All posts by Keith

I’m a controversialist and catalyst, quietly enabling others to develop by providing different ideas and views of the world. Born in London in the early 1950s and initially trained as a research chemist I retired as a senior project manager after 35 years in the IT industry. Retirement is about community give-back and finding some equilibrium. Founder and Honorary Secretary of the Anthony Powell Society. Chairman of my GP's patient group.
people, personal, photography

Weekly Photograph

Today Dora, my mother, should be celebrating her 100th birthday. But sadly she died towards the end of May, thus missing out by just over four months. As a tribute, and as this week’s photographs, I thought we should have what are I think the first and last images I have of her.
As far as I know I don’t have any photos from Dora’s childhood (but I should scour the family albums again), so this first is of a self-portrait in oils she painted when she was about 21 (she couldn’t remember exactly when), could be the earliest I have.

Dora self-portrait

The second is the last photo I took of her on her 99th birthday, a year ago. I have posted this before but make no apology for doing so again.
Dora at 99

Anyone interested can find my address at Dora’s funeral, and a few of her pieces of artwork, here.
We shall, of course, be drinking a toast to Dora later on today.

amusements, history, people

Ten Things #22

In a couple of days time my mother should have been celebrating her 100th birthday, but sadly she died earlier this year. So for this month’s Ten Things I thought we should do something to reflect on the momentous events my mother saw in her lifetime.
Ten Historical Events from My Mother’s Lifetime before She was 21 (in October 1936)

  1. Russian Revolution (1917)
  2. End of the Great War (1918)
  3. Spanish Flu Epidemic (1918-19)
  4. Creation of Irish Free State (1922)
  5. General Strike (1926)
  6. Universal suffrage for everyone over 21 in UK (1928)
  7. First talking films (1928)
  8. Wall Street Crash (1929)
  9. Hitler comes to power in Germany (1933)
  10. Accession of Edward VIII (1936) (but not the Abdication as that didn’t happen until December 1936)

And that is just the tip of the iceberg!

amusements

Oddity of the Week: Password Security

Soheil Rezayazdi has suggested the following Nihilistic Password Security Questions:

  • What is the name of your least favourite child?
  • In what year did you abandon your dreams?
  • What is the maiden name of your father’s mistress?
  • At what age did your childhood pet run away?
  • What was the name of your favourite unpaid internship?
  • In what city did you first experience ennui?
  • What is your ex-wife’s newest last name?
  • What sports team do you fetishise to avoid meaningful discussion with others?
  • What is the name of your favourite cancelled TV show?
  • What was the middle name of your first rebound?
  • On what street did you lose your childlike sense of wonder?
  • When did you stop trying?

Lots stupidity in this vein over at McSweeney’s Internet Tendency.

photography

Weekly Photograph

I spotted this at the A21 road-widening scheme on the way back from Rye a few weeks ago and we were travelling so slowly that I was able to grab a photo (no I wasn’t driving). I couldn’t quite work out whether it was construction site pole vault of tossing the caber.

Pole Vault or Tossing the Caber?
Pole Vault or Tossing the Caber?
September 2015; A21 near Tonbridge
Click the image for larger views on Flickr