Impact Blue text = a clickable link. To highlight pictures please click themThree items which came to me via the internet this week have affected me – made a bit of an impact. So instead of dealing with one topic in depth as I usually do, I'm writing a little about each of them. The war in UkraineDrabFor some time I've noticed that news about the Ukraine war has been rather drab. The so called counter offensive that was talked up for months seems to have stalemated. Then yesterday I turned to Scoop, a New Zealand internet news site, where I found a lengthy article by Glen Johnson, titled: 'Post Vilnius NATO Summit it has been all downhill for Zelensky.' The article's end note explains that: 'Glen Johnson is a New Zealand journalist who has worked as a foreign correspondent for 14 years, predominantly out of the Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe. He spent most of the past year in Ukraine.' Some home truths?Johnson opened his story with this: 'KHARKIV, Ukraine – In the weeks leading up to last month’s NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, the collective West could barely contain its disappointment in Ukraine’s “much anticipated counter-offensive”. Images of Western military hardware burning on the Pontic-Caspian steppe – trapped in minefields and being picked off at will by Russian artillery, drones and attack helicopters – did little to boost egos in Washington, Brussels and London.' That hardly speaks of an effective counter attack does it? Just imagine how much all that wrecked military hardware cost. No wonder that I thought the war news was drab. Tail between legsThen Johnson writes: 'Humiliated and the message (go kill more Russians) well and truly received, Kyiv doubled down on its “much anticipated counter-offensive”, appearing to launch the main thrust of its offensive operations on the Zaporizhzhia front in the latter part of July, while attempting to relitigate the Battle of Bakhmut with assaults on the northern and southern regions of that devastated city. 'The fighting has been waged at a near-unfathomable ferocity. The Ukrainians are taking substantial losses, far in excess of the Russian side, which is also bleeding.' A long readThe Glen Johnson piece in Scoop is a long read but revealing – containing far more more than I've covered. It's the sort of 'delve in deep' account that only comes from experience and close personal knowledge. It had impact on me. Greenpeace todayCome of age?I received from Samantha Caughley at Greenpeace a list of happenings and issues in which Greenpeace has been and still is involved.
This is a subantial group of issues. Greenpeace is more than a bunch of tree huggers or ridiculous thrill seekers climbing tall buildings or jumping into the sea in front of whalers, as it used to be derided. It is a well formed protest organisation making impact on the issues it targets. To sign petitions on these topics and issues flowing from them, go to the Greenpeace website. A wonderful new voiceEmma KokOver the years I have watched Andre Rieu and his orchestra countless times. Never live. Always on YouTube. I've often thought he does two great jobs. He brings understandable classical music and good quality popular music to a wide audience – often to people who wouldn't go to an orchestra concert. And he also gives young new performers a platform from which to launch careers. Please click on this video and meet Emma Kok. This 15 year old, who has a serious medical condition, gastroparesis, but a beautiful voice, made an immediate impact on me. I wish her well. John McInnes Friday 25 August 2023 ##########
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