Alan's Everyday Life Blog: December 2023

Friday 29 December 2023

My Relationship to Prince William, Prince Harry and Diana Frances Spencer

Lady Diana Spencer lived an extraordinary yet tragically short life. She was born Diana Frances Spencer on 1 July 1961 into British nobility, growing up privileged on the grand Sandringham estate. Though shy, she was thrust into the global spotlight when her engagement to Prince Charles was announced in February 1981, having met just months earlier. Their spectacular royal wedding on 29 July 1981, enchanted the world, as over 750 million people tuned in on television.

Diana also embraced motherhood after marrying Prince Charles and taking on royal duties. She gave birth to Prince William in 1982 and Prince Harry in 1984. However, there was trouble behind the scenes. Diana and Charles' incompatibility led them to formally separate in 1992, which the Prime Minister announced that December. Their divorce was finalized in 1996, but Diana remained beloved by the public and devoted to humanitarian causes. Fatefully, she died at the age of 36 after a car crash in Paris on the last day of August in 1997. Her sudden death sparked an unprecedented outpouring of grief and affection for the "People's Princess" all over the globe. Even decades later, Diana's grace, compassion and activism still inspire.

Charitable Work

Princess Diana was deeply devoted to charitable causes and used her immense fame and influence to bring awareness and support to multiple organizations and issues. Some of the key charities and social welfare efforts Diana supported include:

National AIDS Trust - Diana was a patron and worked to help reduce the stigma around AIDS/HIV while raising funds for education and treatment.

Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital - She regularly visited this leading children’s hospital in London and served as President of its charity fund from 1989 until her death.

Leprosy Mission - Traveled to visit leprosy victims in Indonesia and India as part of this group’s efforts to treat and rehabilitate people.

Royal Marsden Hospital Cancer Fund - She made many private visits to its cancer facility and served as President of the charity from 1989 onward.

Campaign to Ban Landmines - Part of the effort to abolish use of landmines around the world, which later won the Nobel Peace Prize.

British Red Cross Youth Group - As patron of the group, she promoted humanitarian values and recruited over 13,000 new volunteers.

Centrepoint - Supported caring for London’s growing homeless youth population as patron of this prominent charity.

Through these efforts and more, Diana helped advance important causes, raise funds and awareness, as well as showing compassion to marginalized groups. Her legacy of charity work lives on through her sons' endeavours as well.

Death and Funeral

I well remember the day of her passing. I had risen early to prepare the bottle for my baby daughter, switched on the TV around 7am to catch up with some news as I fed her, and there it was on the news. I woke my wife and put the TV news on in the bedroom. We spent the day as I imagine one spends it when a close member of any family dies; quiet, numb, reflecting, and frankly, devastated. The only difference is that we stayed tuned to TV all day long watching for any and every development in the story.

Diana, Princess of Wales' funeral was held on September 6, 1997 in London. My wife's parents joined us to watch the whole event on TV from our home in Hemel Hempstead. The funeral was televised globally and began with a procession through the streets of London to Westminster Abbey that included Prince William, Prince Harry, Prince Charles, and other members of the royal family who walked solemnly behind Diana's coffin. Afterwards, Diana's coffin travelled to her family's estate in Northamptonshire. It was very moving to watch the hearse journey through the streets and north along the M1 motorway, where people thronged bridges and threw down flowers as a mark of respect. Later that day, she was laid to rest on an island at the Oval Lake on the grounds of Althorp Park in a private ceremony.

My Relationship to Diana Frances Spencer

It came to my attention that there was a family connection to Diana through Family Search. Diana was my 13th cousin. These details were taken from that website on 29/12/2023.

13th cousins are quite distant...!

By the time you get to the 5th cousin level, genealogists estimate the average person potentially has over 1 million cousins in that group if considering historical populations. Rules of thumb suggest that on average, if you go back an extra generation in distance (from 5th cousins to 6th cousins for example), you might expect to double or triple the pool of cousins. So, to get to 13th there's going to be a considerable population .. !

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Thursday 28 December 2023

My Relationship to President Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln served as the 16th President of the United States from 4 March 1861 until death following his assassination on 15 April 1865.

Lincoln was born in a log cabin in Hardin County, Kentucky on 12 February 1809. As president, he issued the Emancipation Proclamation and helped preserve the United States by leading the country during the American Civil War. Lincoln is still frequently ranked by scholars as one of the greatest US presidents due to his role in reuniting the country following the Civil War and ending slavery.

