text:
when i left the philippines, i had one more stopover in hawaii before i headed back to seattle. so while i was there, i got with some friends and made Lao food. they'd gotten a ride into town, and i'd given them a list of stuff to buy. and i didn't have a cookbook or nothing with me, so i stuck to stuff that was easy that i could make from memory. so we'd decided to make laap, red curry, and some vegetables. emerson had some sticky rice at his friend, heather neilson's house, and she graciously invited us to come eat there - besides, her landlord had lived in thailand before, had owned a thai restaurant, and thus had several ingredients on hand (such as fish sauce, msg, etc.) so we wouldn't have to buy everything.
so i was kinda in my groove - i had my ingredients all laid out, was starting to cook the curry paste a bit - and then the landlord comes home, and then things got kinda weird...
first off, she was white. i guess i'd just assumed that she'd be chinese or something. i figured she wasn't thai, or they would've said that, right? but when you say, "the landlord used to live in thailand, and she owned a thai restaurant," why would anybody guess she was white? (not that being white is a problem - i mean, i like white people; three of my best friends are white. seriously.) and second, i didn't know she actually lived at the house. (she was old, and it was her house...) and so i already felt uncomfortable that i am cooking food in this woman's kitchen - cause she kinda gave me crazy eye when she walked in the door tugging large bags of groceries with her too-old-to-be-living-with-mom adult son following behind.
"what are you making?" she asked me.
"oh, just some Lao food." I felt rather awkward when she came over to get a closer look.
"looks like curry to me - and that's not Lao food, that's thai food." she responded and then turned away to put stuff in the refrigerator. and she had a hefty helping of smugness in her voice.
i didn't know how to respond, but i felt myself getting the slightest bit defensive and irritated. her son came into the kitchen as well, toting bags of his own, a constant stream of words coming out of his mouth... (apparently he's one of those people whose brain and mouth have only the slightest barrier of gauze separating them.) i mumbled something about "sticky rice" and "padek," but i really couldn't think of something coherent to say - mostly because she kinda caught me... i mean, what i was cooking really wasn't Lao food...and i wish i had a big bottle of padek to pour into the pan. (i don't think it's wrong to say that if you add padek to any dish, it immediately becomes Lao food. at least it seems to work with my rice chex.)
well i didn't have to think long on some retort because the landlord lady picked up where she left off: "Lao people really didn't know how to cook anyway until the thai came in and taught 'em."
my anger really flared up at this one - and i looked around at emerson and his friends for some sort of validation that this lady was crazy. my face must have contorted because they all started to smile, or maybe it was because my fist was tightening around the knife i was using to cut the vegetables. but i really couldn't say anything. i mean, if i'd spoken at this point, i mighta said something real ugly. and my friends kept staring at me with varying degrees of silent laughter on their faces, waiting to see if i had some response to volley back at her, but i just had to back away from the counter and put down the knife.
"ok!" (i think i said... who really knows... i just remember what she said next...)
she started on some nonsense about Lao people and then ended with this declaration: "yeah, the Lao language is really just a dialect of thai, y'know."
and all i could answer was, "actually, it's not." i was so angry at this point. i mean, this was ridiculous. what so is wrong in the world that two white people are in a kitchen somewhere on the north shore of ohau acting out the centuries-long battles and resentments between Lao and thai people? and was she really that unaware of this history that she felt it was okay to make her comment?
i couldn't even think after this. (and maybe i am revealing too much of my personality here,) but i was so mad, the food had no chance of tasting good. i couldn't remember when and what and how much to put in the pan to make the curry. and the laap... i couldn't get it to taste right either. if only i'd had padek. i swear i woulda poured it all over that laap, held it up to that crazy lady's face and proclaimed it Lao food.
i couldn't collect my thoughts for real; she wouldn't even leave the kitchen!
and then, to make things weirder and to put me even more off kilter, my brother's nephew, alan, randomly strolls into the kitchen with a cookie sheet with little balls of cookie dough on them.
"alan, what are you doing here?" I asked him.
"i live here." he responds, and then the old crazy lady snuggles up to the side of him and declares, "this is my son!"
now i was really confused. did she mean that alan had married her daughter??? (he recently married and i had yet to meet his wife.) but thankfully i found out that wasn't the case - it just so happened that alan lived in her house too, alongside heather, the crazy old lady, her son, and an assortment of other people who were clearly paying too much for rent for a living situation that just aint worth it.
i did finally find my own way to insult her... i asked her about bangkok (where she used to live) and told her that she must've loved living in such a beautiful city. and then went on to praise bangkok for all its splendor and wonder.
i did eventually settle down and pretend that the food tasted okay...but danno's salsa tasted way better.
well, the old lady ended it evening with one final insult. after dinner was over, i was sitting at the table, and she comes in wearing her nightgown and pushes my chair so she can get to the fridge.
"oh, sorry!" i say, "i'm in your way!"
"that's okay. you've only been in my way for the past four hours." she replied, smiled at me, and then walked out the room.
well, thanks emerson, bethany, connie, francisco, danno, felix, and of course heather, for putting up with my volatility that evening...
and i won't name the crazy woman... in order to protect her tenants.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
its a mad mad mad mad world
Posted by jrm at 4:01 PM
8 comments:
Labels: crazy lady, food, Laos, thailand
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
biggest elvis & some final thoughts
manila really did light up big and bright for new years. it was like nothing i have ever experienced. if i was in a war zone, would it have been any different?
well, now for some final thoughts on the philippines and i will lay this trip to rest. well, first i will say that i am glad that i waited till the end of my stay in the philippines to begin reading "biggest elvis," one of the books i brought on the trip. the book is told from the perspective of numerous different (and mostly cynical) characters, and each of them have something to say about the philipphines.
for example, one embittered american says this about the traffic: "this wasn't a traffic jam, that would be like calling a lump of coal a dead plant. this was hell and we were all going to die here in the poisoned air because everything was burning coffee grounds and the visibility went as far as the side of the road, where i saw a line of stores, places with pots of food on tables, stacks of retread tires, wicker furniture, signs advertising bed spacer to rent and go-go dancer wanted and goats for sale. and there were people along the road, kids and dogs just watching us not moving, like they were fishermen on a riverbank, casting a line out into the traffic, pulling in an aerial or a rusted muffler…"
and then this: "i saw high-rise buildings with cranes on top only you couldn't tell if the buildings were going up or coming down. on the beach side, on low swampy land that stuck out into the bay, there was a bunch of shacks that were worse than anything i'd ever seen, acres of shacks, laundry, mud, and babies."
unlike the guy in the book, i actually really like a bustling city where the rigidity of sterile american customs do not apply. and maybe it's somewhat ethnocentric on my part to stare at the other and just say "wow," but it's maybe it's a step in the right direction, especially when you are sharing space with others that see the country like albert lane (the character i quoted above.) so thus was my trip altered somewhat. but as much as i enjoy drowning in the differences of another country, i can also sit back and appreciate the clashes of culture that i feel within myself and that i observe in the people around me.
for example: i needed a pair of socks – so i went to sm market (this big department store chain found all over manila). i figured i'd find my socks in the underwear department, at least it made sense to me. so i approached the section and about 2-3 sales reps approached me, "hello, sir? do you wear boxers or briefs?"
"uh… where are the socks?"
"oh… socks! they are over in the middle of the store." i left the section (but not before another woman asked me the boxers/briefs question while holding a package of underwear up for me to look at.)
well, I found the sock section – and it really was just that: a section with just socks. i approached cautiously, noticing the abnormally large crowd of sales people in the section. i was swarmed. i had 3-4 sales reps in front of me and equally as many to the back and sides. they were all holding up different types of socks: dress socks, crew socks, sports socks, and what-have-you.
"hello sir! these socks here are very beautiful."
"may i help you, sir?"
"what are you looking for, sir?"
i actually started laughing… "uh… socks?" i tried to move into the sock display racks so i could find what i was looking for (ankle socks to wear with my slip-on crocs, even though that may be a bad fashion decision to some of yall) and the crowd moved with me, still asking their questions, and holding up socks to my face with some intensity, finally blocking my path so i couldn't move.
finally I had to plead: "can i just get some socks, please?"
one of the sales reps took the lead: "oh, okay! shhh everyone! be quiet and let him look!" the crowd fell silent and moved back to form a path into the inner-sanctum of the sock section. i walked in, immediately found what i was looking for while the reps looked on in silence. when i moved to leave, the clamoring started up again: "sir! sir! what about this one?"
i know i shouldn't feel the need to say this, but i really am not exaggerating. after my escape, i stood about 30 feet removed so i could count the number of sales reps: 19. i was so completely disbelieving of my own count that i counted again: 22. i don't know which count is most accurate. was somebody hiding behind a sock display the first time i counted or did i just happen to count the same person twice?
but this is illustrative of every store: there always seems to be more people working than what the business needs. (but considering the unemployment rate is high, it can't be a bad thing, right?)
so spending time in the philippines with other americans, i tried to allow myself to absorb the culture of the foreigner in a place that doesn't quite agree with them. and the opinions people have are amazing… maybe something like this, (to quote albert lane from the biggest elvis again):
"the country was a dump, let's face it... what ever happened here since world war ii that mattered? …when was the last time anybody said, hey, let's all go to a filipino restaurant? what's your favorite filipino movie?"
and so this is part of the experience as well… I can look at traffic in new dehli, or chickens on a bus in Laos, or a guinea pig on my plate in peru and just say "wow." well, observing the observations of americans in a strange land aint no different. i can just sit back, say wow, and see the world through their eyes for a bit…
but in the end, i need to give my own description of manila: it is a truly amazing city. crowded, polluted, gray – yes, it is all that. but when i sit in a taxi weaving in and out of traffic – i still get that feeling of awe. the cityscape is really something to look at; this may sound weird, but it's the billboards! they are so huge – skyscraper size, i swear – and they line both sides of the streets, so that when driving through the traffic they tower over the car, growing and changing shapes as they pass by, like some crazy illustration in a dr. sues book. and especially at night: they're lit so brightly that i really could believe in all the capitalist dreams they promised me: if I drink that soda, or if I buy that watch or that pair of pants, i will be happy, smiling, and attractive, and I will too get that skeezy-looking blonde girl to stand next to me for a photo shoot.
Posted by jrm at 1:03 PM
2 comments:
Labels: books, philippines, trips
Friday, February 11, 2011
hostage stand off
Posted by jrm at 2:48 PM
No comments:
Wednesday, February 09, 2011
rest in peace
i've been meaning to make note of this for sometime: r.i.p. vang pao; his funeral was held this week in fresno, california. regardless of your feelings about the war and the cia's illegal incursion into Laos, the man was truly "bigger than life," to quote gayle morrison, a hmong historian.
vang pao (vaj pov); December 25, 1929 – January 6, 2011
see the article on cnn.com:
see wiki to learn more about him:
thanks wl.
vang pao (vaj pov); December 25, 1929 – January 6, 2011
see the article on cnn.com:
see wiki to learn more about him:
thanks wl.
Posted by jrm at 1:35 PM
2 comments:
Labels: hmong, news links
Monday, February 07, 2011
held hostage
this hat was a gift to me. and i am a forgetful person. i left it at a friend's house. now it is being held hostage. what else can i think when the hostage taker sends me a picture of it on a platter. i wonder if he will salt it before he eats it (or dip it in jeo padek.)
i have some final thoughts on the philippines that i'll post in the next few days, then i'll put my trip to rest.
i have some final thoughts on the philippines that i'll post in the next few days, then i'll put my trip to rest.
Posted by jrm at 5:33 PM
No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)


