Sunday, March 28, 2010

Baroness Park of Monmouth RIP

I know I know another blinking obituary. They are just so compelling. This one, for example: the top spy of her time. It is just irresistable! Here are some excerpts from the Telegraph:

"Daphne Park demonstrated that a woman could be an immensely competent officer on the ground. Extracting information in the middle of an African jungle or burning top secret documents (and then hiding the ashes in her knickers) were simply part of the job."

"Here (in the Belgian Congo), Daphne Park dealt with the inevitable death threats and lawlessness of society with habitual sangfroid. On one occasion, when living alone, she chased off an intruder by leaning out of her window and shouting: "I am a witch! And if you don't instantly go away your hands and feet will fall off!""

"The family home was a mud hut without running water or electricity. Daphne pegged her first gold claim aged three, finding a single nugget which she then lost. She had no formal education until the age of 11, when she walked three days to the nearest road and hitched a lorry ride "through a cloud of locusts" to Dar es Salaam."

Go and read the rest for yourself. It's here. Another amazing woman - she puts me to shame with her energy and initiative.

Mind Cleanser

Jews across the world today are cleaning out their cupboards in preparation for the festival of Passover. May I present an opportunity to flush out one's brain also: the theme tune to the cartoon 'Pinky and the Brain' ... in Russian! Greetings and good wishes to you all!!