Boomer moments-1967

NOVEMBER, 1967

Looking at today, then back over the late 60’s, you’ll recognise some moments, while being amazed by some changes!

• Washington:Johnson says Vietnam war protests do not aid peace.
• Melbourne: Red Handed gives trainer Bart Cummings his third Melbourne Cup win in a row.
• U.K: 37 die when a Spanish airliner crashes near London.
• Auckland: Arrival of the  Hawea, the first NZ roll-on, roll-off ship.
• London: 53 feared dead and 90 hurt in train crash at Hither Green,south-east London.
• London: Bernard Haitink gives his first concert as principal conductor of the London Philharmonic.
• Melbourne: A five-room brick house in Glen Iris is for sale at $14,500.
• London: Britain is reported to have received $250 million in international credits to bolster the pound.
• Washington: Secretary of State Rusk says an escalation of the Vietnam war cannot be avoided.
• Moscow: Kim Philby gives his first interview to Western journalists.
• U.K: Despite the absence of Reg Gasnier with a broken leg, the Kangaroos beat England 11-3 at Swinton to retain the Ashes 2-1.
• London: The book “Last Exit to Brooklyn” is found to be obscene.
• N.Z: Maoris can now stand for European seats at general elections.
• Paris: De Gaulle vetoes British entry into the EEC.
• NZ: Sir Arthur Porritt takes office as the first NZ-born Governor-General.
• UK: All horse-racing is suspended owing to the foot-and-mouth epidemic.
• Woomera: Australia’s first satellite WRESAT l is successfully launched.
• DEATH: Polish-born US biochemist Casimir Funk, inventor of the term, “vitamin”-23/2/1884

 

Swinging Sixties-1966

The year  that London became the swinging capital

Fashion: Carnaby Street adds style

London has become the fashion capital of the world as far as young people are concerned.
At its centre lie three streets – The King’s Road in Chelsea, put on the map by Mary Quant;
Kensington Church Street, where designer Barbara Hulanicki runs a “total look” boutique
called Biba; and Carnaby Street, not so long ago a run-down back alley behind Regent Street.
Today Carnaby Street has become a mecca forclothes fanatics of both sexes. It owes its success to John Stephen,
a Glaswegian who decided that men’s clothes should be as much fun as women’s.
His first boutique selling pink hipsters paved the way for dozens more, making the street a major draw back for
British youth and overseas tourists whocome to stare at the parade of long-haired young men – many in the latest
Eastern-style kaftans and beads – and their mini-skirted girlfriends. The girls either wear their hair similarly long-
and always straight – or cropped into the angular cut made popular by hair stylist, Vial Sassoon.
The rising star of the scene is a 17-year-old model Twiggy, a six-and a half-stone Cockney withhuge eyes and waif-
like looks, who can now earn ten guineas an hour as a model.

MUSIC

British rock rules the pop world

For rock fans 1966 has provided a mix that, more than ever,shows the ever – widening gap between traditional mass-appeal and the trendier young. And while such “family favourites” as Ken Dodd and The Bachelors
continue to fill the charts, it is among the shelves of LP’s that youthful interest can of ten be found. None more so than Aftermath, from the Rolling Stones-an album that epitomises this year of “Swinging London”.
Not that the rockers don’t hit the charts as well. The year started with the Beatles’ Day Tripper at number one and Paperback Writer and Eleanor Rigby both went to the top. Otheryouth culture successes included hits for The Who, The Kinks, andThe Small Faces.
Ironically, it was America which provided the highlight of the year with the Bob Dylan’s British tour.
His introduction of an electric backing group appalled the traditionalists of the folk scene,but the less purist love it.
Dylan’s hardcore fans come from what’s known as the “underground”, and it is here that a number of new bands are emerging, although they may never reach the charts.
Those in the know tip the weirdly named Pink Floyd and The Soft Machine.

COPD-Breathing awareness

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: COPD

COPD explained

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a long-term (chronic) condition that obstructs (blocks) the airways in the lungs.

Often the term COPD is used to describe chronic bronchitis and emphysema, 2 progressive lung diseases which can occur by themselves or together. The most common form of COPD is a combination of the 2 conditions.

COPD causes increasing shortness of breath, leading to impairment in the activities of daily living and a gradual loss of quality of life.

Chronic bronchitis is, as its name suggests, a chronic inflammation of the airways (bronchi) in your lungs. It is defined as a cough that is productive of sputum occurring on a daily basis for at least 3 months of 2 or more consecutive years.

Bronchitis results in the lungs producing too much of the mucus they make to keep the bronchi moist. This causes coughing and narrowing of the airways, making it more difficult for air to flow freely. As a result, you become breathless. Although many people contract acute (short-term) bronchitis at some time in their lives, chronic bronchitis lasts for months or years.

Emphysema occurs when the air sacs (alveoli) deep in your lungs become enlarged and damaged. This makes oxygen transfer from the airways to the bloodstream less efficient. Eventually the alveoli collapse which means that they don’t prop open the microscopic airways called bronchioles. This makes it extremely difficult to breathe in and out.

What causes COPD?

The vast majority of cases of emphysema and chronic bronchitis are caused by long-term smoking.

In some cases COPD can also result from occupational exposure to dust or chemical fumes. In people who smoke, air pollution can aggravate the symptoms of COPD but air pollution doesn’t appear to cause COPD in non-smokers.

There is also a rare type of emphysema known as A1AD-related emphysema, a genetic condition in which a person’s body lacks a protein called alpha1-antitrypsin. This protein normally helps protect the lungs. Smoking hastens the speed at which emphysema develops in people with alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency.

What are the symptoms of COPD?

