The Enid Blyton Society

sixret wrote:And not too many people know that Iraq bombing one day before Manchester bombing. More than 50 Iraq civilians had died. My thought to all the victims and their families around the world. I have been praying constantly that the perpetrators behind all this will face the severe justice in this world and before God eventually. I condemn their crimes.

I agree with you. And many countries are suffering these attacks. For example, Egypt, Nigeria, Iraq... The people who do such things must no souls, feelings or conscience.. I pray for the families of the victims that they might gain strength every day. What I don't understand is why do innocent people always have to pray the price of evil?

Another thing that makes me very sad is that people don't really comment or care much when children, people are killed on these attacks. The lives of humans are valuable regardless their country.
Hearing the news about Manchester was really shocking and heartbreaking. I really hope nothing like that will happen again...

I can certainly state that in the USA the Manchester bombing got a heckuva lot more media coverage than the Iraq bombing.

Anita Bensoussane wrote:...After Old Sarum we went to the nearby Aviation Collection which is very interesting - you're allowed to climb inside vintage cockpits and fiddle around with buttons and levers to your heart's content! I went on a flight simulator and managed to take off, fly, do some loops and rolls and land the plane on the runway without crashing it!

That sounds fascinating, Anita!
The closest I ever came to the cockpit of an old airplane was at the Deutsche Museum/German Museum in Munich. But they have no flight simulator.

KEVP wrote:I can certainly state that in the USA the Manchester bombing got a heckuva lot more media coverage than the Iraq bombing.

I can say the same for India and Italy.

Machupicchu14 wrote: I agree with you. And many countries are suffering these attacks.

Jammu and Kashmir, a state in Northern India, is in chaos because of terrorist activities there, and the rest of the world has no idea.

Machupicchu14 wrote:What I don't understand is why do innocent people always have to pray the price of evil?

Because evil does not kill itself. How much easier it would have been otherwise.

I had loads of interesting experiences during this last month in Europe, and one that is slightly relevant here, I'd like to share. Many of the street hawkers and vendors in the big cities of Italy are usually immigrants from the Indian Subcontinent. (India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan). So was a guy selling shawls at a flea market in Rome. We went over to the stall.
"Do you speak Hindi?" he asked.
"Yeah." (Our Hindi is kinda terrible, but anyways.)
"Yes, you look like Indians."
"We are Indians. Where are you from?"
"Pakistan"
Now, it is no secret that India and Pakistan have exceedingly strained relations. So an Indian and a Pakistani meeting in either India or Pakistan usually doesn't go very well. But you know what he said?
"Your neighbour"
We had a little chat, said our goodbyes, and went on our way.
In a different place, the fact that the two countries are neighbours can bind the people together, but in these very two countries, thousands are slaughtered because of the enmity. The world is weird.

Well, I have a flight to catch in a few hours back to my home, so Ciao!

Darrell71 wrote: Jammu and Kashmir, a state in Northern India, is in chaos because of terrorist activities there, and the rest of the world has no idea.

It is very under-reported, I agree, Sunskriti — not so very far different from the Israel/Palestine conflict, and yet that gets far more media attention worldwide. However, just this morning there's a feature on the BBC's website showing pictures drawn by Kashmiri schoolchildren in response to the violence they have been living through. I don't want to post a direct link to it here because it's quite heart-wrenching, but it and other reports on Kashmir are on the BBC online under World > Asia > India. They very rarely make front-page headlines elsewhere, though.

Darrell71 wrote: Now, it is no secret that India and Pakistan have exceedingly strained relations. So an Indian and a Pakistani meeting in either India or Pakistan usually doesn't go very well. But you know what he said?
"Your neighbour"
We had a little chat, said our goodbyes, and went on our way.
In a different place, the fact that the two countries are neighbours can bind the people together, but in these very two countries, thousands are slaughtered because of the enmity. The world is weird.

Weird, yes, but how wonderful that that was his first thought. I've actually just finished reading a very interesting book on the history of Indian independence and the partition of India and Pakistan — it was very, very harrowing in places, especially when describing the atrocities that occurred on both sides when the Punjab was divided between the two countries (and it also explained how the ongoing conflict over Kashmir began). Your experience in Italy is a very small thing by comparison, I realise, but if even one person can choose to think "neighbour" rather than "enemy", there's always hope that more can.

Sadly the other day I read an article with very strong stereotypical views on Muslims and Pakistanis. It nearly made me cry, as it was a very racist article and also to think the situation between Indian and Pakistan still continues. But like Courtenay said, there's hope that it'll change. I think both India and Pakistan are wonderful countries..
This happens as well between Peru and Chile (not to be great extent but still..),I mean like, we are neighbours, why should we fight? I love Peru a lot but I also love Chile. So why do we have to make differences between these two countries?

By the way, the name Kashmir has just made me remember one of my favourite songs called
Kashmir main tu kanyakumari

Chrissie777 wrote:

Anita Bensoussane wrote:...After Old Sarum we went to the nearby Aviation Collection which is very interesting - you're allowed to climb inside vintage cockpits and fiddle around with buttons and levers to your heart's content! I went on a flight simulator and managed to take off, fly, do some loops and rolls and land the plane on the runway without crashing it!

That sounds fascinating, Anita!
The closest I ever came to the cockpit of an old airplane was at the Deutsche Museum/German Museum in Munich. But they have no flight simulator.

I visited the Deutsche Museum in Munich in 1989 but I'm afraid I don't now remember the aeroplanes. I'd like to go back to Germany one of these days - I love the architecture as well as the mountains and rivers.

The Imperial War Museum in London has a lot of wartime aircraft, submarines, boats, etc. I've been several times and I always find something fresh that catches my attention. The thought of people being subjected to bombing and slaughter is appalling though.

Just sorting my night vision equipment out ready for Tuesday evening's Badger study for a local Wildlife Trust. I'm hoping to catch a glimpse of this years Cubs, which will be a delightful experience as usual. It's always a privilege to get up close & personal to these beautiful creatures.

Sounds great, Number 6! Hope the badgers will be very active at the time you're observing them.

Darrell71 wrote:

KEVP wrote:I can certainly state that in the USA the Manchester bombing got a heckuva lot more media coverage than the Iraq bombing.

I can say the same for India and Italy.

And for us as well. We haven't watched any news in weeks while we were abroad, so when the airport shuttle van driver picked us up on Saturday, he asked us where we came from and then we asked him if there were any more terrorist attacks in France in May, but he said there was "only" one in Manchester, UK, during a concert.
That's how we found out.

What am I doing right now?
Waiting for the dryer to beep and catching up on the many EBS posts that I've missed since 11th of May and that couldn't open on André's laptop (because EBS could tell that I tried to enter them from a different computer).

Anita Bensoussane wrote:Sounds great, Number 6! Hope the badgers will be very active at the time you're observing them.

Thanks, Anita! I hope they are, too!

Any mention of badgers always reminds me of Circus Of Adventure.