Readers Write and Monday Miscellany

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Readers Write . . . 

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From Phil A in the US re the pics of New York penthouse of Donald and Melania Trump, Mar-A-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida and the Donald's Boeing 757 jet:

This information (and the pictures) is so interesting, but in a sickening, disgusting way, a la the proverbial train wreck. Have you seen this article?: 

http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/03/trump-style-dictator-autocrats-design-214877

I hope your recovery is still going smoothly and that you will be ready to participate in one of those extreme endurance running events sometime soon.... ha! (I like to run, but marathons and those sort of extreme running things are on my "never bucket list"!)

Please take care, Otto.

Warmly,

Thanks, Phil.

Recovery complete although, probably from being weakened, I came down with the flu.

The absence was to attend a birthday function, not through being unwell.

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Some items from the weekend news. . . . 

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From a newsletter sent to parents of children at Byron Primary School in Gillingham, Kent, by Principal Jon Carthy:

In the past few weeks there have been a number of worrying packed lunches brought into school. Each of the bullet points below is a real example of complete home packed lunches provided to children in our school this year: 

• McDonald’s Happy Meal (cold and purchased the previous evening) 

• 2 bags of crisps and a crisp sandwich 

• 4 yoghurts and a packet of Smarties 

• 1 chocolate muffin, 1 chocolate roll and a bar of chocolate 

Whilst extreme and funny to read on paper, I must make this clear THESE ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE examples of a balanced packed lunch.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/3174318/headteacher-slams-parent-for-giving-child-cold-mcdonalds-happy-meal-from-night-before-for-packed-lunch/

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Husband of the Year?

A husband fed-up with his wife's obsession with shoes surprised her by installing two giant ruby slippers in their front garden. Scrap merchant Andy Walker, 50, ordered the 14ft tall Wizard of Oz-style shoes in response to wife Julie's "ridiculous obsession" with footwear. He said: "She is always asking for this pair and that pair and I just thought this might shut her up." 

Mr Walker bought the shoes for £500 from a company which sells old props. The models were originally made for a promotion in posh store Harrods. Mr Walker is planning to add more unusual objects to his garden in Latchingdon, Essex.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4347406/Husband-surprises-shoe-obsessed-wife-GIANT-high-heels.html#ixzz4cQT1lMEJ 

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Love Actually 2:

The cast of Love Actually were reunited last weekend in Love Actually 2, a Comic Relief special 13 years on from the original movie. Keira Knightley, Colin Firth, Liam Neeson, Bill Nighy, Andrew Lincoln, Martine McCutcheon and Rowan Atkinson all appeared. The short film updates the relationships and circumstances of the main characters, and includes a short speech by Hugh Grant as David, the British Prime Minister at a press conference:

Reporter: 

“When you came to power the first time you were very optimistic. You said the power of good would finally win, that love was actually all around. 14 years later, do you still feel as upbeat?”

David: 

“Well, interesting obviously times have got harder and people are nervous and fearful. And it's not just in politics that things are tough, Usain Bolt has run his last Olympics, the Harry Potter films are finished, Piers Morgan is still alive.

But let's look at the other side of the coin, Metallica's album is an absolute cracker and on a deeper level I'm optimistic wherever you see tragedy, you see bravery too. Wherever you see ordinary people in need, you see extraordinary people come to their aid. 

Today is Red Nose Day and people who are giving their hard earned cash to people they'll never meet, whose pain and fear they'll never feel and want to fight. So it's not romantic love that is all round, most people still everyday, everywhere have enough love in their hearts to help human beings in trouble. Good's going to win, I'm actually sure of it'. 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-4347566/Fans-rejoice-Love-Actually-2.html#ixzz4cQe1cp53