francene--blog. Year 2013
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April 18th

4/18/2013

 
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english.ahram.org.eg
After a gun carriage drawn by six black horses carried the coffin through the streets to St Paul's, the Queen led mourners in St Paul's Cathedral at the funeral of Baroness Thatcher, Britain's longest serving prime minister of modern times. Dignitaries waived their differences, and more than 2,000 guests from around the world paid their last respects at the biggest such occasion since the Queen Mother's funeral in 2002.

Thousands of members of the public and the armed forces lined the funeral procession route through London.

When historians look back at the Thatcher years, they will note: the savage battle over the economy in the early 1980s, the victory in the Falklands in 1982, the bitter struggle with the miners in 1984-85, the deregulation of the City in 1986, the disastrous introduction of the poll tax, and the high drama of her resignation in 1990.


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www.thehindi.com
Her supporters acclaim her as the woman who saved her country, her critics shame her as the woman who destroyed it. But historians will surely reach a more evenhanded verdict. The very fact that she was a woman may well have been the most remarkable thing about her.

When Margaret Thatcher first joined the cabinet in 1970, the Wimpy hamburger chain still banned women from coming in late on their own on the bizarre grounds that only prostitutes would be out at that time of night.

Thatcher, who loathed feminism, came to embody the extraordinary expansion in the horizons of Britain's women, which was arguably the single biggest social change of the 20th Century.

But Baroness Thatcher was subject to the common destiny of all human beings, and therefore prone to illness. Even her great strength couldn't save her from Alzheimer's disease during the last years of her life.

Dementia is caused by brain diseases; the most common are Alzheimer's and vascular dementia. One in three people over 65 will develop dementia. However, for too long dementia has been kept in the shadows and families have been left to struggle alone.  At this time, people should reflect on the impact dementia can have on a person’s life.  By speaking openly about the effects of the condition, we will begin to tackle some of the stigma that still surrounds dementia and ensure that everyone gets support.

My own mother suffered from dementia. The condition went undiagnosed for many years—even I didn't recognize it when I visited her in Australia from England. I thought she was acting a bit weird. My sister and I laughed about her forgetting things. If only I could take back that unkind action.

Of course, I wonder if the same thing will happen to me. Perhaps, by writing, I'll keep my mind sharp. Do we know what will happen to us in the future? Would we want a crystal ball?


Suzy link
4/17/2013 07:50:13 pm

My aunt suffers from dementia. It's very sad to see her degenerate. Watched Margaret Thatcher's funeral yesterday.
Dropping by from UBC.

Francene Stanley link
4/17/2013 08:47:19 pm

It is sad to see someone you've known change. At least they don't realize what's happening.

Isi link
4/17/2013 08:25:17 pm

Would I want a crystal ball? Hmm, good question. Part of me does, so that I can avoid mistakes and make better decisions down the line. But part of me thinks what if changing those decisions might be even worse in the long run. I guess I'm on the fence on that one, but leaning towards not knowing is probably better. :)

Francene Stanley link
4/17/2013 08:48:27 pm

I guess knowing you would be healthy until you died would be better than the dread.

Jana link
4/17/2013 08:30:05 pm

no crystal ball for me, just trying to keep to an optimum diet, and hope for the best.

Francene Stanley link
4/17/2013 08:50:10 pm

Diet must help us to age well. I remember reading about 20 years ago that the aliminium in saucepans leached into food and caused dimentia. Not sure if this was so, but nobody uses them now.

Amy link
4/18/2013 05:19:16 am

Francene,
There seems to be so much out there now about preventing dementia by attending to diet, exercising, and so forth. I think we have more information at our disposal now, but if we use it, that's another question. Very fascinating post, Francene, as always!

Francene Stanley link
4/18/2013 05:04:06 pm

I'm wondering if the lack of mental stimulation (otherwise known as stress) stills the brain's capacity to grow. Therefore, it atrophies. I need more research.

AMummysLife link
4/18/2013 07:13:00 am

She was certainly a woman that people will remember for years to come for many things.

Francene Stanley link
4/18/2013 05:05:55 pm

Bs. Thatcher was in charge of the country when I arrived in England. She set the example of a woman's power. ;-) I followed to gain a small measure of strength.


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    Author

    Francene Stanley, author of many published novels. If you like my writing, why not consider purchasing one of my books? You'll see them on the sidebar below.
    Born in Australia, I moved to Britain half way through my long life.

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