[color=blue]I watched a very enjoyable programme last night on BBC 4.
It was called "Our Hidden Lives", and starred Richard Briers, and Lesley Sharp.
It was based on the diaries of real people written just after the Second World War, when the Government of the Day, set up the "Mass Observation Unit", where they asked ordinary people to write down their doings and thoughts in a form of Journal and they were asked to submit these writings to the Mass Observation Unit.
The main things that featured strongly between all five of the people whose Diaries were featured, was the almost permanent hunger that they suffered, along with shortages of almost everything. Also featured strongly was the Authorities attitudes towards homosexuality, how easy it was for "Agents Provocatures" to entrap unsuspecting victims at Public Conveniences, or "Cottages" as they were then called.
There were mentioned instances of men, in their seventies being sent to prison for "ten years of penal servitude", just for so-called indecent acts with another man.
By the early Fifties, most people seemed resigned to things never improving, and food being always on ration.
It seems that although we "won" the War, we still duffered chronic shortages and hardship for many years afterwards.
It also showed people, families. wearing their overcoats indoors, during the Winter, as there was also shortages of Coal and other fuels.
I, personally, can still remember Ration Books, and I think that sweets were the last thing to come off rations.
Things didn't start to improve until the mid fifties, and from then on, by the Sixties, the War Years were well and truly behind us.
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"When was the last time you were at a wedding that had a death defying hike, rogue waves, a luau, ultimate fighting, a presidential candidate and a budding bromance?" asks Papi Chulo. For most of us, the answer is never, but luckily, Papi Chulo and Secret Agent Scotch took the time to Vox all the amazing moments during their unforgettable Hawaiian wedding on 08.08.08 so we could all take part in the festivities.
The story began last February, when Papi Chulo popped the question and Secret Agent Scotch said yes! Since then, they've kept us in the loop about all the details, from the bride's veil to the wedding song to the final To-Do List. And throughout it all, they inspired us with their love for each other. (I'm pretty sure it doesn't get any better than knowing your future husband thinks you are The Perfect Girl.)
It's an amazing love story and we are thrilled they shared it with us. Watch the video of the ceremony and please join us in wishing Papi Chulo and Secret Agent Scotch the fairytale ending they deserve.
And What's a Team Vox Post without New Themes?
Spice up your Vox blog with one of our latest themes (found in the design area under "New") or any of our hundreds of themes. From shopping to sushi, comics to cycling, there's something for everyone.
Can't get enough of the wedding? A few lucky Voxers - Krissy, djchall, and Beau Smith - made the trip to Hawaii to take part in the celebration. Check out their Vox blogs for more pictures and stories.
Congratulations again to Secret Agent Scotch and Papi Chulo! Enjoy the Honeymoon!
At Vox, we believe that change is a good thing. After all, you wouldn't wear the same t-shirt day in and day out, so why should your blog have to suffer the same fate? Give your blog a new look with one of our latest themes (found under "New"), or pick from any of our hundreds of themes designed with your passions and personality in mind.
Until then... Enjoy!
-daisy
This is a call to all Autonomous / Anti-authoritarian / Anarchist People Of Color across North America to begin assembling APOC formations in your hoods, communities and regions!
A small but nationwide listserv is in the early stages of planning a national APOC gathering in the coming year. APOCistas on the conference list are encouraged by APOC gatherings that have taken place recently at anarchist bookfairs, conferences and convergences across the country, which have been spurred in part by conversations occurring on a national level.
For APOC to grow and thrive as a viable force for folks of color in the so-called United States, more base-building needs to take place. More input from people across the country is needed to shape what APOC movement will look like, and what it will achieve in the coming years.
Folks on the conference listserv encourage you to start bringing together APOC formations in your hoods, communities and regions, and to develop sustained APOC projects that will help contribute to broad radical struggle, and a national APOC conference too.
These projects could be anything, really. For instance:
- An APOC listserv in your area, if there isn't one already
- A virtual collective, e.g. print and editorial groups producing and distributing APOC content
- A regular APOC social gathering in your area, at which APOCers can come together, make connections, and spin off projects and ideas
- A specifically APOC collective, meeting regularly in your city/town and developing its own actions
- A community space or social center managed by and for folks of color
The possibilities are really endless. We strongly encourage all Autonomous / Anti-authoritarian / Anarchist People of Color to build from the connections and conversations taking place at APOC gatherings across the country, and develop more sustained APOC movement in their areas.