text: NOW HIRING —— DEPUGH NURSING CENTER- 40 bed facility in Beautiful downtown Winter Park is seeking Admissions/Mkting Director Social Services background preferred, knowledge of Medicaid/Medicare and strong community outreach. Experienced MDS Coord, RN and a Certified Dietary Manager with at least 2 Yrs experience. Send res. to firstname.lastname@example.com Or fax to 407-645-2520. WEB OS26273

subset: commoncrawl


text:
We are born then we die, but what of the part in between
I want to be happy, and think that all people want that too. but deciding what this state called happiness really is is the big question.
It seems that happiness is simply a drug induced state where our own bodies produce drugs in response to external stimuli that history has proven has the highest probability of producing offspring for homosapians and pre civilization humans. But because of our human state of consciousness that our species currently finds itself in many of these responses do not really serve us very well.
We like all other animals are motivated by three things, food, physical safety and procreation (sustenance, safety and sex or SSS) and ultimately all decisions are motivates by these three things. Modern neuroscience has learned that all the logical conscious decisions we think that we make happen about six seconds before we are aware that we made them, I'm not going into the actual experiments that show this but it is true and I can point you to the papers if you want. So yea we make choices then we become aware of the choices but since we are not really aware of the choices that we make when we make them it stands to reason that we that we can't really know why we make them and the best we can do is to guess.
It's like this... We are just pack animals, like dogs, that happen to have thumbs and the cognitive ability to build rocket-ships but that really we are just simple animals trying to get our simple needs met (SSS) but because we are so smart and can build rocket-ships we make complex assumptions about what we are doing when in fact we are just trying to get our needs met.
It's like we are dogs running around who happen to have literate drunk monkeys riding around on our shoulders who think that they are controlling the dog... The dog turns left to get safety sustenance or sex and the monkey thinks it made the dog turn and makes up a reason why the turn happened, the monkey uses all of its skills of logic and reason but really it is just guessing.
The dog turns left or right because of its needs but really it is just looking for those shots of drugs it calls happiness.
I'm in it for the shoes, still - I'm in it for the shoes : a meditation on life, aging, and Sex in the City I know you're thinking that Amanda, the one that was Annie for a brief while and...
5 years ago


text:
Yesterday's Spring Temperature and Sunshine Brings Return To Outdoor Seating At Roosevelt Island Restaurants
The spring like weather yesterday brought the outdoor seating back to Roosevelt Island restaurants at Nonno's,
and the Riverwalk Bar & Grill.
Not much of a chance to enjoy the outdoor seating with today's dreary weather or freezing temperatures expected to return tomorrow. However, spring will soon be here with sunshine, warmer weather and the opportunity to eat and drink outdoors.
Looking forward to that.