While President Lincoln faced immense challenges and criticism during his time in office, he was able to accomplish amazing things thanks to the support of a handful of remarkable individuals. Each one played an integral part in helping Lincoln steer the nation through the tumultuous Civil War era and began moving the country towards granting freedom and rights for all.

It's fascinating to consider how different history may have turned out if not for these key allies believing in and standing by Lincoln's vision. Chase, Grant, Seward and Stanton supported him militarily and politically through crucial decisions and policies. Greeley and Douglass advocated for abolition from critical perspectives outside of government. And Mary Todd Lincoln remained devoted to her husband personally throughout unimaginable hardships.

Together this group of allies formed an incredible network that empowered Lincoln to follow his conscience and do what he felt was right for the American people. None of his notable achievements would have been possible without the shared commitment of these individuals. Their partnership illustrates how genuine compassion and moral courage can triumph over even the darkest of times when good people commit to working as one.

While Abraham Lincoln's legacy lives on primarily through his impactful leadership of the nation during turbulent times, it's clear he was also a gifted wordsmith in his own right. His renowned speeches and personal letters reveal a beautifully thoughtful and articulate writer.

As with many great figures who accomplished immense amounts, Lincoln seemingly didn't find spare time to author books among the endless demands of governing through crisis. Yet in a way, the volumes of his papers, writings and iconic speeches that he did leave us might as well be considered books in their richness and timelessness.

Gettysburg Address

The Gettysburg Address in particular is a masterclass in concision, packing an immense ethical charge into just a few passionate minutes of prose. Measured against any golden standard of oratory, it shines eternally. Papers like his famous letter to Greeley on slavery further cemented Lincoln's place among history's most brilliant communicators.

The Gettysburg Address is considered one of the greatest speeches in American history. It was a short speech that Abraham Lincoln delivered on 19 November 1863 at the dedication ceremony for the National Cemetery of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania four months after the pivotal Battle of Gettysburg, where the Union armies defeated those of the Confederacy. Over 50,000 soldiers from both sides were casualties in the massive battle.

Lincoln's carefully crafted 272-word speech consecrated the cemetery grounds as a final resting place and memorial for the Union soldiers who died in the bloody battle.

"Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, on this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived, and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives, that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate—we cannot hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

Instead of simply dedicating the new cemetery, Lincoln reframed the purpose and meaning of the Civil War in his speech. He described it as a struggle to test whether the nation "conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal" could long endure.

Lincoln's eloquent speech redefined the war as one fighting to preserve the union and guarantee equal rights of all, not just soldiers who died at Gettysburg. This gave the war a broader purpose beyond simply defeating the Confederacy.

The address concluded by challenging the nation to highly resolve that these soldiers shall not have died in vain, and that "this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom.”

The speech took Lincoln around two minutes to deliver but played a huge role in further defining the moral purpose of the Civil War and renewing national commitment to defeating the Confederacy. It's tremendously concise but hugely impactful framework has resonated for generations as a defining expression of American democracy.

The legacy of Lincoln and his allies' cooperation continues to inspire those fighting for justice and equality today.

His assassination

In November 1864, Lincoln was re-elected to a second term, defeating Democratic candidate George B. McClellan. But just a few months later, on 14 April 1865, Lincoln was attending a play called "Our American Cousin" at Ford's Theatre in Washington D.C with his wife Mary Todd Lincoln. During intermission, John Wilkes Booth entered Lincoln's uncovered viewing box and shot him in the back of the head with a single-shot Derringer pistol at close range.

As shocked screams erupted in the theatre, Booth shouted "Sic semper tyrannis!" (Latin for "Thus always to tyrants") and escaped out the back of the theatre. Lincoln was carried across the street to the Petersen House, where he lingered unconscious for 9 hours before passing away the next morning on 15 April.

The assassination of President Lincoln was a tragic loss for the American nation at a pivotal moment in its history. It's heartbreaking to reflect on all he had yet to achieve in rebuilding the post-Civil War era.

While there were certainly many factors fueling John Wilkes Booth’s hatred, the catalyst seems to have been Lincoln’s unwavering commitment to equality and justice. Ending the tyranny of slavery was Lincoln's noble vision, though a controversial step for some. His second-term victory had signalled an even brighter future ahead.

Yet despite the motives, no action can undo the pain of that fateful night or console Mary Todd in her grief. While Booth escaped earthly justice, history rightly judges him as igniting more division. His co-conspirators also met grim fates.

