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Weekendish: Lettuces, models and scissors Weekendish: Lettuces, models and scissors
(35 minutes later)
A collection of some of the best reads from the BBC News website this week, with an injection of your comments.A collection of some of the best reads from the BBC News website this week, with an injection of your comments.
American Vogue's first black cover girlAmerican Vogue's first black cover girl
When Beverly Johnson (pictured) achieved her dream and made it to the front cover for American Vogue in 1974, she was astonished to find that she was the fashion magazine's first black cover girl. There was so little understanding of black models within the industry, says Johnson, that hairdressers didn't know how to style her hair, and photographers couldn't light her. Speaking about what her triumph might have meant to African-American women at the time, Johnson recalls: "I don't think they understand the impact they had on a nation of women, that they could finally look at someone and say, 'She's me and she's in the magazine and she's beautiful and we're finally accepted in mainstream America.'" Angela Wanhalla tweets: "American Vogue's first black cover girl, but father is Native American which is largely ignored in this story." Fresh tweets: "Here is American Vogue's first black cover girl. In 21st Century. Progressive or Regressive?" When Beverly Johnson (pictured) achieved her dream and made it to the front cover for American Vogue in 1974, she was astonished to find that she was the fashion magazine's first black cover girl. The industry had little experience of black models, says Johnson. Hairdressers didn't know how to style her hair, she says, and photographers couldn't light her. Speaking about what her triumph might have meant to African-American women at the time, Johnson recalls: "I don't think they understand the impact they had on a nation of women, that they could finally look at someone and say, 'She's me and she's in the magazine and she's beautiful and we're finally accepted in mainstream America.'" Angela Wanhalla tweets: "American Vogue's first black cover girl, but father is Native American which is largely ignored in this story." Fresh tweets: "Here is American Vogue's first black cover girl... Progressive or Regressive?"
Marrying the in-lawsMarrying the in-laws
In Yemen, the practice of "Shegar" - when a brother and sister from one family marry a brother and sister from another - is often used to avoid punitive dowry payments. But the agreement can come to terrible grief - if one couple decides to divorce, the other couple is often separated by the respective families, even if they are happy with the arrangement. BBC Arabic's Mai Noman returned to her native country to speak to those who had been affected by so-called "swap marriages".In Yemen, the practice of "Shegar" - when a brother and sister from one family marry a brother and sister from another - is often used to avoid punitive dowry payments. But the agreement can come to terrible grief - if one couple decides to divorce, the other couple is often separated by the respective families, even if they are happy with the arrangement. BBC Arabic's Mai Noman returned to her native country to speak to those who had been affected by so-called "swap marriages".
Read the full storyRead the full story
33,000 lettuces 33,000 lettuces...
That's just a portion of the vegetables grown by British POWs in the internment camp Ruhleben, in Berlin. When inmates realised they were stuck there at the outbreak of WW1, they decided to roll up their sleeves and make the best of it. Affiliation with the Royal Horticultural Society brought them precious resources of seeds and bulbs and their agricultural efforts in the grounds of the camp went from strength to strength. At the end of the war, they were eating better than Berliners, as Stephen Evans reports. Graham @B_BluesMonkey tweets: "You've got to love British eccentricity." Kahoover ‏adds: "Odd little story chock full of British behaving well and badly." ... and 18,000 radishes - that's just a portion of the vegetables grown by British POWs in the internment camp Ruhleben, in Berlin. When inmates realised they were stuck there at the outbreak of WW1, they decided to roll up their sleeves and make the best of it. Affiliation with the Royal Horticultural Society brought them precious resources of seeds and bulbs and their agricultural efforts in the grounds of the camp went from strength to strength. At the end of the war, they were eating better than Berliners, as Stephen Evans reports. Graham @B_BluesMonkey tweets: "You've got to love British eccentricity." Kahoover ‏adds: "Odd little story chock full of British behaving well and badly."
France 1, England 0France 1, England 0
It was the battle that paved the way for Magna Carta - a document which formed the basis for English democracy. But you've probably never heard of Bouvines. And the reason for that is probably because the British lost the battle against the French. But in France - as Hugh Schofield reports - it's still a big deal, with a major anniversary taking place to mark 800 years since the conflict. Sara Barker @DrSKBarker tweets: "Some interesting points about why particular battles are remembered in this piece on Bouvines. And some bonus Lavisse." J D Davies @quintonjournals adds: "The most important battle you've never heard of'…. So not Castillon 1453, then, which BBC list somehow ignores?"It was the battle that paved the way for Magna Carta - a document which formed the basis for English democracy. But you've probably never heard of Bouvines. And the reason for that is probably because the British lost the battle against the French. But in France - as Hugh Schofield reports - it's still a big deal, with a major anniversary taking place to mark 800 years since the conflict. Sara Barker @DrSKBarker tweets: "Some interesting points about why particular battles are remembered in this piece on Bouvines. And some bonus Lavisse." J D Davies @quintonjournals adds: "The most important battle you've never heard of'…. So not Castillon 1453, then, which BBC list somehow ignores?"