text:
For the best experience on the Abcam website please upgrade to a modern browser such as Google Chrome
Our Abpromise guarantee covers the use of ab90723 in the following tested applications.
The application notes include recommended starting dilutions; optimal dilutions/concentrations should be determined by the end user.
Functional Studies
GsαL is the long splice variant of the alpha subunit of stimulatory heterotrimeric Gs-proteins. It differs from the short splice variant (GsαS) by 15-amino acid insert between the Ras-like domain and the alpha helical domain. GsαL activates adenylate cyclase (AC) and possesses a lower GDPaffinity than GsαS. These differences in GDP-affinity have important consequences for receptor/Gprotein coupling and AC activation.
Shipped on dry ice. Upon delivery aliquot and store at -80ºC. Avoid freeze / thaw cycles.
Preservative: None
Constituents: 75mM Tris HCl, 12.5mM Magnesium chloride, 1mM EDTA, pH 7.4
This product is an active protein and may elicit a biological response in vivo, handle with caution.
ab90723 has not yet been referenced specifically in any publications.
Please note: All products are "FOR RESEARCH USE ONLY AND ARE NOT INTENDED FOR DIAGNOSTIC OR THERAPEUTIC USE"


text:
This blog is posted from a now retired 33 year CAW (now UNIFOR) member. The purpose of this blog is to allow others to see the perspective of the average worker, rather than the views of the Union Leadership
If you have any concerns or comments on this blog, contact me at Email:email@example.com On Twitter: @PaulinAjax
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Meet The Liberal Hit List (Part 2 John Nunziata)
On April 21, 1996, Nunziata was expelled from the Liberal caucus after he voted against the government's budget in protest over the government breaking a promise to rescind the Goods and Services Tax.
4 comments:
- wilson said...
And Sheila Copps promised her sceptical constituents she would quit if Chretien did not kill the GST.
She quit.
the Liberal Red Book 1993
front to back, lies and broken promises
- August 19, 2010 at 5:31:00 PM PDT
All true and it comes back to me, thanks for the flashback. But never a firestorm from the media though? How interesting. (real conservative)
- August 19, 2010 at 6:03:00 PM PDT
- CanadianSense said...
They sent a high profile parachute Liberal Judy Sgro to beat him and it failed. Liberals finally secured Alan Tonks (Former Mayor City of York) beat him John Nunziata the only Independent.
- August 19, 2010 at 6:20:00 PM PDT
I told a friend last night that I read Blogging Tories everyday. Your blog is one reason why.
- August 19, 2010 at 6:51:00 PM PDT


text:
This sonar ranging module is a good option for projects requiring accurate ranging information.
There are a couple of requirements for the input trigger and output pulse generated by the ranger. The input line should be held low (logic 0) and then brought high for a minimum of 10 microseconds. The pulse is generated on the falling edge of the input trigger. The ranger's receive circuitry is held in a short blanking interval of 100 microseconds to avoid noise from the initial ping and then it is enabled to listen for the echo. The echo line is low until the receive circuitry is enabled. Once the receive circuitry is enabled, the falling edge of the echo line signals either an echo detection or the timeout (if no object echo is detected).


text: Hello everyone, I know its been awhile but I have been extremely busy to say the lest. Much has happened in the past several months. We had a death in our church. He was a very special person who was more like a son than just a church member. He was a big brother to all of my children. It has been extremely hard. Also my husband has been in and out of the hospital with a couple of close calls. He is on the list for a liver transplant so we have been very busy. On top of that I have had to do alot of the office work at the church. My hope and my strength is in The Lord. Thank you all for stopping by. I do hope to find time to post some cards or projects soon. Love you and God bless you, xoxo Carmen