Still, through the darkness shone examples like biographer Shelby Foote, who said "Lincoln freed the slaves, and in doing so saved the United States. In saving it, he made it worth saving.” Such wisdom reminds us that even our darkest hours can sow hope if leaders choose light over spite.

May we honour Lincoln's values by continuing his work with courage, empathy and care for all people. In this spirit alone, perhaps, his noble spirit is not fully slain.

My Relationship to President Abraham Lincoln

I was made aware of a relationship to President Abraham Lincoln through Family Search. He's my 8th cousin four times removed. These details are taken from Family Search on 28/12/2023.

How many people living today might also be 8th cousins?

Most people likely have between tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of living 8th cousins.

Rules of thumb suggest that on average, if you go back an extra generation in distance (from 5th cousins to 6th cousins for example), you might expect to double or triple the pool of cousins. Factors like intermarriage, migrations, and community size can increase or decrease those numbers.

So while an exact count isn't possible without extensive genealogy mapping, it’s reasonable to estimate most people likely have between 50,000 to 200,000+ living 8th cousins. Potentially more in the upper hundreds of thousands for some. It depends greatly on family lines.

In summary, tens or hundreds of thousands would be a sensible ballpark range for the likely number of living 8th cousins for most people of European descent.

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Wednesday 27 December 2023

My Relationship to Helen Keller

Helen Keller was born 27 June 1880 in Tuscumbia, Colbert, Alabama, United States. She became ill with an unknown illness described as "spinal meningitis" at the age of 19 months, which left her both deaf and blind.

With the help of her teacher Anne Sullivan, who taught her how to communicate using tactile sign language, Keller learned to read, write, and even speak English fluently and attended Radcliffe College, graduating cum laude in 1904.

Keller was a lifelong advocate for disability rights and challenged perceptions of deaf-blind people. She worked to educate the public about deafness and blindness through stories of her life and experiences.

Keller travelled all over the U.S.A. and made several international trips to highlight the capabilities and potential of deaf-blind people. She gave many inspirational speeches and lectures on her life experiences.

She lobbied for improved access to education for deaf-blind children. Thanks to her advocacy, programs were established across the U.S.A. to teach students using methods similar to those that Anne Sullivan taught her.

Keller helped establish workshops for deaf-blind people to learn daily living and vocational skills, challenging the notion they could not work or contribute. This helped increase employment opportunities.

She wrote an autobiography called "The Story of My Life" in 1903 to share her story with a wide audience. The book was a huge success and helped spread understanding of blindness/deafness issues. Here are a few quotes from that book that stand out:

— "My world is bounded by all senses except that of sight."

— "To me, beauty itself consists in clarity, order and harmony."

— "It is impossible for me to think without judging or reasoning, therefore I develop images of all that comes within the range of my experience, whether by the sense of touch, the movements of my fingers, or my muscular sense."

— "The appeal of nature is always infinitely sweet to me, and the scent of spring flowers even more delightful than their color. Their unfolding leaves seem as sensitive as hands, and their turning to the light as real as sight."

Along with Sullivan, Keller travelled to attend conferences on deafness and literacy education to share the best teaching practices and lessons they discovered together. Sullivan and Keller co-founded the Helen Keller International organization which works to combat the causes and effects of blindness and malnutrition worldwide.

Keller fought tirelessly against discrimination by raising awareness of deaf-blind capabilities. She said "the most pathetic person in the world is one who has sight but has no vision."

She authored 12 published books* and was friends with important historical figures like Mark Twain and Alexander Graham Bell.

Helen Keller's friendship with legendary American author Mark Twain was quite remarkable. Keller first met Twain in 1894 when she was 14 years old, and she was immediately intrigued by his wit and humour despite being unable to see him or hear his voice. Twain was fascinated by Keller's intelligence, curiosity, and ability to converse fluidly despite her disabilities. He called her a "little girl with a mighty mind."

The two developed a close friendship and would correspond frequently by letter in the following years. Twain acted as a mentor to Keller and offered advice/guidance. Both enjoyed lively conversations on literature, culture, philosophy and politics. By sharing Twain's writings with her, Anne Sullivan introduced Keller to American idioms and ways of thinking.

Sadly, when Twain lost his own daughter and experienced financial troubles late in life, the stress took a toll on his health. But he and Keller remained close. Their intergenerational bond demonstrated the power of compassion and friendship to overcome limitations and bring people together. Keller greatly admired Twain's work throughout her life.

