Badge of the week ~ Maiwand Kabul, Afghanistan

16 February ~ Back in mid-20th century Afghanistan, in the wind-tossed province of Maiwand, close to the venerated city of Kabul, it was not unknown for male youths to drop from the sky. One might be out in the fields tending one's flock, if one were a shepherd, or grabbing at non-existent butterflies if one were insane, when a shining male youth would simply drop at your feet. They would be laughing-limbed young men, generally speaking, with hair of spun gold. Some witnesses reported that they detected a faint milky odour. Read more