Monday 18 March 2024

Alan Place - model maker

 Modelling


In my younger days, I did a lot of modelling - not thar kind - I used to be an avid model maker. Two things, other than having a family stopped me, difficulty with my eyesight at close range, and my hands devolped a tremble.
One of my earliest models was an Ariel Square 4; shown above. I have always been a motorcycle fan, than a car fanatic, I also enjoyed watching trains, not the newer engines.
I had some hilarious moments, such as leaving a model under a lamp to dry the glue, and ending up with droopy wings.

Nutan - Miss India 1951

Sibling rivalry


In her teens, Nutan was told by her mother, that she was considered unattractive compared to her sister Tanuja, and would have trouble finding a husband.


Of the two ladies, I prefer Nutan to her sister, apparently, so did many people as Nutan won the first Miss India in 1951.
As for success, Nutan held her place alongside Nargis Dutt, Meena Kumari, Madhubala, and other great actresses of her era.

Tanuja?
At best, a very mediocre actress who struggled, and who is best known as the mother of actress Kajol. 

Egypt is going bankrupt

 Too many ongoing expenses


Because of various factors within Egypt, the country struggles to keep afloat, and they have more problems now than in the last decade. 
The latest problems concern the discovery of the main street of Alexandria, they found it, but it is over 20 feet below the water table. They need the pumps going all day, everyday or the site will flood within two hours.
The other problem concerns the ever-expanding opening date for the Grand Egyptian Museum, outside Cairo.

Sunday 17 March 2024

A new low for me

 A slight difference in weight


I am now the lowest weight I have been for over 20 years. I didn't go on a diet, or have any set plans on weight loss. I put the loss of weight to a change in how I cook, and cutting down on sugar, as I drink very little coffee these days, comapared to what I used to.
I have to admit, I was concerned that as I don't go for my walks, the weight would build up, but it hasn't

The Wicker man

 A Roman myth


Since Roman times, the story has been they put the Druids to the sword because they practised human sacrifice; including burning people in wicker effigies.
At best, this was propaganda as an excuse for their slaighter; more likely it was lies to subjegate any possibility of an uprising.
Why do I think it never happened?

The science of the project makes it impaisauable. I am not saying the crafts needed were not available, they were, sadly they are no longer practiced.

Let us view the physics of the topic.
People to this day burst into flame for no apparent reason, but the heat needed to turn flesh and bone to ashes is so intense a naked flame won't do.
What would the accelerant be?
You need a substance that retains heat long enough for the flame to ignite the willow. 
Then we have the willow itself, to bend it into shape the wood has to be kept moist, or it will break. Moist wood will not burst into flames, it will smoulder.

Location,location, location
To set the figurine up, you need a large open area, which makes the wind a factor; even in seciluded places there are high winds. If you beat the winds, you have to contend with rains.
If they were victims of this practice they probably died from suffication, rather than being burned alive.
You need to recall we are talking about people who put Christians against animals for sport.

A long story short

 The end of the discussion


In the months since I took this novel off the shelves at Draft2Digital, I have been thinking of either updating it, or putting the original story back to sell.
A few moments ago, I came to the decision to "ditch it" as it won't sell. It had been on sale for three years, and all I got was hate comments as the story was set in Israel. I did toy with the idea of extending the story to encompass an ending in India.
I did this as I started another story about India, which was going well, then my motivation died, and I can't find the drive to write at length.

I can empathise with Meena Kumari

 We shared some life history


Certain people in Bollywood accused actress Meena Kumari of faking tears, as she could cry, almost at will; the lady later said it was a trait she had. I can inderstand why, after reading a little of her life, all she had to do was think of what had happened, and it would make anyone cry.
From the age of five, she was the breadwinner of he family.

Certain aspects of her life, I had to endure too.
She was told she was unwanted, her parents wanted a boy - I late late in life, I was unwanted, which explains a ot of how I felt over the years.
She had a failed marriage, my marriage almost failed, no fault of my wife's; it was her son who caused the problems.
Her husband was not accepted as he had cildren from another marriage, my family was not accepted for the same reason.
She suffered with Chronic Insomnia, I do as well; sadly, being Hindu, she could drink milk which has been my saviour. Her doctor advised a tot of whisky which as her condition got worse turned into alcohilism and lead to her death.
Many times over the years, my wif'e son drove me to stay out late drinking; I only stopped as one night, after a bad day, I stayed out, and was almost sick on public transport.

Saturday 16 March 2024

Solataire

 Phone gaming


Though I have a new computer, which I use for research , rather than pc gaming. I usuall play games on my phone; to the extent I am having to postpone buying this book from eBay, as I had to top my credit up, which is something I didn't do for many months.

Facebook is fighting a losing battle

 Sharing posts on Facebook


For some time, my friend in Seattle has been sharing my blog posts to her Facebook page, and yet the site is losing ground for readers to Twitter each day.

Did Nargis Dutt consider herself unattractive?

 Raj Kapoor


Reading about the lives of Bolllywood actors, and actresses has me wondering, did Nargis Dutt say nasty things about Meena Kumari, and Rekha because she considered herself unattractive?
Her bitterness could have stemmed from being turned down for marriage by Raj Kapoor; but he was a married man of several years, what did she expect?

Meena Kumari died of alcoholic poisoning, the reason for this is she was a victim of spousal abuse for seeral years, to the extent she often needed help to cover her bruises.
Rekha is considered the epitomy of Indian beauty these days, but when she starteed out, nobody would hire her as she was considred a "flump."

It does make me wonder, what would Nargis think of today's cinema icons, such as Aishwarya Rai, Huma Qureshi, and Priyanka Chopra?
I have seen them in films, and though I consider them attractive, their acting leaves a lot to be desired.

My opinion of Nargis?
She was an attractive lady, even if she could be nasty, and a a fine actress with few equals in her day.