May I recommend. . .

[PanBiker]

Came across this browsing YouTube videos. It's quite long but worth a listen.

Air Traffic Controllers after dinner speech.

[PostmanPete]

[Tripps]

I doubt you will find a better 'raconteur' anywhere than this chap. There is a constant underlying sense of mischief.

Sir Mark Prescott Bt.

I've had the tour of Heath House a couple of times, and I'll spare you the detail, but it's all over now for me. The wooded glade where he takes the horses to relax, and have 'a pick of grass' after training is enchanting.

As Walter de la Mare said -

And his horse in the silence champed the grasses
Of the forest’s ferny floor:

They can't take away the 'world class' memories though, and a couple of priceless treasured souvenirs.

[Stanley]

I watched some of it David and was struck once more by how different other people's lives can be. I'm not envious but I do wonder what the lottery system is that decides these things......
[I suppose that puts this response under the general heading, 'It made me think....']

[Stanley]

One for Peter. A video of the floods in Dawlish.

[Tripps]

That to me looks like a situation that was anticipated, planned for, and successfully dealt with.
Well done to all concerned. By the look of things - no one even got their feet wet.

Not like Lynton and Lynmouth 1952

- which was doubtless caused by the high levels of CO2 in 1952 over Exmoor.

[Tizer]

Stanley, Thanks for the Dawlish video. We know Dawlish well and I used to go there with my parents for caravan holidays. A small but lovely spot and it was always good for train spotting. I guess the flood works done after the sea took out the rail line a few years ago might have helped.

[Tripps]

I think SCG posted something similar a while back. This lady from Vietnam I think, is really remarkable. Nice to be able to instantly translate the many languages of the comments. I think It's called globalisation.

[Stanley]

I haven't come across the lady.... I watch Robert in the mountain forest and it's very good to see how he lives well with no resources apart from nature and his knowledge. I always feel very lucky after watching him! Here's an 8 Minute taste....

[Tripps]

Going into the thing a bit more - it all started to seem a bit too good to be true.
Professional standard videos, and lots of them. Then I found this Ly Thi Ca
No idea how accurate the figures are - but just a fraction would be enormous, and get me out of the grass hut in the jungle, and into air conditioning. She has almost a million subscribers. I also learn what 'soursop' fruit is. I have some soursop flavoured tea, and it's not bad.

Still a remarkable woman.

[Stanley]

I think the same comments would perhaps apply to Robert David. I often wonder who does the camera work which includes drone footage.
As you say, still remarkable people and I love the street market episodes, last night he was harvesting and selling peanuts.....

[Tripps]

This is probably more like the real thing - without the Hollywood production values.

This lady was one of my first loans - via Lendwithcare.org - She was also the only one of over thirty who has failed to pay me back. I think it was due to the Vietnamese admin rather than her personally.

I don't care - I offered to write the loan off, but got no response from them. I hope she is doing well.

Bui thi Toan.JPG

[Stanley]

David, your revelation about the lady and the pigs triggered me into a furtle.... Have a look at THIS account of the net worth of Robert and Green Forest Life.....

[Tripps]

Yes - food for thought - to coin a phrase. I found a similar site for Ly Thi Ca, and discovered several similar performers. She has double the subscribers that your Robert has - close to a million.

Not sure how much they actually earn though. They get nil from me, as I have an ad blocker fitted, which surprisingly (to me ) Youtube don't seem to mind. I don't think I'd be watching if I had to put up with adverts

Putting aside all scepticism, (not easy for me ) She's a remarkable woman though. Did you see her scampering round the ponds catching big fat frogs - then cooking them in the wok? 'What did you have for your tea' indeed! Vietnam seems a land of plenty - if you're not fussy what type of protein you eat. I swear one of the items I saw was barbecued rats. I doubt she'd refuse a tasty bat either.

It would be no surprise to find transfer of viruses from animals to humans in such a country. It makes the wet market at Wuhan a fairly convincing cover story for the origin of the Covid outbreak.

[Stanley]

I agree David, not to my taste but then they have been living like this for thousands of years. On the plus side, not much sign of processed food, definitely au naturel.

[Tripps]

It ain't over till Freddie sings. . . .

[Stanley]

Thanks for that David, it has long been a favourite of mine.....

[Tripps]

The news is so terrible at the moment and our politicians are so egregiously poor and incoherent that It's time to switch off and watch some more of this sort of thing. I've tried watching a full opera on TV but found it really boring and couldn't do it. An excerpt is however a different matter. This is memorable . She certainly has a voice, multi lingual, with an infectious chuckle, and a tremendous 'presence' .

I have fond memories of 'Jim Joey's Luau Bar off the Via Veneto in Rome which didn't open until midnight, and had a grand piano in the corner and a resident tenor. Sounded great on a hot summer's night when 'well refreshed'.

PS Intensive research reveals it's not a typo for bambino , but actually means 'O My Beloved Father.

[PanBiker]

Seeing as we are on a classical jaunt,, lets try this one from Luciano. He makes it look effortless.

[Stanley]

Both lovely, I enjoyed them. David, I am more familiar with Joan Sutherland's rendition but the lady has a fine voice!



This came into my head yesterday when I heard a flash mob do an excerpt. This version is By Jacqueline du Pre and Daniel Barenboim. The story I heard was that she had been told that day (untruthfully) that she didn't have cancer..... I don't know if that is true. Anyway well worth spending half an hour on it if you want to hear what is generally regarded as one of the best performances ever.

[Tripps]

Leaving aside all matters musical - people who should know, say she was the best - they all sound much the same to me.

I've been aware of a lot concerning this lady for a long time. None of it gives me a good impression of Mr Barenboim. I've held him in mild comtempt for decades. I now find today Du Pre Pity the author is Miriam Margolies - not high on my list of people to pay attention to - quite the opposite in fact, but that doesn't make it untrue.

PS I like a good flash mob too. Can't find my favourite one from Newcastle at the moment - watch this space - but this is very good.

[Stanley]

Can we pl;ease have this for our national anthem?

[Tripps]

Can we please have this for our national anthem?

Sorry but no. That democracy's a nuisance when you come second isn't it?

I found the Newcastle thingy I think - from the point of view of the 'mob' rather than the audience.
[bbvideo]https://photos.app.goo.gl/wcFtvmnVkvzAtRqT9[/bbvideo]

[Stanley]

Pity, it was one of the many things I found attractive about being in the EU. Nobody can deny it is a magnificent tune.

[Stanley]

To quote Wendy, I have a worm in my ear this morning, but before there are any protests, I shall not inflict it on you. (But I'll tell you what it is and for some that will be just as bad! Whitney Houston singing 'I will always love you'.
Sorry about that.....