text:
Tales of Taylor and Tine
Monday, March 24, 2014
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Oh what a beautiful day!
Last Saturday we had a perfect day. I mean perfect. One of those days where you want to grab your sunglasses and do yardwork barefoot. Instead, we all ran down to Barr Street in Geneva and went for a nice long walk in the woods with the pups.
The boys couldn't help but climb the trees. From left to right: Will Renneker, Taylor, and Josh Weinraub. Will is Taylor's friend from back in South Carolina, and Josh is my brother's old roommate who since lives with us.
We went on a different path than usual which took us down this old access road towards a path along the river.
Zeus loved getting to romp around in the mud, and drink from the river.
The boys couldn't help but climb the trees. From left to right: Will Renneker, Taylor, and Josh Weinraub. Will is Taylor's friend from back in South Carolina, and Josh is my brother's old roommate who since lives with us.
We went on a different path than usual which took us down this old access road towards a path along the river.
Zeus loved getting to romp around in the mud, and drink from the river.
Have you ever seen a happier looking pup?
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Demolition Derby!
I've long seen the giant painted school buses parked outside of Orlando Speedworld, announcing an upcoming Figure-Eight Bus Race. After living in the area for so long, I figured we might as well experience Bithlo at it's best.
The stands were packed, except the small section that we were seated in. We couldn't figure out why. Maybe that's where cars have flipped over the fence before? They had just replaced a lot of the wooden planks....
Our new room-mate, Dante, went with us to the grand event. His friends were very concerned for his safety.
And look! Red-neck Stone Henge!
Yes. Yes that is a man riding on top of a pick up being driven on two wheels flying an American flag.
Not sure what's going on here, but it smelled awful!
I'm sure cleanup was a blast--- this bulldozer was stacking cars into piles before carrying them off to the infield.
We can't wait for the next Crasharama this fall!
Monday, April 1, 2013
A Visit to Virginia
Last July, two of our very close friends moved to Virginia to try their hand at farming. They moved into an old renovated bank in the small town of Newport, and have since been raising sheep, goats, and cattle on some land shared by local farmers. We finally made the ten hour drive up to visit, and had a great time.
On our last day in Virginia, we went on an awesome hike along a short portion of the Appalachian Trail. Midway through the hike, we found ourselves at this awesome overlook where we ate lunch. The view was just gorgeous.
The area is very quaint and rural. Everything had this unmistakable small-town feel, and the scenery was just beautiful. It had snowed just a few days before our visit, so there were still little piles collected and melting on the ground.
The first day, Cole and Stephanie just showed us around, and brought us to the outdoor store where Stephanie works to rent skis. Taylor and I had tried our hand at skiing in January, but failed miserably.
This time was much better! The visibility was great, there were some more beginner-oriented slopes, and we had a slight idea about what we were supposed to do. I absolutely loved skiing, and can't wait to head back to Snowshoe next year.
On our last day in Virginia, we went on an awesome hike along a short portion of the Appalachian Trail. Midway through the hike, we found ourselves at this awesome overlook where we ate lunch. The view was just gorgeous.
We warmed up on our hike, but it was chilly up at the top--- windy, and just look at those little piles of snow.
Our last stop was a visit to the farm. Cole and Stephanie had tons of baby goats wandering around. I kept teasing that I was going to smuggle one home under my jacket.
There were literally dozens of them just wandering around, and they were pretty cool with being picked up and held.
Taylor almost got this one to fall asleep in his arms.
They're currently keeping the goats and sheep in this clear-cut pasture until the grass starts really growing elsewhere on the farm. It looked kind of nasty, but after a few years of rotational grazing, it should turn into beautiful, green pasture.
We had a wonderful trip, and hopefully we can stay longer next time.
Monday, March 25, 2013
Happy Anniversary!
Yesterday was was our first anniversary. I have no idea where this past year has gone. We lived in South Carolina when we first got married, and now we have our own house in Oviedo, two new jobs, and have been on lots of fun adventures since March 24th of last year.
Taylor and I didn't do much to celebrate. We went out and bought some nice cheeses, some fancy breads, and a pint of Ben & Jerry's (Taylor and I must have split a hundred pints of the stuff when we first started dating, and had to use my meal-plan money at the New College cafeteria). We've decided take a picture of ourselves each year on our anniversary wearing jeans and a white shirt, to see how we change over the years--- Love you, Sweetie!
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Color Run
Soon after getting back from our Austria/Germany trip, my mom and I ran the Color Run together. We had one ticket for a while, but they were sold out before we could get a second. We spent hours scouring Craigslist before we finally found another--- turns out we really didn't have to. Will managed to sneak in with a fake number that he printed on our computer!
My mom bought a bunch of gear before the race. She really rocked that tutu and sunglasses combo!
We caught a glimpse of the Color Run mascot riding around in a golf cart.
Sneaky Will--- running along side us without paying the $50 entry fee!
Got to love the grafitti! What an appropriately colorful spot for a photoshoot!
A tree was stained totally blue from the chalk near the last color zone.
Will and a rainbow-colored narwhal.
Even my spit was colored by the end of it all.
What a blast, and I can't wait to do it again next year!
Friday, December 28, 2012
Christmas 2012
This year Taylor and I spent Christmas in Florence, SC with the Jamrok clan. Our puppies stayed home, but Atom was able to make the trip with us. She loved camping out under the Christmas tree, and was a big hit during the Christmas Eve party.
Santa must have to make two trips down the Jamrok chimney. I have never in my life seen so many presents under one tree. Opening gifts is an all-day affair!
A picture of one of my favorite gifts we gave KJ. He refuses to move down to Florida, but maybe this key chain will trick his subconscious until he decides Orlando is the place to be!
Even Atom helped open some presents! Silly bunny.
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)


text:
The first thing you should know is that the government is on your side. According to the Office of Personnel Management,
the government's human resources agency, transitioning service members and veterans have special rights and privileges during
their job searches. Specifically, they suggest that, since the time of the Civil War preferential hiring has been in place
for a number of federal posts. It is backed by specific legislation designed to prevent professional hardship for military
personnel following their tours of duty.
At CivilianJobs.com, we know the ins and outs of the job market from both a military and business standpoint. We know
what employers are looking for and we know how to present our candidates in the most favorable light. We use our unique
Positive Indicators of Employability (PIE) system to literally highlight strengths on your resume and to help your skills
truly shine. From relocation flexibility to special security clearance or skills training, we will identify unique strengths
and market you to your highest potential. Jobs for ex-military personnel exist in abundance, and we are committed to helping
you find the ideal position.
Military Job Placement
Military Resumes
Military Career Services
Military Job Seekers
Jobs For Military Veterans
Military Job Searches
Employment For Prior Military
Careers For Veterans
Job Placement For Veterans
Military Resume Writing
Jobs For Ex-Military
Corporate Military Placement
Jobs For Retired Military
Job Placement For Military In Transition
Veteran Job Searches


text:
Last Thursday, I was informed of the death of a woman who I did not know.
He handed me the knife, I helped the mourners with the kriah and returned the knife to the funeral director. We continued to the cemetery in Elmont, New York for the burial.
The sons and the sisters of the nifterres were overcome with grief.
We felt the heat of the sun and the pain and grief of the mourners.
I smiled meekly as I took his card and returned to my car.
"What's wrong with this picture?" I asked myself.
I also like to 'joke around'.
After thinking about this on the drive home, I realized that because this man is always involved in death and burial he has become hardened and no longer is touched by the tragedy of death which to him is a regular part of life.
As I drove on, I thought of the fact that we are now in the midst of the Three Weeks (and now the Nine Days) - the time of national mourning for the Beis HaMikdash.
How do I find it possible to 'joke around' today?
As the realization hit home, I pulled over to the shoulder of the highway and I cried.
I cried for me, and for the realization that I too had become a funeral director.
Taken from www.ahavasyisroel.com.


text:
The penultimate issue of Mystery News lauds a quintet of books by Inkspotters:
Sue Ann Jaffarian's Ghost a la Mode: "Emma made a believer out of me."
Elizabeth Spann Craig's Pretty Is as Pretty Dies: "Wonderful cozy mystery: solidly written, well-plotted and funny."
Tim Maleeny's Jump: "A stunning book."
Lisa Bork's For Better for Murder: "entertaining" with 'subtle humor, self-deprecating and complex heroine, and engaging story."
Deborah Sharp's Mama Rides Shotgun: "Funny and sharp."
Congrats to all.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Mystery News Reviews
Posted by Keith Raffel at 12:50 AM
4 comments:
- Alan Orloff said...
Way to go, Inkers!
- September 13, 2009 9:12 AM
- Elizabeth Spann Craig said...
Congratulations to everybody! Big day for Midnight Ink...
- September 13, 2009 12:51 PM
- G.M. Malliet said...
This is fantastic. Good for you-all.
- September 14, 2009 9:21 AM
I found this site using [url=http://google.com]google.com[/url] And i want to thank you for your work. You have done really very good site. Great work, great site! Thank you!
Sorry for offtopic
- November 12, 2009 9:49 PM
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text: Celebrating next weekend's 2011 NBA All-Star Game, UNDFTD and adidas have collaborated on a pair of special edition Forum Mids. Offered in a black and white colorway, the reworked silhouette features a suede upper with star details on the lace covers, NBA motifs emblazoned on the ankles, UNDFTD 5-strike branding on the footbed, and a red and blue accented support strap paying tribute to the all-stars themselves. The sneakers are slated to drop on Saturday, Feb. 19 to compliment the outset of the All-Star Game festivities.