Keller first met Alexander Graham Bell in 1887, when he was working to develop methods to teach the deaf how to communicate. He was impressed by her potential. Bell advocated for Keller to receive further education after she learned the language as a young child. He helped enrolled her in the Perkins Institute for the Blind.

Keller regarded Bell as a brilliant mentor who gave her confidence in her abilities. He encouraged her to follow her dreams of going to college. Through their regular meetings, Bell tutored Keller in physics, mechanics and inventions. She credited his teachings for sparking her life-long curiosity in science.

Bell saw Keller as like family. He lent financial support so she could attend college at Radcliffe, and came to her graduation ceremony. They maintained a correspondence filled with discussions of their work. Bell felt Keller demonstrated what people with disabilities could achieve with opportunities. This cross-generational bond of friendship and mentorship played a role in shaping both their lives and advocacy for improving communication methods.

She never married or had children. Keller remained an advocate and inspiration for disabled people until she died on 1 June 1968 at Easton, Fairfield, Connecticut, United States. She was buried on 5 June 1968 at Washington National Cathedral, Washington, District of Columbia, United States.

*Books:

1. The Story of My Life (1903) - Her first autobiography, which became an international bestseller.

Best Selling book Amazon.co.uk

2. The World I Live In (1908) - A series of essays describing her perceptions of nature, art, social justice and more without sight or hearing. BUY this book on Amazon

3. Midstream: My Later Life (1929) - A sequel autobiography recounting her later life experiences as an activist and public figure. BUY this book on Amazon

4. Helen Keller's Journal (1938) - A compilation of diary entries over several decades discussing her spiritual beliefs and political views. BUY this book on Amazon

5. Teacher (1943) - A biography honoring the pivotal role of her teacher Anne Sullivan in her life and education. BUY this book on Amazon

6. Let Us Have Faith (1940) - Essays exploring faith, philosophy and perception of the world beyond the physical senses. BUY this book on Amazon

7. Peace at Eventide (1957) - Reflections on ageing, inspiration and spirituality later in life.

8. The Open Door (1957) - Counsel on overcoming prejudice and pursuing equality for all people. BUY on Amazon

9. My Religion (1927) - Essays sharing her transcendentalist views on connecting with God and spirituality.

10. Optimism (1903) - Essays advocating for optimism as a philosophy to face life challenges.

11. The Story of My Life (1954) - A revised autobiography with additional perspective late in life.

12. Light in my Darkness (1977) - A collection of letters Keller wrote over many decades.

My Relationship to Helen Keller

It was brought to my attention through Family Search that Helen Keller was a 13th cousin of mine. My relationship to Helen Keller is taken from familysearch.org on 27 December 2023:

13th cousins are quite distant...!

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Royal Mail Redirection

COMPLAINT

(15/12/2023)

Today 2 envelopes arrived with "Redirection - First Class" stickers on them. One from the Office of the Public Guardian should have arrived here a month ago. Another should have arrived a couple of weeks ago from *********** Bank but arrived only today. The redirect address "** ********" was crossed out in biro. Bottom of sticker says "Expires ****24 Ref 776******" - I'm wondering if you have redirected any more of my mails without my permission. I imagine that the redirect was done for the previous owner of ******** as that is when he moved out. Certainly, surname "Winter" at ** ***** should not be redirected.

REPLY

(19 Dec 2023)

Dear Alan

I’m sorry your mail has accidentally been included in the redirected mail for the previous occupiers of your address.

Within the huge volumes of mail we redirect for customers, few problems arise - but we take every failure seriously, and have investigated the matter for you.

My investigations have included checking that the name and address details provided in the Redirection instructions have been added to our systems correctly, and that they exclude any reference to your own mail.

I have also taken the following positive action on your behalf:

• Logged and reported the full details of your complaint

• Passed these details to my colleagues in our delivery operation

• Confirmed with the local delivery office manager that they are aware mail addressed to you shouldn’t be redirected

• Requested that further steps be taken to ensure correct instructions are clearly displayed about which mail is included in the redirection request

• Requested that the postal personnel dealing with your mail take extra steps to ensure your mail is delivered as addressed.

Once again, please accept my sincere apologies for the problem you've had, and thanks for taking the time to make us aware of this.

Regards

K***** *******

Royal Mail

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Thursday 14 December 2023

Security Vulnerability Alert!

Apparently reporting security vulnerabilities is a big thing these days. Makes me wonder what’s really going on. Find out more about these bug bounty programs:

Meta Bug Bounty Program