It is with deepest regret that I am writing this Obituary for one of the sweetest, kindest, and most unselfish people that I have ever had the honour to call "Friend".
In actual fact, we were more than just "friends"....we had been lovers too. We lived together for almost twenty years, only splitting up in 2000.
Still, we kept in touch and still saw a great deal of each other. Until three years ago, when her health took a turn for the worst. She had diabetes, (amongst other things) and she had stopped taking her medication. She ended up having to have a leg amputated.
However, thinking back to the early days of this lady's life. She was born to a single mother in 1928, and, in those days of the Workhouse, her mother had to fight really hard to keep her little daughter.
Then came the Second World War, and the little family was bombed out from their home in East London, three times!
Later, Eileen went into a Convent, where she stayed for about six years. Not as a Nun, but as a "uncontrollable child". In other words, after fighting and working so hard to keep her daughter, her mother eventuall (because she'd got married) let her daughter go.
Eileen walked out of the Convent on the day of her 21st Birthday. Caught a train back to London, and went "home".
In less than six months, she had met a man and got married. A baby daughter, Jackie, soon followed.
Jackie suffered from epilepsy, and died of a seizure after biting her tounge, at the age of Twenty Nine.
By this time, Eileen has had two more kids, a boy and a girl. The boy joined the Army after his father died, this left only Eileen and her youngest daughter, Sandra, alone again.
Sandra got married, Eileen was left alone to fend for herself. She "latched on" to a series of men, all of whom let her down.
When I met her, we had both taken flats in the same house, in Weymouth. We became friendly, and after her current "Boyfriend" had stolen a couple of my Giro Cheques, and was sent to jail, we grew even friendlier, so much so, we both decieded to live together.
We jointly bought a little terraced house in South Wales, and moved in. We were happy for ten years, then her Mother had a terrible accident, and burnt to death in her kitchen.
I had the task of breaking the news to her. Not nice!
After this, she moved back to London, leaving me to deal with selling the house and all the pressures that went with it.
Anyway, I did, and we had more than doubled our initial purchase money.
I moved in with her in London, but by this time we were feeling the strain, as I had not wanted to sell the house.
So I moved in with a guy I had met at my local garage. This lasted a year.
By then, Eileen had moved, yet again, to Basildon to be nearer her eldest daughter and her family.
I visited Eileen, and she could tell that I wasn't happy about my current relationship, and invited me to move in with her.
I did so, gladly, and for a while we got on well together. But gradually, as Eileen's health worsend, she developed Diabetes and Altzheimers.
Once again, she had become very hard to live with, so I found my own place in 2000 where I still live.
Eileen went into a Care Home, and many stays in hospital, amputation, and eventual complete apathy. Last time I visited her, she did not even know me. It upset me so much that I never went to see her again.
Now, she's at Peace, a commodity she could never seem to find in Life.
Rest in Peace, Eileen. I'll miss you.
Gimme a V! Gimme an O! Gimme an X! What's that spell? VOX!
What better way to tell the world how much you love Vox than to announce it on Facebook? That's right: Vox now has an official Facebook page! Become a fan of Vox.com on Facebook and let your friends know what you really care about: staying connected with friends and family through blog posts, photos, videos and comments.
Once you're a fan, you can also add photos and videos to the page, write on the wall, and connect with other Voxers in ways you may not have previously. Plus, it's a great opportunity to let people know about your Vox blog, or start discussion topics. To become a fan, just visit the official Vox.com Facebook page and click the "Become a Fan" button in the upper right hand corner.
Once you've joined, why not post a response to the current discussion topic? Just post a link (and a brief description, if you'd like) to what you consider one of your all-time best Vox posts.
What are you waiting for? Become a Vox.com fan on Facebook today!
Although we typically post on Team Vox to let you know about things that are going on with Vox (to, uh, state the obvious), once in a while, we like to let you know about other cool things that are happening around the blogosphere. And we think the idea of four hilarious mommy bloggers traveling across the U.S. on their way to the BlogHer '08 conference - all the while blogging and video blogging the journey - is one trip you will not want to miss.
Four adventurous bloggers from the Silicon Valley Moms Group were selected to participate in the Summer Road Trip '08 and blog about their travels, hotel stays, media appearances, time away from their families, and life on the road. Six Apart helped them partner up with General Motors, who provided the blogging mommies with a Chevy Tahoe Hybrid SUV to help make their journey comfy, safe, and a little more green.
