Rue's Friday Fragments #11

Hi I'm Rue, the artist and voice behind Passion in the Moments / E:thos Photographic. As you may have gathered in looking around the blog,  I think a lot and share those thoughts with all and sundry (that is anyone who will listen!). This weekly posting is essentially an opportunity to share tid-bits, rants and observations that I have made in the course of the week that are not really worth writing a whole article about but are interesting nevertheless. These coupled with that odd picture I have taken that doesn't really fit in anywhere, news about what's going on @ E:thos and a review of something interesting, put together in one post makes up what I call Rue's Friday Fragments. There is humour, righteous indignation, sad truths and a little of me, so something for everyone...enjoy!

30 before 30 update
I did it! I tried my hand at golf (well I hit the ball anyway...err on the second try! Lol!) and you know what, I think I may just take it up! Look out for my post on the day coming soon...


On the road...
I am in Africa at the moment and eagerly waiting for an opportunity to get out there and take some pics to share with you (but as I have not been too well my mother has me taking it easy and pacing myself so you may have to wait a little while but watch this space!!!)

10. Picture of the week

9. When should we let sleeping dogs lie?
I was watching the American Music Awards tonight and almost feel out of my chair when two groups of really old men took to the stage going by the names, 'New kids on the block' and 'back street boys'. Now seriously, I thought those guys grew up!?!?!?! Am I wrong? The thought of clutching at straws comes to mind here...

8. Dad's humour

My dad is a lawyer and enjoys lawyer jokes, this one in particular crosses professions and I thought was particularly special so I thought I would share :)
' A doctors mistakes are buried;
 A lawyers mistakes are put behind bars;
 A teachers mistakes are seen walking around the street and in every work establishment across the city!' Lol!

7. United States of Africa [USA 2]

Seriously? Where do I start on this one???? Maybe we should start by talking about the dictatorships and civil wars present on the continent, or maybe the debt, or lawlessness / bribery  / corruption that is rampant across boarders... Unifying this mixed bag of political disasters will do one thing, spoil the good ones, the democratic and fair ones and the ones really trying to get there...so in a word? NO! This idea does not get my vote!!! 

6. North vs. South Korea

Well I just don't know but I think it is safe to say that the Koreans fighting each other is a bad idea! The complexity of how this squabble affects the whole region can be simplified by thinking of the world as a role of London houses. If one catches fire then the whole lot will eventually go down too! What am I saying? Well the Korean fight affects Russia and China and they have allies and enemies who will be affected who have the same and so on until we are all in it! This is also the way world wars begin so here's hoping this will end and quickly...

5. Happy Thanksgiving America!

For those who celebrate Thanksgiving, have a good one! Guess that means Christmas is around the corner! Oh dear, already! 


4. Mining tragedy 

My heart goes out to the miners and their families who were lost in the New Zealand disaster...After the success in Chile, I had taken for granted that these miners would be successfully rescued so it was a shock indeed to hear of the second explosion that took place this week. My prayers are with all the families and those directly affected by this sad event.

3. Malawi 2010

An art exhibition in Malawi, southern Africa by Dutch photographer Arjen van de Merwe was showing from November 17th - 26th which showcased a collection of images staged for this event. Included in this artistic work was a local clothing designers whose clothes the female models wore. The exhibition was designed to raise awareness of social and cultural issues that seem to be causing a generational divide in the country by getting the models to pose in various positions typical of gender roles in Malawi. It was interesting to observe and get into discussion about each image with the photographer and fellow exhibition attendees.
It made for an interesting evening and most certainly left food for thought...

2. Longoria / Parker divorce
Eva ' Desperate housewives' Longoria is divorcing her toy boy husband Tony Parker due to his infidelity... Honestly I am surprised it lasted this long in the first place! Not to be mean but its Hollywood and in Hollywood the odds of marital success are low, and even lower if the wife is older e.g. Madonna and Guy... and therein lies my point.

1. Video of the Week
Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes - Time of my life
This pick is due to the new remix of this song by Black Eyed Peas which reminded me how great this song is.