text:
Silly Rabbit
How many cotton balls does it take to turn a tin can into a fluffy rabbit? This simple Easter craft encourages hands-on creativity and includes a small math element to keep your young thinker challenged. Use your finished rabbit as a holder for pencils and pens or as a decoration to spruce up your table for Easter.
Click to find similar content by grade or subject.
What You Need:
- Tin can, washed and labels removed
- Bag of cotton balls
- White glue
- 2 wiggly eyes
- 3 pipe cleaners
- Small piece of felt or paper
What You Do:
- Before you begin the craft, add a math element to this activity by asking your child to guess how many cotton balls she thinks it will take to completely cover the can.
- Have your child begin gluing cotton balls in rows around the can. Continue until the entire can is covered. Have her count the cotton balls as she glues to see how many it takes. Did she guess right?
- Let the glue dry.
- Ask your child to choose one side of the can to be the face of the rabbit, then help her glue on wiggly eyes.
- Have her cut a small triangle nose and mouth out of the felt. Glue these to the bunny's face.
- Cut one pipe cleaner into 4 equal sections and glue them on either side of the nose for whiskers.
- Ask your child to bend the other 2 pipe cleaners into half circles, then glue them to the inside of the can above the bunny's face to create his ears. Be careful not to use too much glue here or the ears might not stay. If the ears don't want to stick, you can use tape instead.
- Let the glue dry thoroughly.


text:
Grazzug has pocketed the writing prompt prize (because y'all are lazy and didn't write anything all summer) and will soon be working on new forum threads for the WrA forums and macros to bother people in trade chat with.
Members don't forget to utilize our suggestion forum on the Discord server! Ideas for events and story arcs, updates to the site, and recruitment-related suggestions will all be appreciated.
Grazzug / Oct 04, 2017


text:
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Base case trouble
The entirety of my silverware is packed in boxes on their way across the Atlantic. It only took me a few hours to realize my mistake. As backpackers know, one cannot survive long without a knife, so I quickly bought a knife at the nearest store. There is a world of a difference between having one knife and no knife at all! However, good, sturdy knives come in good, sturdy packaging, a mixture of cardboard and of hard plastic. How do you open such packaging? With a knife. Thus, in order to get a knife, you need to already have a knife! So, how can one go from the knife-less state to the state of having one knife? After that initial knife it is easy to get a second one, a third one, etc., but getting started with the first one is a challenge. (Today's solution used a lengthy mix of the following ingredients: twisting, turning, hitting, pulling, and a dash of swearing.)
Posted by Claire Mathieu at 21:47
5 comments:
- AnonymousMay 10, 2012 at 6:56 PM
Just don't use your teeth.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMay 16, 2012 at 7:38 AM
Borrow a knife from your neighborReplyDelete
Grab the handle end, and push the packaged knife into the ground?ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMay 22, 2012 at 4:10 AM
Sounds like a modern (and shorter) version of "There's a hole in my bucket".ReplyDelete
That song also exists in French: "Chère Elise". Very apt. I should use it next time I teach intro to recursive programming (or to proofs by induction). But I never knew that there was also an English version. Thanks for pointing it out!ReplyDelete
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
We know what happens on the last Monday of each month, don't we? A new challenge at The Scrapbooking Queen's Royal Digi Challenge. Our theme for this challenge is 'A hint of Green'. We sure hope you decide to join us. Our challenge will last until March 24th., so plenty of time to join in.
I made two 6x6 cards for our challenge. The first one I used this great Pot O Gold digi from Meljen's Designs. I colored it using my Spica Glitter Pens. I wanted it to have a lot of sparkle. I did use a Copic-Boooo to color in the background. I trimmed it down and rounded the corners. I also rounded the corners of my card and the mats. The gemstones are from Paper Studio-Hobby Lobby. I added the sentiment on the inside. It is from the Happy Days stamp set from Mary-Cardz TV Stamps. I also added some of the gemstones on the inside.
For my other card I used the darling Turtles-good luck digi from Bugaboo Stamps. I colored this one with my Copics. I used E11, E13, E37, G14,G21, G24, N-O Y2, Y4, Y13 and YG9. I also use my Silver Spica on the buckle. I used a Spellbinders Grand Labels Four to cut out the digi. I trimmed off the top and bottom tips so it wouldn't hang off the top mat. I finished off the front using some Sassafras Flowers and some Studio G Gems. I also put the sentiment on the inside using the Happy Days stamp set, a flower and gems.
Head over to The Scrapbooking Queen's Royal Digi Challenge to check out the projects that my DT Sisters have created. Awesomeness for sure!! Also check out the new revised rules for our challenges while you are there. Then get to creating so we can come by and admire your handy work!!
Hope ya'll like my cards!!!! :)
I could not get a good picture of the inside. It kept being this color instead of the green like it should be.


text:
I'm not sure, or at least I wasn't sure until I read the first two volumes of Karl Ove Knausgaard's My Struggle (yes, that is meant to be provocative, as in Min Kampf; the guy is from Norway and has written six autobiographical tomes that are often maddening with their details of common life but break out into beautiful passages and asides just often enough to make it worth reading). He's very controversial in the Scandinavialands.
All that aside, I'm wanting to do a book review for a magazine on how he makes skepticism beautiful. Skepticism — the classical kind and not the authoritarian kind pitched by scientologists — is the basis for conservatism, and thus one of conservatism's challenges is to remain relevant and progressive in the best senses of those two words. But its strengths are that it is based firmly in a sort of earthly reality, taking into account the limits of knowledge and human experience. That description doesn't sound very beautiful, so here's at least one passage in Knaus. that I think does a good job.
He's on vacation to Norway (he'd been living in Sweden), takes a walk outside and notices everything around him: the clear sky, the wet green fields, the trees lining the towering mountains. Enter soliloquy here:
This was beyond our comprehension. We might believe that our world embraced everything, we might do our thing down here on the beach, drive around in our cars, phone each other and chat, visit one another, eat and drink and sit indoors imbibing the faces and opinions and the fates of those appearing on the TV screen in this strange, semi-artificial symbiosis we inhabited and lull ourselves for longer and longer, year upon year, into thinking that was all there was, but if on the odd occasion we were to raise our gaze to this, the only possible thought was one of incomprehension and impotence, for in fact how small and trivial was the world we allowed ourselves to be lulled by? Yes, of course, the dramas we saw were magnificent, the images we internalized sublime and sometimes also apocalyptic, but be honest, slaves, what part did we play in them?
So, slaves, what think ye? Am I too far off base here, or is this doable?