In case you're not familiar with them, SV Moms is a group of over 200 bloggers who showcase the ups, downs, outrages, struggles, victories, and everyday humor of motherhood. There are currently nine regional and demographically tailored sites that give mothers from D.C., New Jersey, the Deep South, Rocky Mountains, L.A., and Silicon Valley a powerful voice and sense of camaraderie across the country. Whether you're a mother, a child, or just a person who enjoys a good blog, you'll really love reading the words of these amazing women.
The moms buckled into their Chevy Tahoe Hybrid SUV on July 11th and even got an encouraging message from Katie Couric to kick things off! They are currently somewhere in the middle of America making their way to San Francisco where they'll attend an SV Moms Group Party, as well as BlogHer '08.
You do not want to miss these entertaining and irreverent bloggers -- or their spontaneous contest giveaways! -- as they blog from the road. Experience the journey at MomRoadTrip.com.
And let us know about your summer road trip - or plane/boat/bus trip - in the comments! (I like to live vicariously.)
Do you live in or around Cincinnati, Ohio? If so, you're in luck because Scott and the Queen City Voxers Group have organized a Vox user meetup!
WHERE: Ault Park Playground. 3600 Observatory Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45208. "We'll look for each other at the playground marked by the red X below. If it's raining, head for the shelter to the north of the [red] X."
To RSVP (which is not essential, but is appreciated), reply to Scott's announcement or send him a private message. All Voxers, as well as their friends and family, are welcome to attend.
If you do attend the meetup, have a great time and please take lots of pictures and send them to me so I can post them in Team Vox for everyone to see!
Thank you so much to Scott for organizing this meetup. Wish I could be there!
I was browsing the Internet (as you do), and was directed via another site to a site that has made a stand against Political Correctness.
To cut a long story short, I signed up to the Campaign and became a Member of the Organisation. Reading through Members Stories, I came across this one from a person whose wife was working as a Classroom Assistant with young, Primary School age children.
Have you noticed that when Newspapers publish pictures of certain youths who have been convicted of stabbings, shootings, rape, or other serious and anti-social crimes, one thing about almost all of their photo's is the "Dead-Eyed" stare as they face the photographer?
Eyes that seem to be devoid of any emotions or human feelings?
My Partner pointed this out to me the other day when she was reading an article about a couple of young men who had killed somebody by stamping on them until they were dead.
The following story poses the very same question as she asked me, namely why is it that most of these Feral Kids seem to have that same "dead-eyed" stare.
Perhaps the following piece may just have an answer.
" My wife recently took a job as a classroom assistant. I am shocked at what she tells me now goes on. 'PC' and 'worrying about everything' are now really taking a huge amount away from our children. A crying child can't be cuddled (my wife has brought up three children beautifully); a sick kid's runny nose can't be wiped (you have to just give them the tissue). Even more distressing, a reception class little girl went to the toilet accompanied by my wife. The poor mite, through no fault of her own (she probably had a tummy bug) covered herself and her undergarments. She was distressed, embarrassed and just stood transfixed. But all that is now allowed is the handing of tissues over the cubicle door and telling them to clean themselves. Either that or you have to 'call in parents'.
My wife ignores them. If a kid has fallen, or has a terrible home life and is just crying in the playground through sheer misery, they get a cuddle. Stuff them all and their stupidity - not the teachers mind you, who hate it as well, but the politicians, bureaucrats and hidden agenda merchants that force this stuff through.
Could this be a contributory factor to the sudden appearance of all these dead-eyed, uncaring, 'feral' children? They are all just about the age to have been young children when all this nonsense started to take hold. Could it be that in their hours of need they felt that adults abandoned them?"
Well, it is certainly food for thought, and could well be just one of the main reasons for the current crop of Feral, Dead-Eyed youngsters that seem to be so prevalent in Society.
Although almost every day at Six Apart is Take Your Dog to Work Day, Friday was extra special because it was the official Take Your Dog to Work Day! Plus, as lovers of blogs and animals, we think it's great that active blogger and Human Society's President and CEO, Wayne Pacelle, thinks having dogs around the office is a good reminder of "who we're working for."
We realize some people have it ruff and aren't lucky enough to be able to bring their dog to work, but hopefully these pictures taken at Six Apart last Friday will get your tails wagging... And let me tell you, it's harder than it looks to get all the doggies and their fetching owners in one picture.
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