And that's it for this week folks! A day late but well worth waiting for I think! And remember you can get in touch by commenting or emailing me atethosphotographic@gmail.com

Rue's Friday Fragments #3

Rue

Hi! I'm Rue, the artist and voice behind Passion in the Moments / E:thos Photographic. As you may have gathered in looking around the blog,  I think a lot and share those thoughts with all and sundry (that is anyone who will listen!). This weekly posting is essentially an opportunity to share tid-bits, rants and observations that I have made in the course of the week that are not really worth writing a whole article about but are interesting nevertheless. These coupled with that odd picture I have taken that doesn't really fit in anywhere, news about what's going on @ E:thos and a review of something interesting, put together in one post makes up what I call Rue's Friday Fragments.There is humour, righteous indignation, sad truths and a little of me, so something for everyone...enjoy!

Wheel of Time

Please vote for our entry, the Wheel of Time in the G-Technology Photo Competition, click here for the voting page. 

Also please don't forget to vote for Passion in the Moments for the people's choice awards at coolphotoblogs All you have to do is follow the link below:

Click here to vote for us! 

 (This is the bit where I share with you a new product or service I have discovered/like)
SymsnPams Couture

My SymsnPam Couture Vintage necklace!

SymsnPams Couture is a fantastic clothing house that specialises in one off special pieces from jewellery, shoes and handbags to vintage and modern clothing. They are an online company just starting out with some really great pieces (this is me wearing a vintage necklace from them.) They have two bases of operation, in the UK and Canada but they supply their wonderful goodies worldwide so wherever you are you can get some really great fashion and did I mention that their aim is to make it affordable? Yes indeed! Look fantastic on a budget with SymsnPams Couture.

Image courtesy of SymsnPams Couture

Contact Details
Visit SymsnPams Couture here
Email: symsnpamscouture@gmail.co.uk
Twitter: simsnpamscoutur

6. Featured Random Image:

A boat that is landlocked in the distance in this image of the fence.

5. Eight ways to join the local food movement

Wheat from a farm near my village.

With the advance of Climate Change and the Environmental question firmly on the table with no real answers, many people around the globe are doing what they can to rescue their carbon footprint and overall impact on the environment. One such initiative is the 'local food movement' which essentially is simply eating local produce rather than products that have travelled from far and wide to your nearest large retail supermarket. Join the conversation and start searching for local products in your area, thereby doing your bit for the environment. 

4. Antenatal classes in schools

This story infuriated me to no end! Again in the car listening to the radio I hear a debate about having antenatal classes in schools during lesson times. Honestly, what don't we pick the boy our 12-15 year old is going to be impregnated by and rent them a room at the Hilton whilst we are at it!?! Am I the only person outraged at the concept of children becoming parents? With the highest teenage pregnancy rate in Europe you would think that the United Kingdom would be doing everything they can to make it hard for young girls to become mum's so that others watching wont think it is a viable option to skip 5th period every second Tuesday! A line needs to be drawn and I feel that this is a good a place as any! Am I saying those who are already in the family way should not get antenatal services? Absolutely not! There is no point punishing the unborn child for a failure between society, schools and parents to keep young girls on track. However I do believe that these girls need to be shown how hard it is to be a mum, especially alone and they will inevitably tell their friends not to do it! Now what better deterrent is there than that? Well aside from the rod of correction that is...

3. Commonwealth Games

 Accommodations for athletes competing in the Commonwealth Games
 Delhi, India (Image courtesy of the New York Times)

Well this I was half in stitches and half sad about. Stitches because the news reports coming out of India sounded more like comedy than realistic happenings of the day. Sad because this is such and awesome opportunity for India as a developing nation to shine and show what third world counties can do. Its failures to prepare adequately for the Commonwealth Games really has let them down and also possible tainted the worlds view of developing nations as if we don not get enough negative press with dictators, blood diamonds, hyper inflation and corruption...Oh dear...

2. Suicide Pact formed in internet chat room

I heard a disturbing story on the radio in the week of a couple who met in a suicide chat room (so I paused and exclaimed, SUICIDE CHAT ROOM!!!! What is the world coming to!!!!). The report says they met there and started a conversation about their plans or possibly thoughts at that stage which they encouraged each other to go for it and they did! Now I think there should be tougher laws around this sort of thing, websites that motivate, encourage or are careless about things like suicide, child pornography and other deplorable activities should be systematically shut down in my opinion! Absolute madness! As a Christian my heart went out to the two who were obviously battling various issues in their lives, probably depressed and yet no one saw it or could reach them...I think of them in light of eternity and my heart is really heavy and feels for their families...it is not meant to be this way... If you know of a loved one who you are concerned about, do something, tell someone, get help... before its too late.

