Update from the house of Plague (Day Fnarg Year 3) 7th of January

[elisi]

BBC: Census 1921 - 100-year-old secrets revealed
(Fascinating, and includes Dorothy Sayers!)

The Guardian: Russell T Davies: ‘I genuinely thought – who wants to watch a show about Aids?’
It’s a Sin has been voted the Guardian’s best TV show of the year. Russell T Davies reveals why it took him 30 years to write, who the real Colin is – and why he just can’t keep away from Doctor Who
(I watched ep 1, not sure I can cope with more.)

The Tip-Off From a Nazi That Saved My Grandparents
It has often been described as a “miracle” that most of Denmark’s Jews escaped the Holocaust. Now it seems that the country’s Nazi rulers deliberately sabotaged their own operation.

~

ETA: Things are going swell here!

England is ‘global outlier’ on Covid and Boris Johnson is ‘politically paralysed’ says Drakeford

Covid-19: Military steps in to support NHS as staff absences jump 59% in a week

In related news, got my booster today and now my arm is in agony. Still, better than covid!!

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ETA: Sidney Poitier: Hollywood trailblazer dies aged 94

Rest in peace, Mr Poitier.

Also, you should all watch 'Lilies of the Field'.

~

Daily Dimash: Shine!Super Brothers: Suzhou River

This was from Ep 6. The group decided to perform an anti-war song, from a movie called 'The Eight Hundred':

Watch on YouTube

Behind the scenes video here. Not included - Dimash pulling an all-nighter to come up with a new arrangement for the song when it wasn't working. (Further background: He has a degree in Contemporary Music, a Master's in Composition and is currently doing a PhD... He's more than a pretty face and a lot of octaves! *g*.) Unfortunately he left the programme after this episode due to health reasons, he'd been suffering from rhinitis throughout, poor guy.)

Dimash Masterpost

Comments

[yourlibrarian]

Very interesting story about Denmark.

Funny, I just read Whose Body? this week!

Lady Carnarvon says the then Earl, his wife and daughter, could have made a special trip back to Highclere from London to meet Howard Carter. The Earl funded the archaeologist's journeys to Egypt in winter, and In late 1922, they would discover Tutankhamun's tomb.

That is an intriguing link.

[elisi]

Very interesting story about Denmark.
All Danes of course know (and pride themselves on) having saved their Jews, but this was a fascinating extra bit of information. It's nice to see people not being as terrible as expected.

Funny, I just read Whose Body? this week!
I have not read that one in AGES... Since I'm feeling grotty anyway (got my booster yesterday), that sounds like a good idea. :) I own all the Wimsey books of course. ;)

That is an intriguing link.
Isn't it just? So many details that would otherwise be overlooked or forgotten.

[yourlibrarian]

I am going through a bunch of classic mystery writers' novels, based off a post petzipellepingo shared. I plan to get some more of the Wimseys (although I had read a few a long time ago), and I just added four more Ngaio Marsh books to my eReader after finishing The Dancing Footman. I figured that one out early on but there were so many red herrings I couldn't be quite sure!

[elisi]

I am going through a bunch of classic mystery writers' novels, based off a post petzipellepingo shared. I plan to get some more of the Wimseys (although I had read a few a long time ago)
Oooh excellent! I love Peter Wimsey and regularly re-read them all - they're just such delightful novels with such wonderful characters, the detecting is sort of secondary.

I just added four more Ngaio Marsh books to my eReader after finishing The Dancing Footman.
I keep meaning to read Ngaio Marsh... Why is my to-read list so long? :( /rhetorical question

[verdande_mi]

It's a sin have been recommended, but I the topic makes me vary of it since I know it will be difficult to watch and stomach. I saw a documentary recently about Freddie Mercury and found that hard enough.

Thank you for sharing the article about Danish jews, the same story can not be said for Norway. Our history with Jews, both before and during the German occupation is not a kind story at all.

[elisi]

It's a sin have been recommended, but I the topic makes me vary of it since I know it will be difficult to watch and stomach. I saw a documentary recently about Freddie Mercury and found that hard enough.
I watched episode one - which is mostly set-up - and I'm not sure I can carry on. Just knowing that they'll all die horribly is not something I am eager to witness. I'm very glad he made the show - and that it was so successful - because it shouldn't be forgotten, but I'm not sure I can cope with it.

