Now Voyager: Memphis Belle day

Today I realised Memphis Belle was the name of the this fighter plane in the first WW, with obviously a film made about her. The pin-up girl on the fusillage is also painted outside the Memphis Café. So there, now I know.

The poster on the wall...

Runway extensions very probable...

Is this true, I wonder?

The UK Uke orchestra which I am missing this Saturday in lieu of Black Grace, the Maori Dance group from

Auckland who are performing at Porirua.

This is hard to believe, but who knew, men can soon have a baby!

Lydia Ko, Queen of women's golf at only eighteen!

Donald Trump,

front runner Republican, is hard to credit with his out-and-out racism. The US elections next year must have a Democratic winner whoever the leader.

I forgot to mention a great blast from the past yesterday at Memphis. I had written a quick email to Arts Access Wellington, to their CEO Richard Benge, whose name sounded familar from Theorem days in Melbourne. Their organisation is putting on the short movie tonight by fellow swimmer, Brazilian Leonardo Guerchman, at the Penthouse, followed by 'The Belier family', about a French family of all deaf people, except the daughter who sings. I am looking forward to seeing both at the fundraiser night.

Well Richard remembered me and Aldo very well, Aldo especially of course, and he immediately came down to the Memphis to meet me. I will see him again tonight and hope to pass on to him my DVD of Theorem for him to reminisce over, although he says he had left Melbourne before 'Theorem' happened. Apparently we knew each other when I lived with Aldo in Sydney and Richard was an activist in the Chilean Pinochet dictatorship times. He is now a Wellington success story, so although he seemed excited to catch up, I felt it will be a rare moment in his very busy life running Arts Access. Still it was a welcome return to my past life which is, for the most part, totally forgotten over here in these windy isles.

Haven't heard from Czech Marty, he may well have found a pad much nearer to Floridita's where he works. Well so be it, proximity to work is important, but I would have loved him to move in, he has a good energy.

This afternoon at the Medical School, yet again, to welcome the visiting Chicago speaker, Dr Phoenix Matthews, leader in the field of Stigma in all its guises, and Activist Researching in Academia.

She was impressive and made great sense, especially coming from the racism that breeds in the US but is with us in a more hidden way here at home.

Martin Luther King

on stigma...