The symptoms of COPD vary. In mild forms of chronic bronchitis and emphysema, coughing or breathlessness on exertion may be the only symptom. Mild emphysema may not even have any signs to start with. Later on in both conditions you may notice you get short of breath when doing moderate daily activities. You may have frequent coughing and recurrent chest infections or bronchitis.

In the severe stage, daily activities become more difficult with the continual shortness of breath and often bodily changes occur, such as a blue tinge to the skin from chronic bronchitis, fluid retention in the ankles and a ‘barrel-shaped’ chest from emphysema.

Indications that you are at risk of developing COPD include the following.

• Smoking for many years.
• ‘Smoker’s cough’ in the morning.
• Bouts of asthma or bronchitis.
• When you get a cold it lasts for weeks, rather than days.
• Chronic cough or heavy phlegm.
• At least one prolonged episode of bronchitis every winter.
• A cough that feels shallow, like something is stuck inside your chest.

What can be done?

COPD is a progressive condition and unfortunately there is no cure for it. It also isn’t possible to reverse lung damage that’s already been done. However, your lung function can be improved and your symptoms can be relieved by some self-management options, as advised by your doctor, medications where necessary and special lung exercises.

By far the most important thing you can do for yourself if you have COPD is to stop smoking immediately. You may have tried to in the past, but if you have been diagnosed with COPD, it is even more important that you talk to your doctor about stopping. You will improve your cough, ease your breathlessness and you’ll also slow down further lung damage.

Courtesy:

http://www.mydr.com.au/respiratory-health/chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease-copd

Books-Marketing/Advertising/Promotion

Marketing

Advertising

and

Promotion

These 3 key points are so crucial to presenting the author’s property; so when I did step out into self-publishing I was thrilled at how much more control I had in these areas, and have done all I can to see that each and every angle is covered.

It’s a lot of time consuming work, but if you want to keep up with the vast and growing volume of publishing folk, you simply have to keep at it. I would encourage any writer to drop by as many Writers websites as humanly possible. There is so much to learn and so many offer opportunities to broaden your horizons, even if only to share work (it’s still sharing in the talent of another artist).

SET YOUR SIGHTS

Only now, do I see myself as ‘partially experienced’ taking 8 years to reach this stage of my career. I know I still have a long way to go, but I’m hoping what eventuates from my non-fiction project, [a huge leap of faith] with all the support encouragement & optimism is what drives me onward. My inspiration comes from so many people and so many places. Those who take the time, to invite writers to submit so others can share…this is what really inspires me.

But, it’s also other writers / authors who have displayed their work and their own experiences which can be used as a ‘guide’ to those just starting out. When it comes to reading for inspiration, I have truly been inspired by a number of authors, those such as Janet Frame, Walt Whitman, Nancy Cato, Elizabeth Melton Parson, Robin Knowles and Gilda Radner, actress / comedian who was wife to Gene Wilder.

Gilda had sadly been diagnosed with Ovarian cancer, amidst another late diagnosis, came this absolute horrific ending, to a young star’s life.  and like so many other tragic cases, it was a late diagnosis so all the horror and sorrow she endured was shared through her own words in a lovely book entitled, “It’s AlwaysSomething“- This book gave me a new appreciation for a true-tale ,one that somehow, managed to step off the page and into my world. It was as if she were sitting next to me, sharing every moment, every detail of her battle to get the right answers. Then I picked up my pen and began to tell my own story, which I hope will be ready to share in the coming future. That’s inspiration right there!

Be sure to consider all options, and if you are a serious writer experiencing the dreaded, writers block, don’t panic! The world of Blogging is one way of keeping the creative juices flowing and are so very simple to set up. In fact, talk to any writer today and most often you will learn they either have one or two blogs, a very helpful tool when your thoughts seem to be wandering.

At last count, I think I’d reached somewhere around 9 or 10, each offering poetry, articles of interest, random thoughts and so on. I find by blogging, I am unlocking ideas, things that may be of absolute no interest to another reader, but of great use to my writing! A blog is really an online journal, and you only need to surf the internet to see what other bloggers are writing about to tap into your needs/desires. This certainly doesn’t mean you’re expected to clock-up this many, you may only need the one Blog to work for you, if any! The good old pen-to-paper is still a very respected friend & work-colleague of mine. Life would be simply ‘boring’, without it and definitely missed!

There are also unlimited websites offering upcoming authors the opportunity to have their work published, whether it be a hard copy or the latest trend, ebooks! The latter being a very simple method of having the manuscript saved to a file, then having this file downloaded and ready to print from any home/office printer. It is a much more affordable approach as well as a faster pace. Not everyone will want to share their work publicly, and that’s fine!

The beauty of self-publishing means you also have the choice of print-on-demand, a simple process which offers the author the choice of the amount of books that they will print out, usually a small run to print, enough to pass a copy to family or friends, but for the more serious writer, a larger amount can be set up. If you want to market your book, the next process will probably require the purchase of an ISBN number, this is for distribution of books to places such as libraries and book stores, a requirement when you want to sell your book to the public.

Either way, it is up to the individual and for me, self-publishing was a lot of fun and I would never dismiss as a means to sharing my own work.

MAKE YOURSELF KNOWN!

Don’t be afraid to blow your trumpet! You will find making some noise about your accomplishment/s, the ONLY way to get the attention you crave. It’s self-promotion, but it can give you, great self-confidence as you go. Never aim small, dare to challenge yourself! Thanks to the internet, we have limitless tools at our fingertips, many don’t ask for money as they use the clever tool of cross-promoting. ie: They’ll advertise your work, if you display theirs. This is just one of many ways that will assist you introducing YOU, to the world. .

Check posts on this subject,as we go a little further into Marketing/promotional tools/Media kits.