Today's News

[Daisy]

Gem and Oma - I know what you mean. I kind of understand, but still don't 'get' it. Why would you want to pay a small fortune for something that is basically a digital file??? Smoke and mirrors come to mind.

[Plantaholic]

It is another world and too difficult for me to comprehend

[Daisy]

If NFTs (see yesterday's story) seem to be all smoke and mirrors, what about the 'real' smoke and mirrors ...

I bet we've all watched a magician live on stage or on tv doing things that appear to be impossible. We absolutely know they can't make things appear or disappear, cut the lady in half (why always a lady?) or know what someone in the audience has written on a piece of paper which was sealed up in three envelopes and then appears when a melon is sliced in half. We find ourselves saying 'how did they do that?"

Now a young lady of 28 has just achieved something that had seemed equally impossible, by becoming the first female President of the Magic Circle, and the youngest person every to hold that post.

The Magic Circle, formed in 1905 to promote and advance magic, has about 1,500 members from all walks of life, from David Copperfield with his large scale illusions, the Prince of Wales and even Sooty. Women have only been allowed to join this elite band in the last 30 years, and only 5% of its members are female, even today.

Megan Swann, from Eltham in south-east London said her passion for magic started when she was given a magic set when she was just 5, and then joined the Young Magicians' Club five years later. She is really hoping to encourage more women magicians.

[Gemini]

Well done that young woman!

It's true you rarely see female magicians do you ?!

[Oma]

The one act I cannot stand is Magicians ,
The tricks are clever I will give them that but for some reason it not only bores me but I get irritated too , no idea why I just do

[Daisy]

One of the best things about any Marathon run is the back stories of so many of the competitors. The London Marathon 2021 is no different.

One of the competitors, Vicky Lawrence aged 21, is from Birmingham and currently a medical student in Newcastle. She is running with Elliott Brock from Essex, the man who saved her life 13 years ago.

When she was younger Vicky suffered from an autoimmune disorder and received a life saving bone marrow transplant from Mr Brock.

Mr Brock hopes that their story will raise awareness of what the Anthony Nolan Trust does and inspire other people to join the bone marrow register.

I hope they both enjoy their amazing run next Sunday.

[Gemini]

Aww, what a lovely story

Good luck to them both.

[Daisy]

In January 1970 a group of Danish school boys who described themselves as a bunch of 16 year old hippies, went to a news conference in a remote area of Denmark. But it was winter and they didn't get there in time. They were aiming to do an interview with John Lennon and Yoko One who were in the area visiting Yoko's daughter. They were invited in anyway, and took photos and recorded the interview. Peace was a major topic of conversation, and John played and sang the hit Give Peace a Chance and a short song called Radio Peace intended for a radio station which never opened - all captured on an old-fashioned cassette tape recorder.

A few months later the Beatles disbanded and the 16 year old hippy kept his recording safely - until now.

This 33-minute recording is now up for auction at Denmark's main auction house. It's estimated to fetch between £23,000 and £36,000. Not bad for an afternoon's work by a group of school boys 51 years ago.

[Gemini]

Daisy, I heard this on the radio this morning!

[Daisy]

Haha - did they beat me to it!

[Daisy]

I have just spent some time writing about the relatively new branch of the life coaching industry called Happiness Coaching. Gremlins in the internet however decided to step in and the whole article disappeared, apart from a few random words just as I pressed the Post button.

At that point my frustration levels were much higher than my happiness levels!! The final sentence was to be that one happy client of life coaching said that she "had learned great tools to use to stay positive .... and I remind myself daily that I can choose my state of mind".

My state of mind right now?

[Gemini]

Oh dear Daisy!

[Daisy]

I didn't intend to give a take on major news items in this thread, but this is an exception.

Today, Wayne Couzens, the policeman who lured away, raped and then killed 33 year old Sarah Everard in March, was sentenced to a whole-life sentence, meaning he will die in jail.

As the law stands at the moment, that is the very maximum sentence, and I for one am heartily glad he will never be released. I hope he spends the rest of his life in a Category A High Security prison with no 'privileges' and no hope of transfer to a lower category.

[Oma]

Well said Daisy I agree 1000%
That poor girl couldn't even defend herself then to try to burn her body ,
Her poor family didn't even have the chance to see her to say goodbye if they wanted too

[Plantaholic]

I think other prisoners will give him a hard time as he was a policeman.