Ellee Seymour

Even Sylvia Brown the Clown has signed this Downing Street petition to revise the Fraudulent Medium Act. I see Doris Stokes has also added her name.

I must admit I have my tarot cards read once a year, she is about 80% accurate. It’s just a bit of fun, I don’t live my life by what I hear.  But I did once insist on a refund from a charlatan at a funfair many years ago who spoke a load of codswallop.

What’s your experience of clairvoyants? Like Daniel Finkelstein, I will not be signing the petition, though I do appreciate there are fakes around, I think it’s impossible to regulate realistically. The phonies always get found out in the end. And, like me, just refuse to pay if you feel you are being conned.

Who can fail to be impressed by the stunning satellite imagery of Google Earth, which has recently filmed close-up shots of Darfur, showing villages which have been destroyed by ethnic cleansing.

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum hope it will help people understand the crisis and be more willing to respond.

At least 200,000 people have been killed and two million displaced during the four-year conflict between rebel groups and pro-government militia in the region.

Anyone logging into Google Earth should see a welcome screen with a marker highlighting the Darfur area.

It’s always been too easy to say in the past, “not in my back yard”. Now the consequences of this war can be seen on your screen and no longer ignored.

  Next time you see a busker, do pay special attention, it could be someone world famous playing incognito.

The Washington Post carried out an experiment with world famous violinist Joshua Bell serenading commuters in a metro station near government offices. His performance normally sends shivers down the spines of his appreciate audiences. But, out of context, would his virtuoso performance attract the same kind of recognition?

Joshua , who plays to packed concert hall, discovered what it felt like to be ignored. Out of 1,097 people who passed by, only seven stopped and 27 gave money totalling $32. 

This intriguing and fascinating report describes what happened when he played six classical pieces, how children were drawn to his music rather than adults, but were hurried along by their parents. You can hear him playing his pieces; how anyone could have ignored Ave Maria I do not know, I have it listed to be played at my funeral

Would you have been too busy to notice that this was no ordinary busker?  How many people stop for buskers and give throw them some some spare cash? Actually, buskers do tend to be quiet talented in Cambridge and draw in the crowds - and lots of money. I shall look out for Joshua, just in case he repeats the experiment my nearby city, there’s a good pitch outside Boots.

It makes me wonder ….

What is this life if, full of care,

We have no time to stand and stare.

– from “Leisure,” by W.H. Davies

Hat tip: Geoff.