as this habit reduces the vitamin C in your body. Do not cough and sneeze all over the place. Make sure that you cover your mouth. These days it is recommended that you sneeze into the crook of your arm rather than your hands. This is because it so easy to spread infections via your hands. Carry hand wipes for emergencies. These can be good also for wiping suspect keyboards and telephone handsets. Remember to use good hygiene practices in your place of work. Winter vomiting bugs I have seen The Winter Vomiting Bug or Noro Virus in all its glory, and trust me it is not a pretty sight. If you are fit and healthy it should not cause you lasting problems but it is not pleasant. Projectile vomiting and severe diarrhoea can leave the patient feeling drained and weak. Just what you do not want for the Holiday Season and beyond. Again good basic hygiene is essential. If you think you have contracted this illnesses stay home. It is best to avoid work and socialising for at least 48 hours. Most people will not feel up to either anyway. However, if you live with someone who has this illness and you start to feel unwell, that is vomit for example, the same applies to you. During winter we are often tucked up together sharing buses, cars, or Christmas shopping. At such times it is all too easy for these bugs to run riot. Keeping warm Keeping warm is much easier these days but not cheap. However for the elderly and vulnerable it may not be so easy. With increasingly expensive fuel bills people are often advised to turn down the thermostat. If you are elderly this is not good advice. Hypothermia is all too easy to develop in the elderly. If you are struggling with the financial cost of keeping warm check out what help is available. There are also government grants in the UK which could help insulate your home. Winter clothes are essential for your well being. If last years winter clothes are looking sad and tired try shopping around for new. If necessary check out the secondhand shops for bargains. If you chose such shops, that are located in nicer areas of town, the nearly new goods will be just that. Almost new. The Internet has some good bargains but make sure that you really need and want what you buy or else it is not a bargain. Taking care As much as you need to take care in Summer, you also need to in Winter, but of course the problems are different. Cold and foggy weather can put your safety at risk in many ways. If you are driving visibility may be poor or the roads could be slippery. If you are out and about on foot the darker mornings and evenings could mean that you are more at risk from thieves and the like. Pedestrians are also prone to slips and trips on icy pavements. The A and E departments of UK hospitals are full of people with fractures in both summer and winter. I guess this because in Summer we often take more risks and in winter there can be more hazards out there. None of this however should prevent you getting out and about. Just make sure that you are conscious of you safety and use your common sense. Sensible clothing and footwear is part of this common sense approach. Increased costs You will no doubt find that money can be a little tight during Winter. What with Christmas shopping, increased fuel bills, limited walking and some healthy foods a little more expensive it can be difficult to make ends meet. This means that it is more important than any other time of the year to budget well. Of course that is unless money is no object to you? I know. I wish! Keep basic household accounts and cuts costs when possible. Make sure that you do not cut back on essentials though as this will be false saving. In the long run you will have to spend more to put things right. SAD, seasonal affective disorder Even if you do not actually suffer from SAD it is all too easy to feel down in Winter. If you are looking after yourself then this may not happen. If it does try to:-
Your skin and hair Your skin and hair can really suffer during winter. Those cold blasts of air can make your skin dry and rough. Use products, whether you are a male or a female to help protect your skin and hair. This way you should not leave Winter, and enter Spring, looking like a cross between a wrinkled prune and Methuselah. 12/1/2017 0 Comments Create a personal Valentine rhyme Can't write a poem to save your life? Well you could be surprised. Often when you try to compose a basic rhyme the words flow easier than you may have imagined. You may never be a Lord Byron or Tennyson, being able to conjure vivid ideas and thoughts of love and passion from a few words, but you might still create a poem that touches the heart of your loved one.
