19th September, 2025: World Humanitarian Day.
Did I mention I’ve got type two diabetes? Amongst other things!
I’ve got type two diabetes, amongst other things!
Severe enough that I’ve been given a blood sugar monitor: complete with lancets and test strips, ones I’m still getting the hang of.
As a result?
My sharps bin’s been picked up for disposal, this morning.
After I’ve filled it far more rapidly than I’ve been used to.
I think I’m going to need a bigger bin!
 |
| My Usual Bin (1 litre.) |
 |
| A Bigger Bin! (2.5 litre.) |
~≈🗑️≈~
Something I’ve felt for a long time is this.
That local, and national, governments should use more open source software: as I feel it could be more economical, be far cheaper, for them.
Even if — in the short term — transferring from Microsoft-supplied software to its open-source equivalent, would cost a fortune*.
There’s also the simple fact that many of the technology companies are US based†: rather than — say — UK based.
Which could cause issues if a tariff-mad US president decided to impose tariffs on US companies selling to Europe and the UK.
I’ve just, quickly, read this piece on the BBC’s news website.
Which tells us there’s similar issues around cloud services.
Most of the infrastructure is controlled by three US companies: Amazon, Google and Microsoft.
And many government bodies in the European Union feel that cloud storage provided by European companies would be preferable.
After all, that could allow for less foreign control of EU and UK services.
I can only hope both the EU, and the UK, can support EU and UK cloud service companies.
Becoming less reliant on foreign powers can only be a good thing.
Let’s move on.
Yesterday’s Teaser saw Olga‡, Mum§, and Debbi¶ putting in their answers: with Olga and Debbi scoring five out of five, and Mum on four.
Let’s see how everyone does with today’s questions, shall we?
Q1) 19th August is World Humanitarian Day. According to whom: the EU, UN or NATO?Q2) That organisation’s Humanitarian body — the group that coordinates humanitarian aid in emergencies — is the OCHA: the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian … what?Q3) According to Wikipedia, humanitarian aid is short term help. Long term help is called what: humanitarian help, humanitarian assistance or humanitarian oysters?Q4) Again, According to Wikipedia? The WFP is the world’s largest humanitarian organisation. It proves what sort of aid: food aid, financial aid or medical aid?Q5) Finally … ? The UNHCR is the United Nations High Commissioner for whom?
Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …
Q1) The controversial novel, Lolita, was published in the US, on 18th August. Of which year of the 1950s?A1) 1958.Q2) It had originally been published in France. In which year of the 1950s?A2) 1955.Q3) The central character is called what: Dolores Haze, Humbert Humbert or James Saville?A3) Humbert Humbert.Q4) The central character is obsessed with whom: Dolores Haze, Charlotte Haze or Mathilda Lando?A4) Dolores Haze.Q5) Finally … ? Who wrote Lolita?A5) Vladimir Nabokov.
Here’s a thought …
“World Humanitarian Day is an international day dedicated to recognize humanitarian personnel and those who have died working for humanitarian causes.”From the Wikipedia entry on the Day.
A song …
And an earworm …
The next ten question set is on 25th August: it’s about Nottinghamshire.
Comments will be published, tomorrow morning.
Today’s questions will be answered in tomorrow’s Teaser.
Decisions about scores are final.
Thank you for coming: have a good day.
* As a sort of example? A few months ago, a neighbour asked about alternatives to Microsoft Office: or, at least, Microsoft 365, its online version. It was costing her some six pounds a month, at the time. I pointed her at LibreOffice, which is free for home users. Job done.
† I’m very aware that I’m a screaming Mac fan, encouraging the use of non-American technology. The irony isn’t lost on me. In my defence? I’m a British person who’s used versions of Ubuntu, before now: the operating system is made by a British company.
‡ That’s very wise reading advice, Olga!
You must be worried, sick, Olga: and not happy about climate change deniers. Not with evidence on your doorstep …
Nice hearing your voice, by the way: but it’s a hell of time to hear it … !
§ Hello, Mum!
¶ I’ve still not seen that, Debbi: I’ll have to catch it!
Totally off the subject, Debbi? I don’t know if this chap was a captain …
3 comments:
1 UN
2 Aid
3 Help
4 Food Aid
5 Refugees
Q1) UN
Q2) Affairs
Q3) humanitarian assistance
Q4) food aid
Q5) Refugees
Thanks, Paul. Yes, I thought it would take too long to write all that and I knew your Mondays are quite busy, so...
Here we've had some rain today, although it wasn't raining in Galicia when I spoke to my cousin. One of my aunts also sent me a message yesterday. They were leaving Paradaseca, the small village, and trying to get back home, in O Barco de Valdeorras, but that was also surrounded by fire. She told me they hadn't been able to get a connection from their phones, and many places don't have running water or electricity either. Thankfully, it seems things had settled a bit by the time they got there.
My cousin sent me a picture of the place where our cabin was (still is, but it isn't ours any more). My uncle shared the plot with another one of his brothers, at his insistence, and that bit of the plot had the place were my father had build a barbeque with cement blocks. That bit has burned down totally, including the trees at the back (pine and oak trees). That uncle of mine is quite ill and staying in the city, because he needs regular transfusions, so nobody could do much about it.
Here I've found some pictures that one of the big newspapers has been publishing. There are pictures from many places, some from nearby the area where my Dad was from (in Ourense), but others in Madrid, Cáceres, León... I hope the rain gets there as well, although my cousin was saying the ash will contaminate the water supply, but, to be honest, ash was flying and falling all over the place, so not sure it will make a lot of difference, other than helping with the fire extinction. The temperatures have gone down as well. Let's hope the wind stops...
https://elpais.com/espana/2025-08-14/las-impresionantes-imagenes-de-los-incendios-activos-en-espana.html#?rel=mas
Oh, by the way, the local festival, la Festa Major de Sants, starts on Saturday and it will carry on until the 31st of August. I went by the radio station on Sunday (we walked by and I saw the windows open in the tower), and I'll be quite busy, although a little less than other years, because I had told that I couldn't be out of the house the whole day and leave my mother unsupervised. We've agreed I'll be doing production work at the radio station in the morning, and I might help with the mobile unit a bit some afternoons, but perhaps an hour or two, and not everyday. There are some events that we all must help with in any case, but I hope that will help keep things going without major issues. I'm just telling you because I don't think I'll be around that much. (We start preparations tomorrow, although I think I'll try and do some preparation work at home and send it on, because we'll be a lot of people and there won't be enough space for everybody).
I agree with you on trying to move from overreliance on the USA.
Wow! What a rare and awesome thing for his family to find!
I gotta find a copy. One not on Amazon! :)
1. the UN
2. Affairs
3. humanitarian aid
4. food aid
5. Refugees
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