text:
I know about Charleston. What eles do you peeps tout in harbor east area. we are staying at the marriot waterfront and would like to dine someplace nice we can hoof it to. Or water taxi to. I also know the inner harbor chains and prefer to stay away from them. And I have been to power plan live as well
If Leff ever ate anywere in the area that would be a plus as well
Thanks pilgrims


text: After several days of rain–a lot, for us–sunny skies are predicted for the immediate future. I like rain. I'm a homebody; to cuddle up in a blanket and read, pretending it's actual winter outside, is an old-fashioned pleasure for me. Boz, our dog, does not like rain. This is a problem, as his bathroom facilities […]...Dec 5, 2012 / More »


text:
Since I love using cut files I knew I had to participate in this challenge. I already new exactly what photo I wanted to scrap, and after tweaking it a bit to get the colours just right I got to work. I wanted to keep my layout bright, and funky, with lots going on, and I decided, on a whim, to delve into mixed media. Now mixed media is not my forte, I am no expert in it, and the few times that I have attempted to do the "packaging technique" I have failed miserably, but this time I love how it turned out! Since I was using a big title I kept my other embellishments to a minimum and just let the pic and the title shine through! I love the carefree silliness of this layout and as usually I used a mish mash of lines, including Crate Paper Cute Girl, Amy Tangerine Oh Happy Life, and Paige Evans Take Me Away! Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to check out the Paper Issue blog for even more awesome inspiration!
And here is my process video so you can see how I made my layout!


text:
Topic "censorship"
New organization crowdsources funds for public interest journalism
Daniel Ellsberg and John Perry Barlow, board members of the recently launched Freedom of the Press Foundation, noted in an op-e Read more »
Newsroom threatened in Brazil after criticizing police promotions
Reporters for Gazeta da Povo, the newspaper of record in Paraná state, Brazil, were threatened with a supposed attack, according to reports from the publication. On Monday, Dec. 17, the newsroom and the management of the newspaper received threatening telephone calls warning about a possible attack. Read more »
YouTube, Vimeo remove documentary on Rafael Correa for alleged copyright infringement
The obstacles keep coming for the distribution of Colombian-American Santiago Villa's documentary on President Rafael Correa. According to the Ecuadorian NGO Fundamedios, YouTube and Vimeo took down the video after the company Ares Rights brought a lawsuit for copyright infringement. Read more »
Press freedom group in Honduras denounces "censorship" of radio ad supporting the democratization of the broadcast spectrum
The Committee for Free Expression, or C-Libre, claimed that a radio station in Honduras censored without explanation a radio spot it paid for advocating the democratization of the broadcast spectrum. Read more »
Filmmaker pulls his documentary on Rafael Correa after Ecuadorian government pressures U.S. broadcaster to "censor" it
The director of a documentary about Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa refused to air his film on a U.S. television channel after an official requested the station makes some changes in their broadcast, according to Fundamedios. Read more »
74 journalists killed during the last three years in Latin America, says IFEX impunity report
Judge in Brazil blocks media from mentioning mayor-elect in alleged vote-buying scandal
A judge in Brazil ruled that the media cannot mention the name of the mayor-elect of the city of Campo Mourão, outside Curitiba, Paraná, and a bus company based in the city in reference to an alleged vote-buying scheme during the election, reported the website Terra. Read more »
RSF launches new anti-censorship website, features short-lived independent Cuban magazine
Reporter Without Borders launched on Tuesday a new website that will publish material that has been "censored or banned or has given rise to reprisals against its creator," the organization said. Read more »
Brazil to open commission on press violations during the military dictatorship
The National Federation of Journalists (FENAJ in Portuguese) will launch a commission in January 2013 to investigate the persecution of the press during the military dictatorship in Brazil, reported the newspaper Folha de São Paulo. Read more »
Brazil creates forum to monitor judicial decisions on press freedom
The Brazilian government now has a commission to oversee court cases involving freedom of the press, the National Forum of Judicial Authority and Freedom, created on Tuesday, Nov. 13, by the National Judicial Council (CNJ in Portuguese), reported the newspaper Estado de São Paulo. Read more »


text:
Do you want to use Serpstat for free?
There are 5 ways you can get a discount or even a free access to all of our tools!
Long term subscription discounts
Serpstat always offers discounts for those who buy a long-term subscription. Size of discount depends on what period you choose, it varies from 5 to 40%. You can subscribe to 3, 6, 12 and 36 months to get a discount.
Affiliate program
For those who always recommend the best solutions to their friends and readers. By becoming a Serpstat partner you can make money on commissions up to 30% by sharing your personal referral link with your friends.
Benefits of our affiliate program:
1. Recurring income
2. High commission
3. Full statistics
4. Ability to withdraw the money or use money to pay for subscription
Bonuses for writing a Serpstat review on your blog
Do you run a blog for internet-marketers? If you write a review of our tool, we will add funds to your Serpstat account so you can buy a subscription to Serpstat or extend the term of existing subscription.
Reviews must include the following:
Depending on the number of visitors on your blog, the amount of funds to be added to your account varies from $19 to $299.
All reviews will be featured on our Reviews of Serpstat page. We will also promote your content on our social media pages and in our newsletters.
You are not limited to writing an article, a video review also works!
We constantly provide gifts to our followers and subscribers. Just follow us on social media and read our blog so you don't miss another giveaway.
Educational programs
Serpstat is a tool that can be used in many areas from Marketing to SEO. We have a special proposition for Universities, Educational Centers, Online course programs and etc.Learn more
Our educational program includes:
Students Accounts
Lectorer`s Account
Referral payouts
Personal support for teachers
Informational partnership


text:
Windows Phone 7 Series. Get used to the name, because it's now a part of the smartphone vernacular... however verbose it may seem. Today Microsoft launches one of its most ambitious (if not most ambitious) projects: the rebranding of Windows Mobile. The company is introducing the new mobile OS at Mobile World Congress 2010, in Barcelona, and if the press is anything to be believed, this is just the beginning. The phone operating system does away with pretty much every scrap of previous mobile efforts from Microsoft, from the look and feel down to the underlying code -- everything is brand new. 7 Series has rebuilt Windows Mobile from the ground up, featuring a completely altered home screen and user interface experience, robust Xbox LIVE and Zune integration, and vastly new and improved social networking tools. Gone is the familiar Start screen, now replaced with "tiles" which scroll vertically and can be customized as quick launches, links to contacts, or self contained widgets. The look of the OS has also been radically upended, mirroring the Zune HD experience closely, replete with that large, iconic text for menus, and content transitions which elegantly (and dimensionally) slide a user into and out of different views. The OS is also heavily focused on social networking, providing integrated contact pages which show status updates from multiple services and allow fast jumps to richer cloud content (such as photo galleries). The Xbox integration will include LIVE games, avatars, and profiles, while the Zune end of things appears to be a carbon copy of the standalone device's features (including FM radio).
The phones will find their way to over 60 cellphone operators in more than 30 countries this year. Microsoft tapped Dell, HTC, LG, and Samsung to deliver the Snapdragon-based handsets with a carrier list that includes AT&T, T-Mobile USA, Vodafone, TELUS, América Móvil, Deutsche Telekom AG, Movistar, O2, Orange, SFR, SingTel, and Telstra. And that's just for the first wave -- Microsoft has even more handsets coming in 2011 including the first for Sprint and Verizon in the US. Here's the lineup of 480 x 800 pixel (WVGA) phones announced today:
· HTC 7 Surround -- The 3.8-inch T8788 with slideout speaker for AT&T and Telus
· LG Optimus 7/7Q -- the E900 is the official 3.8-inch global workhorse
· HTC 7 Pro -- a 3.6-inch QWERTY slider for Sprint (2011)"Glance and Go," is the slogan Microsoft is using to differentiate itself from an already crowded smartphone market. Something we've already seen alluded to in that leaked AT&T ad