1.Kuluka Project from the Art of Being Humane

Kuluka means"to weave" in Chichewa (a Malawian language). It  is a non-profit development organisation which focuses on the developing community healthcare and welfare in Malawi. Giving blood is so important and yet something that we do not often think about or consider to be a life saving act. There are so many people who die because they have lost too much blood and yet the blood banks are nearly empty and there is no way to access any. Giving blood where ever you are in the world is a life saving act and something that everyone can do. See here the life changing work this organisation is doing by encouraging blood donation in Malawi...Remember, you can be the DIFFERENCE.

Finally...that's all for this week! Please do send in your thoughts / comments and stories! Also if you want a shout out then email me @ ethosphotographic@gmail.com

Rue's Friday Fragments - Issue # 2

This is me! 

Hi! I'm Rue, the artist and voice behind Passion in the Moments / E:thos Photographic. As you may have gathered in looking around the blog,  I think a lot and share those thoughts with all and sundry (that is anyone who will listen!). This weekly posting is essentially an opportunity to share tid-bits, rants and observations that I have made in the course of the week that are not really worth writing a whole article about but are interesting nevertheless. These coupled with that odd picture I have taken that doesn't really fit in anywhere, news about what's going on @ E:thos and a review of something interesting, put together in one post makes up what I call Rue's Friday Fragments.There is humour, righteous indignation, sad truths and a little of me, so something for everyone...enjoy! 

Please vote for our entry, the Wheel of Time in the G-Technology Photo Competition, click here for the voting page. 

Wheel of Time

Also please don't forget to vote for Passion in the Moments for the people's choice awards at coolphotoblogs All you have to do is follow the link below:

Click here to vote for us! 

 (This is the bit where I share with you a new product or service I have discovered/like)

Make up by Menaka

 This lady is brilliant with a make up brush and some lippy! I had the opportunity to have a mini makeover by her this week and was absolutely over the moon with the results! 

'Make up by Menaka is based in London and the South East. Trained at the London School of Beauty and Make up, I specialise in bridal make up, whether that be for an English Rose, An African Queen or an Indian Beauty.'

Visit Menaka's website @ http://www.makeupbymenaka.com

10. Featured Random Image:

As I am celebrating the birth of my new nephew I thought I would post this picture which I found on the street post New Years 2010 during the heavy snow of that period. 

9. Familiarity breeds contempt

In the news on Thursday, yet another new initiative has been suggested for the British educational system to try and encourage pupils to be more at ease and build relationship with teachers in school and to , 'bring teachers to the level of children'! The trial is taking place at Kent School in Faversham with children aged 5 - 11. Now if you know anything about British youth you will know that they are some of the rudest, most disrespectful children across the racial, financial and regional divides. Teachers in the UK struggle to keep on top of their classes and control their children and the law makes it harder and harder for teachers AND parents to discipline their children and honestly the practice of having to call parents 'mum and dad' and teachers, 'Mr, Sir, Ms, Madam' seems to be one of the very few things left that help children remember that grown ups are older and need to be treated differently to their peers. I personally feel that this move, if widely adopted with prove to be a death blow in the battle for teachers to maintain a level of respect and discipline in pupils.

8. Volunteering for the 2012 Olympics is open!

As from Wednesday this week anyone with a basic grasp of the English language, over 18 and eligible to work in the United Kingdom could register as a prospective volunteer for the 2012 Olympic Games. It would be an amazing opportunity to be involved in this event as it is somewhat historic and so for all those who are elidgible and want to throw their hat into the ring, click here!

