What a sad week for many and for those of us in the media the death of Hugh Russell was especially poignant. The out pouring of love and respect has been tremendous and just shows how this man touched the hearts of thousands whether as an important figure in the world of boxing or as an ace photographer. What stories there are being shared, they all tell of a professional who gave his best to whatever he was doing and a man who loved his family more than anything else in the world. He was a man who was happy in his skin and his smile warmed the heart. To Kathy and Hugh’s children, be sure we send our love to you and our deepest respect for the man who was Hugh Russell.
Adults who haven’t grown up in this age of extreme technology tend to criticise the young who never have a mobile phone out of their hands, texting, texting and texting. But consider in our youth we sat on the telephone for hours talking, talking and talking. We went walking together, slow danced at local ‘hops’, even sent postcards when on holiday, communication was different and easy. But here’s a thought. All these modern phones have a camera so challenge your teenagers to a competition with a prize at the end. The challenge is to take 12 photos that would be worthy of entering into a photographic competition. Open their eyes to what’s going on round them, people, places and things. Capturing the well worn face of an elderly man or a stunning landscape, watching for a unique chance of the right expression or sun lit view. Over 12 months save the best for a calendar next New Year – there are websites full of offers to print these, great presents. Photos of family members framed and wrapped also makes a very personal gift for a birthday or for Christmas.
A picture book is a rare thing these days which makes Colum Sands new book These Quiet Places so special. This singer and story teller has travelled the world but it’s at home, round the shores of Carlingford Lough that he’s found his inspiration and each photograph is highlighted with a few words. My favourite, fine leafless birch trees on a beautiful day. He has used his creative eye and laid down underneath the branches and so has a wonderful network of fine twigs against the cloudless deep blue winter sky.
Branches bare still reaching towards, Knowing where their hope is found, Underneath this frosty blanket New life stirs beneath the ground,
More at www.columsands.com
It’s impossible to say anything constructive about the situation in the Middle East. The pictures coming out of this heartbreaking war are hard enough to watch but as we’re constantly told, the worst is never screened.
The cameramen and women, reporters and crews are immensely brave risking their lives to bring us the news. I simply can’t understand why journalists are vilified, perhaps the truth is hard to take.
Funny how you can loose total interest in the Rugby World Cup in five minutes. It was fun when it lasted.
Is Rishi Sunak Serious?
Banning cigarettes, beginning with 14 year olds, means over the years cigarettes will cease to exist he says. This has to be voted on and approved so not a done deal and a dedicated smoker of any age will find the dreaded weed somewhere, abroad, older friends, in the home. I was that dedicated smoker beginning with wax straws at school, they came with a little bottle of milk and if you dried them and lit the end you could strike a pose puffing and blowing! Then came the real thing beginning in the upstairs toilet with the window open and flapping the door to get rid of the smoke. My mother, who smoked like a chimney, immediately caught on and I was for the high jump! They were called cancer sticks at that time and by the time I began working I was told I smoked for Ireland. Those were the days when you passed your packet around they were so cheap, two shillings and sixpence (25 pence) for 200 king size to buy on the plane coming home from holiday. Tall good looking reps from the Peter Stuyvesant brand were always in Ulster Television so there was never any shortage!
Not long into married life, I suddenly didn’t want to smoke and soon found I was pregnant so posted stickers all round the office saying ‘Kiss a non-smoker and taste the difference’. The body is a remarkable machine, it seemed to know there was a baby who needed protection. Five years and two babies later, in a moment of madness I was back. I only gave up when my daughter was four and cried thinking I would die because I smoked. Education had got to her and for me that’s the way forward and Chest, Heart and Stroke have a schools programme which informs young people of the dangers.
However, there’s another drug danger coming over the hill – snus. This is a type of tobacco snuff which presents like a tea bag that’s put under the top lip where it dissolves and gets into your system, a stimulant which footballers in particular use to help their performance. It’s illegal to buy and sell snus to under 18 year olds but legal if you are over the age of 18. However, like so many things it’s available on the internet. Users face the horrors of cancer especially mouth cancer, heart problems and disrupted sleep. And that’s only the half of it.
The Elephant In The Room …
… E-cigarettes or vapping with all the myths and facts that surround it. Not safe, better than smoking tobacco for an adult trying to kick the habit but equally addictive. An 18 year old told me how he rarely smokes cigarettes now as they are so old fashioned: “I can’t imagine how awful it is to have something burning between your fingers. We had a test in school where a glass cylinder full of cotton balls was attached to tobacco smoke and it wasn’t long before the cotton was dark brown with nicotine. We’re into vaps, safer, don’t smell and lots of variety and with peer pressure young ones are really into it. I’m not addicted”, he added, “but if I don’t have my vape with me I do panic a bit, I can go without it but then it’s like being thirsty for water.”
Has he and his mates any idea of the medical and psychological problems that are storing up in their bodies?
If they did they’d stop the habit now.
So take your sound bite prime minister and get serious.
Chest, Heart and Stroke a nichs.org.uk.