text:
Jekyll Island
Originally uploaded by 3 to get ready
Let's see if I can remember how this blog-thing works.
I know it's been a while, but we've been busy with end of school, swim team, and a trip to Jekyll Island. Then in less than two weeks we'll be hosting a party for Tim's department at work, approximately 45 people. I have a list of things to do that's about a mile long, so of course I'm putting it off, since that makes the most sense right now.
We spent several days last week on Jekyll Island in Coastal Georgia. It was a nice break, and with the exception of not being able to find anywhere to eat, very relaxing. I've got the whole set over here. I'd have to say the turtle walk and riding our bikes on the beach were the highlights.
In other recent exciting news, Hattie graduated from preschool, and Charlotte joined the swim team.
Nate, of course, is an old hand at this swim team thing.
After this party is over, I'm envisioning relaxing days spent doing crafts with the kids, practicing our reading and writing, and touching up the already clean house before I whip up a delicious and nutritious dinner. Needless to say, barely any of that is happening right now. For example, if I could find our kitchen table, I would clean it off. But I can't, so I guess I'll go to the grocery store instead.


text:
12 Things You May Not Know About Babies
OH MY!!! - This is a bit of a sensitive subject, but it's something that new parents should know before the big day comes and baby boy arrives. It's not out of the norm, your tiny newborn baby boys testicles are... ummm...to put it delicately...huge! Before your hubby takes credit for juniors' special gift he should know that this is true of ALL newborn baby boys. Swelling of the testicles is actually caused in part by the pressure that is exerted on your baby during birth and fluids that get trapped in the tissue. Also, all new babies still have Mom's hormones circulating in their body. For boys, these hormones mean enlarged testicles and for girls, they cause the labia to swell. Your hubby will stop patting himself on the back after a couple of days as swelling subsides.


text:
Hawaii Friends of the NRA Banquet
John Carroll has been an consistent supporter of the National Rifle Association and has acted as pro bono legal counsel to the Hawaii Rifle Association since the sixties. A staunch advocate for Second Amendment rights, John, has also represented, at no cost, the rights of individual hunters on several islands.
An avid hunter and gun owner himself, John understands the issues important to all gun owners, from competition shooters to pig hunters. As a member of Hawaii's State House of Representatives and later as a State Senator, Carroll blocked all gun control legislation that was proposed during his ten-year tenure in the Capitol. John believes the Second Amendment is clearly defined and not subject to interpretation by those who would alter its intent.