Considerations There are poems in which a set number of lines rhyme in a particular way. Then there is non-rhyming verse which can be hard to get right. A rhyming poem of about six or eight lines is fairly easy to construct. However you don't want to end up with a tacky verse that causes offence. Fist things first then what do you want your poem to convey? Is it to be funny, serious, loving, sexy, childish, mature or what? It could be that you want a mixture of all things. How well do you know the recipient? Is it a long time lover, husband or wife, brief acquaintance, girlfriend, boyfriend or someone you love from afar? All of these should be considered so that your poem is appropriate. You do not want to end up looking a fool do you? Everyone creates in a different way. For me I tend to think of my opening line and go from there. The final word of each line can be the crucial one. It will be this that needs to rhyme. Usually it is divided though so that the second and fourth lines rhyme and so on. Here is a corny Valentine's poem I wrote a few years ago for my hubby. Hopefully I have improved a bit since then: These Valentine wishes are especially for you, even though at times you make me feel blue. I guess life is like that, it seems to me, as being permanently happy we can never be. Yet through the days, of sun and rain, my love for you has remained the same. Deep down I know that you have a heart of gold and I will love you until we both grown old. I guess I will love you till the day I die, my friend, my love my Valentine guy. A Valentine poem for Hubby (C) eileen kersey Points to remember
So a first line? I love you ***** with all my heart. A good start? Well it could be but now try to find a word that rhymes with heart. Well a rude one instantly springs to my mind which is not good unless your Valentine wish is going to be a cruel one or a joke. Go through the alphabet to see what words are available and you should come up with part, apart, start, cart, dart and tart, at least. So what about apart? I love you ***** with all my heart I never want us to be apart Not brilliant but passable and good for practising. You will want your rhyme to flow and stick to the point. So what abut the next two lines? I have loved you since the day we met That day we both got very wet Well that may not fit in your scenario but it will create a short rhyme suitable for a Valentine. It would need a little more of course but. I love you ***** with all my heart I never want us to be apart I have loved you since the day we met That day we both got very wet It may have rained a lot since then But your smile brings sunshine again and again Hopefully this has shown you how easy it could be to create a personal Valentine rhyme. Create a card online to go with it. An individual creation is much better to receive than any old store bought rhyme which thousands of others will also receive. 10/1/2017 0 Comments 60-day-old bread a possibility? When you read about some flash person buying a £1,000 bottle of wine or paying £7,000 a night to stay in a room at Claridges London it seems an utter disgrace that so many people around the world are starving and living on the equivalent of cents or pennies a day.
The World has always been a tough place for those with few resources and little money. In many ways, in spite of trillions of pounds and dollars worth of aid being spent, the problems continue to increase. Some of it is down to climate change, conlfict and civil unrest but a rapidly increasing world population is not helping. With bad years for crops things have not improved much. In the UK food stuffs such as peas and apples which are usually in abundant supply shot up in price due to shortages in 2012. Too much rain, not enough rain, wildfires, floods, earthquakes, storms and more have all played a part in reducing world food stocks. Scientists have been researching the use of Genetically Modified food for some time but is it safe? GM food is said to be safe but there are obvious concerns about eating such foods. We would all prefer to eat healthy fresh food straight out of the garden, never touched by radiation, insecticide and the like. In reality though that is not so easy unless you have a small holding or farm. Try to buy even organically produced foods and you will pay through the nose for the privilege. Yet some worry about how genuine "organic" claims are as a whole. One possible innovation could see bread produced which will remain mold free for up to 60 days. Yes 60 days. That is a huge lengthening of the "eat by" date of bread. If it was possible to extend the lifespan of a simple loaf of bread in the UK, for example, it would save a huge mountain of waste. Most people in the UK throw at least half a loaf of bread away on a regular basis. With wheat shortages and drought in parts of the USA in mind this is scandalous. Yet it is a fact It also seems to be true that bread does not last as long as it used to. Perhaps this is sometimes due to bread sold in supermarkets being far from fresh; it may have already been frozen for some time but whatever the reason bread does get moldy and stale quicker than it used to. Another point to bear in mind is that in fifties Britain for example bread that was purchased was consumed as it was cheap. Waste was not on. Money was tight and hard bread was toasted rather than thrown away. If all else failed in winter it was fed to the birds outside. Now that people have more choice how many snack on good old fashioned bread and jam? Not many we think. That does not mean people should have less money and a poor diet but rather just using this as a possible explanation as to why bread was not thrown away so much in the past. So back to bread which could last 60 days and may sound attractive or not. Presumably when food stuffs were first canned, and thus enabled to remain edible for years, people were aghast. These days you would think nothing of eating food from a tin as long as it was within its expiry date. Is bread so very different? Well it does remain to be seen. It depends how the bread is treated to extend its shelf life. My gut instinct is no way would I eat that but you never know. Researchers at Texas Tech University in Lubbock have said that their experiments could help stop many food borne illnesses. Tests have been carried out on various foods and not all have been successful but many have. The scientists use a microwave system to "sterilise" the foods. If the US authorities give the company the go ahead the foods will initially be used in war torn regions. That is worrying. It is like using the people involved as guinea pigs. It is easy to see how though a food with a long life could be useful in conflict. What is always a cause for concern is will such foods be on sale in our stores and if so will they be labeled accordingly? We may want to try the latest technology or want to give it a wide birth. In the end that should be our choice. Read more here And here http://www.businessinsider.com/microzap-60-day-fresh-bread-2013-1 8/1/2017 1 Comment Yorkshire dialect "The Yorkshire dialect refers to the Northern English language varieties spoken in England's historic county of Yorkshire. Those varieties are often referred to as Broad Yorkshire or Tyke. The dialect has roots in older languages such as Old English and Old Norse; it should not be confused with modern slang."