7. HIV Positive women sterilized, discriminated against and stigmatized in Africa 
I was deeply saddened when I read this headline earlier in the week. There are at least 15 women who have filed a lawsuit in Namibia Southern Africa as a result of forced sterilization and more reports coming out of South Africa. It is as yet not clear how widespread this blatant abuse of a woman's human right to a family life is being violated however these cases are most certainly the tip of the iceberg. Some of you reading this may be thinking, well if they have HIV should they be having children and infecting them? Well there has been a lot of research into ensuring children can be born free of HIV from infected parents and this is now a reality even in the poorer parts of Africa and other third world regions. In light of this and to some extent regardless of this fact, for decades women have protested and vocally fought for their right to choose in relation to the abortion debate and now most countries extend this right yet women who want to promote and uphold the right to life are being targeted, and their rights irrevocably removed from them, a tragedy indeed if we have seen one in our world today.

6. Hope...a miners lifeline

 Margarita Segovia, wife of trapped Chilean miner Ariel Ticona,
 rests at hospital beside their newborn daughter Esperanza.
Photograph: Ariel Marinkovic/AFP/Getty Images

 Having recently become an aunt again to a beautiful baby boy, I could not help but be moved by the news piece on the birth of baby hope, the new daughter of one of the miners that have been trapped for what seems to be an age in Chile. She is a beautiful reminder that no matter what is going on, life keeps on going so we can all stop at the point of crisis or push forth and allow our lives to be positioned to give birth to new ideas and in the process you may just find the thing you need to give you staying power and pull you out of your situation.

5. Something with the feel good factor!
I saw this earlier in the week on The Goat: Fun Stuff on Sunday

I thought it was brilliant hence I'm sharing!

4. Working for the Lord as a career move
Forgive me if this is old news to you but I have literally this morning come across the story of Deborah Hollamby, a former nun turned broadcaster, writer and speaker. When I first heard about Deborah I was watching the news and she was giving her opinion regarding the weekend's papal visit to the UK. I was intrigued as to how this woman 'used to be a nun' as I was of the understanding that being a nun is a life long calling. When I dug deeper I suddenly realised that there may be more to this story than meets the eye... Deborah has always been in the performing arts from a young age and seems to have always been heading towards broadcasting. When she joined the order of St. Paul (which is a media related order) she developed her broadcasting career by carrying out various broadcasting assignments for the church for six years then she quit that and took on another broadcasting job outside of the church leaving her habit behind...Not being catholic myself, I don't really know what to think or say about that but I do believe that all those who enter the ministry should not do so unless they have a clear calling from God that they then honour until death.

3. Britain a third world country????

Harare International Airport

The Pope's 'advisor' Cardinal Walter Kasper who was dumped err... I mean 'pulled out' of the Pope's first ever state visit to the UK this week has some colourful views about the UK. He pointed out how atheistic the country has become which is a fair observation though most of the UK's more 'pagan' laws come from Europe. His most outrageous statement however which caused his last minute drop out from the trip was in an interview with a German magazine where he compares Heathrow Airport to a 3rd World country because of the number of ethnic minorities working there. This I might add is not because African airports are poor and unattractive, but simple the colour of the people working there. This is simply a racist statement there is no two ways about it which shows his ignorance and should be concerning to the millions of staunch Catholics that populate third world countries today. Poorly said but then again as the scriptures say; 'from the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks'! --  Ironically Africa is probably one of if not the most religious continent in relation to the Christian faith.


2. Spray on Clothes!
Yes! You read right, spray on clothes known as 'fabrican' This is for real! Don't believe me? Watch the video below...My verdict? Pretty cool and would certainly be handy if you had an impromptu sleepover or surprise weekend away :-) But for every day use, not so much, it seems to take a considerable amount of time to build a full outfit that you then need to style a little before you go out. Pulling something on will always be easier and better for day to day clothing.

1. Lady Gaga meat dress at VMA 2010

Now I know that this is the second fashion related piece in this weeks fragments but I could not resist this story. Lady Gaga in a meat dress. Well I am not a member of Peta or Animal rights but I am a humanitarian who advocates for ending child hunger and poverty in third world countries so with that in mind I would far rather Lady Gaga gave towards a program that feeds poor hungry children than wear food that could curb their hunger. Outside of that I think people need to be responsible for their own fashion choices and have the right to wear what they want.

Finally...that's all for this week! Please do send in your thoughts / comments and stories! Also if you want a shout out then email me @ ethosphotographic@gmail.com