Being UsainBeing Usain
Whether or not Usain Bolt did get caught out criticising these Commonwealth Games - the reporter insists, the athlete denies - the subsequent headlines were another indication that life for the Jamaican sprinter is not like that for any other athlete, writes the BBC's chief sports writer Tom Fordyce. So what exactly is life like for the Lightning Bolt? When being the fastest man in the world becomes a bit too much, Bolt returns to the rural north-west of Jamaica and the tiny town of Sherwood Content, where he grew up. Out come the dominoes, out comes the Guinness. It might be mundane, but it's understandable, writes Fordyce in his profile of the athlete.Whether or not Usain Bolt did get caught out criticising these Commonwealth Games - the reporter insists, the athlete denies - the subsequent headlines were another indication that life for the Jamaican sprinter is not like that for any other athlete, writes the BBC's chief sports writer Tom Fordyce. So what exactly is life like for the Lightning Bolt? When being the fastest man in the world becomes a bit too much, Bolt returns to the rural north-west of Jamaica and the tiny town of Sherwood Content, where he grew up. Out come the dominoes, out comes the Guinness. It might be mundane, but it's understandable, writes Fordyce in his profile of the athlete.
Biohazard prostheticsBiohazard prosthetics
On becoming an amputee, do you get a leg straight away? Can amputees wear high heels? These are just two questions that are answered by the Ouch disability team in its feature Lesser-known things about prosthetic legs. Apparently many amputees collect a stockpile of prosthetics over the years and some don't know what to do with them. In the UK a used prosthetic leg is seen as a biohazard and cannot be used again in the EU. Joe Preston ‏@upthewoodenhill tweets: "Nice little article answering some interesting questions people have about prosthetic legs."On becoming an amputee, do you get a leg straight away? Can amputees wear high heels? These are just two questions that are answered by the Ouch disability team in its feature Lesser-known things about prosthetic legs. Apparently many amputees collect a stockpile of prosthetics over the years and some don't know what to do with them. In the UK a used prosthetic leg is seen as a biohazard and cannot be used again in the EU. Joe Preston ‏@upthewoodenhill tweets: "Nice little article answering some interesting questions people have about prosthetic legs."
The scissor-makerThe scissor-maker
"I'm Eric Stones and I've been making scissors for 58 years." So says one of the two "Master Puttertogetherers" at the last factory in Britain that still makes them by hand. Earlier this year, Ernest Wright and Son Ltd was in danger of closing. But a video by photographer Shaun Bloodworth showing how the implements are made went viral, resulting in a surge in orders. A few decades ago Sheffield boasted some 150 scissor manufacturers - now there are only two. Watch Eric at work and listen to him describing the intricacies of scissor making in this beautiful video by Susannah Reid. Ernest Wright reports that thanks to Friday's film, it received 100 new orders in an hour. Tim Hodges tweets: "Lovely film, spare 4 minutes of your time to watch it if you can." "I'm Eric Stones and I've been making scissors for 58 years." So says one of the two "Master Puttertogetherers" at the last factory in Britain that still makes them by hand. Earlier this year, Ernest Wright and Son Ltd was in danger of closing but a video by photographer Shaun Bloodworth showing how the implements are made went viral, resulting in a surge in orders. A few decades ago Sheffield boasted some 150 scissor manufacturers - now there are only two. Watch Eric at work and listen to him describing the intricacies of scissor making in this beautiful video by Susannah Reid. Ernest Wright reports that thanks to Friday's film, it received 100 new orders in an hour. Tim Hodges tweets: "Lovely film, spare 4 minutes of your time to watch it if you can."
Here are some things we've enjoyed this week from elsewhere around the web:Here are some things we've enjoyed this week from elsewhere around the web:
What's in a profile picture? Just about everything, actually - Washington PostWhat's in a profile picture? Just about everything, actually - Washington Post
Where Does Ebola Come From? - The AtlanticWhere Does Ebola Come From? - The Atlantic
Here's A Simple, Sneaky Way To Win Any Argument - Business InsiderHere's A Simple, Sneaky Way To Win Any Argument - Business Insider
The Great Third-Pound Burger Ripoff - Mother JonesThe Great Third-Pound Burger Ripoff - Mother Jones
This Guy Simultaneously Raised a Chimp and a Baby in Exactly the Same Way To See What Would Happen - Smithsonian MagazineThis Guy Simultaneously Raised a Chimp and a Baby in Exactly the Same Way To See What Would Happen - Smithsonian Magazine
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