This blogger lives in what was once termed the East Riding of Yorkshire, in England. For a time it became North Humberside. In general this title was poorly received and ultimately we returned to being known as Yorkshire. The changes of course cost fortune upon fortune. Letter headed note-paper, street signs and maps were just a few of the items which needed changing a more than once. Still it would seem that we are now securely back as Yorkshire, at least for the time being. Most of the locals in my city will agree that our accents are dreadful. You can always tell a person is from our city, for example when they appear on TV, by the flat tone of their voice. We seem to be taught from a young age to use slang words and seem incapable of pronouncing vowels. The Yorkshire dialect seems to have passed us by but it is still alive and well in the more rural parts of Yorkshire and some smaller towns and cities but only just. Having said that Leeds is a larger city and yet they have a distinct dialect. For example, a Leeds person may say reet grand instead of rather nice. As children we would visit a distant relative who lived near to Skipton in the Yorkshire Dales. She lived in a small village which had a small population. This population though had strange names, such as Moses Thackery, knew each others business and in general spoke in Yorkshire dialect. My female relative originated in my home town and so she did not speak in dialect. However her husband born and bred in the countryside may as well have come from the planet Mars. We could not understand a word he said. Compiling the list below, though, which is a taster of Yorkshire dialect, has made me realise that I do use at least a few words that are strictly speaking Yorkshire Dialect. Researching online I came across one site which is dedicated to maintaining Yorkshire dialect. It has a wealth of poetry and song, and samples can be downloaded to listen to. Even the names of the authors were intriguing. So here are a few words of Yorkshire Dialect with translations;
http://www.yorkshiredialectsociety.org.uk/ http://www.yorkshire-dialect.org/dictionary.htm
On the 8th anniversary of the dreadful events that happened in New York, America, and are often referred to as 9/11, we watched "102 Minutes That Changed America."
It is scheduled to be aired again in the UK and in many ways is essential viewing. There can be few, if any readers, who know little of what I am writing about. However for that tiny minority:- On September 11, 2001, a plane hit one of the Trade Centre Towers in New York. At first it was thought to be an accident but, within a short space of time, a second plane hit the other tower and people's worst fears were confirmed. America and its people were under attack from an unknown source. Since that time there have been many theories about the possible involvement of certain American agencies, foreknowledge of the American Government and conspiracy. I for one do not believe any of these and hope to God that I am right. So, on that fateful day, as the drama unfolded before the eyes of the World, the twin towers fell to the ground and people were deeply moved, shocked and saddened. It is now 2017 The following was written September 10, 2009. "Today is September 10, 2009 and, this year in the UK, there have been many programmes aired regarding the twin towers and 9/11. All have been interesting but of course upsetting. One of the documentaries that I have watched this week was "102 Minutes That Changed America". This film is available through sources such as Amazon. For those interested I would recommend watching this film but expect a bumpy ride. 102 Minutes is made up of actual footage that New York's citizens, workforce and visitors collected on that day. 102 minutes is such a brief time when you consider the implications of what took place during this period of time. It was 102 minutes from when the first plane hit the first Trade Centre Tower until the collapse of the second tower and the carnage that was left behind. 9/11 It was a beautiful late Summer, early Autumn day and America looked glorious. The bright blue sky was the type that I find so heartwarming. I doubt that those who witnessed this event close at hand could ever look at such a sky in the same way again. With footage from around 100 different onlookers, this film shows many aspects of this atrocity which I had not seen before. From close by, a couple of blocks away, five blocks away or even way across New York City on Staton Island this event was witnessed. In the UK it was early afternoon before the news broke of the first plane hitting one of the Twin Towers. Just as when President Kennedy was assassinated, when I was a child, I remember so well what we were doing on 9/11. Hubby had been ill and a Doctor's appointment was booked for later in the afternoon. I was going with him as he had been very unwell. By the time the appointment arrived the towers had fallen, the world had changed and the day felt totally unreal. The receptionists were listening to the news on radios at the surgery and everywhere felt eerie. Unlike such disasters in the past the news coverage was intense and all too explicit. The difference with 102 Minutes That Changed America is that it is real and, in a raw sense, created by the man on the street. There is some news footage but on the whole it is Joe Public who is the camerman,ad woman. The devastating effect 9/11 had on people who lived close by is there to see as plain as day. The film has the same effect of Cloverfield in that people at times are running for their lives whilst still filming. Only this time it is for real. This makes for a very unstable image at times but we must never forget that this is not a drama but real life. I cannot say that I enjoyed 102 minutes as that is the wrong word to use. I was glad that I watched it although much of the two hours when this film was aired was upsetting. By the time each commercial break came around I felt drained and I was only watching a film. Thank god I was not there. As a record of a dreadful piece of history 102 minutes is very accurate. I will not re hash the events of that day, as we all are only too well aware of what happened and what has happened since. I did wonder though how those who were so close by coped after the event. People such as:-
And so many more. It goes without saying that those directly involved and their families must struggle on a daily basis. So this film is recommended viewing but not for everyone. At the start the film makers state that there is plenty of distressing footage and personal caution should be exercised. Despite the emotional roller coaster this film evoked in me I am glad that I decided to watch 102 minutes. It is gripping stuff and a painful reminder why terrorists must never be allowed to succeed. |
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