Yeah for NPR. Fie on Republican Representatives - (and memories from many years ago)

As an avid listener to National Public Radio (in these United States), I am angered and distressed that our Republican dominated House of Representatives has voted to cut off all funding to NPR.

It seems to me that our current crop of Republican legislators are in thrall to the appalling “Fox News” (a Rupert Murdoch propaganda machine), and are opposed to the brilliant and insightful programmes which come our way via NPR.

The fabulous “Diane Rehm Show” is a classic example of the non-partisan programming which NPR enables.
There is no other broadcast media which would enable us to listen to programmes such as this one which featured the courageous women of Afghanistan   see:

http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2011-03-17/gayle-tzemach-lemmon-dressmaker-khair-khana

Thank goodness for NPR, (which brings us the stories which the mainstream media has ignored).

As I listened to this NPR/Diane Rehm programme my mind was turned to my youth.  I have faded memories of the days when my older sisters (Maureen and Jean) bought paper patterns, which they pinned out on material (fabrics) they had bought in order to make dresses or skirts. 
Having cut out the material from the paper pattern, they used my Mum’s old treadle operated Singer Sewing Machine to make a new garment.

My older sisters also experimented with “home perms”.   Some of us will remember the old print ads:  “Which Twin has the Toni?” home perms which they used.  The stink was awful!




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