Thank you for sharing the article about Danish jews, the same story can not be said for Norway. Our history with Jews, both before and during the German occupation is not a kind story at all.
Yeah, I know that Danes generally feel very proud of that part of their history. Alas, it's not the same story now, they are very keen on deporting people. :(

[owlboy]

>>Denmark

have you listened to penguin diplomacy yet

and yeah... i've had it's a sin sitting on my harddrive for ages and i cant bring myself to watch it yet

[elisi]

have you listened to penguin diplomacy yet
I listened to about half this morning, it's v adorable.

and yeah... i've had it's a sin sitting on my harddrive for ages and i cant bring myself to watch it yet
I hear ya. :(

[shadowkat]

Yeah, I've flirted with It's a Sin - it's on HBO Max, but three problems: 1) I've seen too many films, television series, mini-series, musicals, etc about AIDS in my lifetime already. Honestly by 2000 - I'd seen a theaterical mini-series on PBS (Angels in America), a film (Longtime Companion), a play (actually more than one), a musical (Rent). 2) I know people who were directly affected by it - a six degrees of separation thing. A guy, I was friends with in law school - lost most of his friends to it. And my sister-in-law lost a lot of friends to it. 3) I can't watch anything pandemic related right now. AIDS was our last major pandemic - it lasted from late 1970s-2000.

It's painful. And kind of like watching movies about Cancer and Alzheimer's. I can't watch those either any longer.

[elisi]

It's painful. And kind of like watching movies about Cancer and Alzheimer's. I can't watch those either any longer.
*nods* I will probably tackle It's a Sin at some point, because it's Russell T Davies, and it's the thing he has spent 30 years waiting to be ready to write (after living through it), but I know it'll hurt like hell.

[shadowkat]

Same. I've flirted and may watch at some point, but putting it off at the moment.

[elisi]

Allow me to recommend Around the World in 80 Days if you want enjoyable escapism. :)

[shadowkat]

I did manage to record 80 days, also 2nd season of All Creatures Great & Small (which I adore). I find veternarian stories comforting. There's a National Geographic series I watch on Disney + entitled Dr. Oakley Yukon Vet - about the vet helping all sorts of wild animals, birds, and domestic pets. While her husband fights forest fires. It's so lovely. Takes place in Canada, and Alaska. No politics, no violence, no pandemic, just people helping wildlife.

[elisi]

Dr. Oakley Yukon Vet. No politics, no violence, no pandemic, just people helping wildlife.
That sounds absolutely lovely. ♥

[a_phoenixdragon]

Wow...some good links here, honey!

*HUGS*

[elisi]

Thank you, I like sharing.

[kitmarlowescot2.livejournal.com]

Have you ever read a book called Number the stars by Lois Lowry ? It came out in 1990 here, my Bubbie (my father's side of the family is Jewish) gave it to me read when I was eight. That made quite the impression of me, though one of the first memories I have is visiting their synagogue and asking a elderly woman why she had numbers on her inner wrist. She was quite kind and explained it as best you can to a young child like that.

[elisi]

Have you ever read a book called Number the stars by Lois Lowry ?
The name rings a bell, but I haven't read it.

though one of the first memories I have is visiting their synagogue and asking a elderly woman why she had numbers on her inner wrist. She was quite kind and explained it as best you can to a young child like that.
Goodness - I grew up so far away. Like, I can't remember ever meeting a Jewish person in the Faroes. Mind you, we went to see Schindler's List through school (I was 16-17), and walking home afterwards in the absolute idyll that is the Faroes was one of the most surreal experiences of my life. Obviously I had read about the holocaust (and heard the stories of the Danes saving their Jews), but the movie is so incredibly impactful.

[kitmarlowescot2.livejournal.com]

Yes, well my father's family was quite fortunate, only one maternal uncle did not follow my Bubbie's father over to immigrate to the US. Unfortunately he and his family died in Warsaw in 1943. That was the last time his brother ever heard from him, and then my great grandfather died the next year from a heart attack. So he never knew what happened to him or his daughter and wife.

[elisi]

So he never knew what happened to him or his daughter and wife.
I'm so sorry. :(

[desdemonaspace]

I love stories about WWII combatants who behave better than they could be expected to. One of my favorite books is A Higher Call, about a German fighter pilot who came upon a badly-damaged American bomber (the side of the plane was open like a dollhouse.) He could see the wounded men inside, and instead of finishing them off, he escorted them out of German airspace. This is a true story, and well worth reading.

The two pilots met again, many years later, and became friends.

[elisi]

I love stories about WWII combatants who behave better than they could be expected to.
Me too. I gives me hope for humanity.

One of my favorite books is A Higher Call, about a German fighter pilot who came upon a badly-damaged American bomber (the side of the plane was open like a dollhouse.) He could see the wounded men inside, and instead of finishing them off, he escorted them out of German airspace. This is a true story, and well worth reading.
Sounds great, thank you for the recommendation.

<3

[desdemonaspace]

The story didn't get out for years. The German didn't talk about it, obviously, because he didn't want to get shot for treason. The American, when he got back to his base in England, was forbidden by his superiors to tell anyone, because they didn't want the men to expect similar mercy from the enemy.

It really is a good read.

[elisi]

The story didn't get out for years. The German didn't talk about it, obviously, because he didn't want to get shot for treason. The American, when he got back to his base in England, was forbidden by his superiors to tell anyone, because they didn't want the men to expect similar mercy from the enemy.
Makes sense (sadly).

I shall make a note of it and add it to my list!

[desdemonaspace]

You will love it, I promise.

[elisi]

<3