text:
Today, we got a new reason to panic about social media. According to sources, the snake oil salesmen are swarming like locusts. As Mashable reported, there are now a whopping 15,740 people on Twitter calling themselves a social media expert, guru, consultant, or other such title. The post cites broadstuff, which claims to have calculated that Twitter will be made up almost entirely of social media experts by 2012. The number is derived from a growth rate of 3.5x every six months--thus, 30 million in the next three years. Attention getting stuff, and I have no doubt this post will be retweeted hundreds of times.
OK, enough of that. Let's get real.
Reality check #1: The geometrical progression model is not the proper one to use in this case. Any statistician worth her or his salt will tell you that. This is because we're in a particularly intense time in which social media is spreading like wildfire. As I've pointed out in an earlier post, we are in the center of what Gartner calls the "hype cycle." The hype will die down well before we get to 30 million, believe me.
Reality check #2: There is a real demand, and need for social media expertise. Altimeter Group's Jeremiah Owyang writes in Forbes that companies tightening their belts in the recession began to recognize the power of social media. "Social marketing promises lower costs and bigger returns."
As social media observer and consultant Louis Gray points out in his recent look-back post on 2009: "In 2009, the majority of businesses woke up to social media. While there are no doubt many holdouts, and even a bigger number doing a poor job, 2009 was the year that companies realized you could get business done on Facebook, Twitter and other networks." (Italics added for emphasis.)
Another way of looking at this--social media will be integrated into overall marketing and PR strategies in the coming year for a number of businesses. This is simply the new reality we're in, and some companies are legitimately concerned their approach may not be working. They are possibly getting slammed by customer complaints that spread out of control across the web. Or, they may not able to rise above the noise due to a lack of understanding of how to get noticed in the socially-networked community. This is a radical departure from traditional, "push" marketing, and many are realizing they could use an insider to show them the ropes for some period of time.
Reality check #3: Most companies aren't going to find their social media consultants by searching Twitter. Those consultants who have a real and valuable service to offer will (for the most part) float to the top--in fact, this is already happening. Their reputations will precede them; satisfied clients will refer them. Those who are all hot air will soon flutter off into the distance, in search of the next big thing. It was like this during the dot com boom in the late 1990s. Every company knew it needed a web site, and so for a period of time, everyone was calling themselves a web designer--even those whose "skills" consisted of an afternoon of training in MS FrontPage. This too shall pass.
Reality check #4: We're just getting started with this social media thing. In that sense, no one is an expert... yet. And as you might notice, those who have the most to offer are usually the ones who shy away from titles like "expert" and "guru." After all, it's only been in the past year that its true power and potential has become apparent. How could anyone have gained true expertise in such a short period of time?
Twitter became a part of mainstream conversation really just in the last year, with celebs like Oprah and Ellen jumping on the bandwagon, and major news sources setting up accounts. And as Louis Gray points out in the above-referenced post, "real-time ended up being the word of the year in 2009." Google and Bing are now offering real-time search, and for the most part, it's improving the quality of the results. But it's really just the beginning--and anyone who claims to know for certain what's next is NOT the person you want to hire as your consultant.
Reality check #5: Because we're all learning, there is fun and adventure to be had. Rapid change can be unsettling. Frightening, even. But the truth is that there is immense potential in social media--for making more money, doing more creative work, and (best of all) being oneself in a way that was never possible. Social media is a place where dreams really can come true. No need to worship a guru--false or not. Find your own path.
OK folks, back to your regularly scheduled fear-mongering programming...
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Is it time to panic yet? Five reality checks on social media
Posted by Sunshine at 2:12 PM 5 comments
Labels: Jeremiah Owyang, Louis Gray, Mashable, Social Media, social media guru
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Avatar - A Review
This blog is mainly focused on social media. In that sense, a movie review is something of a departure. Then again, the new James Cameron filmstravanganza Avatar is by far the most talked-about flick on social networks. Proof of this: just about every one of my Twitter friends had already seen it by the time I checked in on Gowalla at the Metreon IMAX theater in downtown San Francisco Christmas Day. It could be argued, however, that this movie would be a hit no matter what. It was that spectacular.
Having said that, I came away from the movie with mixed feelings. What was right about it: it was Hollywood entertainment in the best sense of the word. I was carried away by the special effects, which, on the giant IMAX screen in 3-D were so masterful that there were times I forgot myself entirely. I can't recall being so absorbed in a movie since I saw Star Wars as a ten-year-old. The flying scenes were particularly wondrous.
Avatar presents us with a complete world--a feat that few if any moviemakers can claim. Or really, two different worlds within the same planet. The aptly-named planet of Pandora is a treasure trove of natural wonders--a box that once opened, continues to marvel and entrance. Nature thrums with animal and plant life, shining a light on the often ignored beauty that surrounds us here on earth. It also contains secrets and danger that explode onto the screen in terrifying ways--monstrous animals with claws and teeth, plants that spiral down into nothingness. My suspension of disbelief held even when I encountered a few cliches, such as the flying, saurian beasts that were reminiscent of many a Hollywood blockbuster--a combo of Potterian Hippogriff and a pterodactyl.
The army base inhabited by the earthlings is so familiar and realistic I could smell the dust that rose up in the heat. The technology the humans use for daily life--from the tanks of fluid where the avatars are grown to the computer screens to the walking robots and warships--is just far enough ahead of our own time to feel futuristic, but not enough to feel alien or overly fanciful.
Here's the irony: the movie itself is clearly a triumph of 21st Century movie-making. Cameron has taken 3-D CGI effects to the next level, and truly the rest of the industry had better figure out how to keep up with him. A mind bending 11 special effects studios were employed to make this movie. However, the story itself paints technology in an intensely negative light. The people of earth have devolved, in this scenario, into war-mongering capitalists who have so completely destroyed their own planet that they must plunder others in order to keep going. As the main character clearly states, they have nothing to offer the Pandorans. They can only take.
This desolate view made me depressed and not a little frustrated. Boiled down to its essence, the message of the movie is that there's absolutely nothing in our culture worth salvaging. This is what Cameron has to say to our children? All of our progress is for naught--and our only hope is to somehow recapture a lost Eden such as the indigenous people have? This isn't just a downer--it seems an odd point of view from someone who has so successfully used high technology in order to further his own creative vision.
As I watched the action unfold, I found myself wishing someone would walk onstage and offer the two opposing cultures a third, and sane middle option. Someone to point out that they really don't need to set at each other with all the weapons in their respective arsenals. Having watched quite a lot of "Doctor Who" recently, I began to fervently wish for David Tennant to land his TARDIS in the sacred tree and come stumbling out, pushing up his glasses and offering a completely different vision than the one being served up by the folks on the screen.
"What all of you need," I can hear him say in his sweet, reasonable voice, "Is to realize that in fact you do have quite a lot to offer one another. If you lay down your weapons, you'll start to see what that could look like. Pandorans, these earth people need you, because their planet is dying. And you need them to help you learn how to fly out into the stars and come into contact with other people--to expand your world and your vision."
Why not? There's something patronizing about the idea that there is nothing--absolutely nothing--that the Pandorans might want to know, see, do or have that's different from what they have now. There's also something bizarrely oversimplistic to say that the people of earth have not created anything worthwhile with their technology. They can create avatars of other beings, for chrissakes. Imagine the possiblities for medicine, for diplomacy, not to mention fun and adventure.
The Doctor always gives us earth folks due respect for our endless optimism and curiosity--even when it's clear that these qualities are getting us into trouble. The earthlings in Avatar are nothing if not survivors. Their planet has been laid to waste, but they don't give up. They get out there and try to find something that will work. You can call them colonial plunderers, and clearly they have a lot to learn from others about how to act humanely and fairly. But they're also doing their darndest to take care of those back on earth who are in trouble. Why paint them in such a terrible light?
Posted by Sunshine at 5:05 PM 3 comments
Labels: Avatar, CGI, Harry Potter, ILM, IMAX, James Cameron, Special effects, ZFX
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Podcast Rising
What blew me away--not one of my guests said anything predictable. I kept waiting for the stereotypical responses to come out--the bitching and complaining about sexism in the workplace, the disgust at the concept of booth babes at shows... in short, the litany of gripes that many of my male friends assume must be on every woman in tech's list. But it never came.
I even tried prodding them into it. For example, the latest Motorola Droid "princess" ad, which quite frankly offended me with its macho imagery and suggestion that technology is a man's game and that anything feminine in a phone should be crushed like so many tiny worms under the feet of a Cyberman. But my guests weren't willing to go where I was pointing them. Instead, they raised much more interesting questions. In true girl geek style, the discussion morphed into a debate about what makes a robot beautiful--or even date-able.
But lest I give too much away, I leave it to you to decide what you think of the discussion. Here's hoping you enjoy the podcast. We want to hear your responses. And if you have suggestions for guests for upcoming shows, please do not hesitate to let me know in the comments field here, or via Twitter, @TechnoGirlTalk. And please do follow us there! We promise to follow you back if you're not a pornspambot or other such offensive Twitter leech.
Happy holidays!
Posted by Sunshine at 12:22 PM 0 comments
Labels: Adobe, Bhava Communications, Catherine Liao, Cisco, Elizabeth Zaborowska, Rachel Luxemburg
Monday, December 14, 2009
Louis Gray Video - Part 2
The more social media becomes a buzz phrase, the more overwhelming and confusing it can become--particularly for businesses. Should they set up a Facebook fan page? Go on Twitter? Blog? All of the above? And what about communities?
In this video, social media consultant Louis Gray breaks it down to a simple, three-stage process for rising above the noise and reaching customers through social media. He offers an antidote to the panic-mongering and hype that some so-called social media experts are peddling--instead offering clear, down-to-earth advice for real businesses in the real world.
Louis Gray on Participating in Social Media from Sunshine Mugrabi on Vimeo.
Posted by Sunshine at 10:32 AM 5 comments
Labels: Facebook, Louis Gray, Social Media, Twitter
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Louis Gray Interview, Part 1
If you're interested in Macs, RSS, or really anything to do with the social Web, you should know and read Louis Gray. He blogs daily at his site LouisGray.com, offering a continual drip of commentary and information on all the latest and greatest tools of our social media age. What intrigued me about Louis is that he isn't a typical social media star. He has none of the brashness of a Scoble or an Arrington, nor is he a smooth operator like Kevin Rose or Pete Cashmore. Instead, he's a good-natured, even-tempered, shy and retiring type. He is as well known for his reliable takes on the latest Twitter app as he for his warm, friendly interactions on FriendFeed and his videos of his twins.
Louis is also a geek, in the best sense of the word. He never tires of testing out the tools and apps that litter the online/smartphone landscape these days--which means the rest of us don't have to. Recently, I had the opportunity to sit down with Louis and ask him about what has made him so successful in social media. I also wanted to know what's up with his own "stealth" startup, Paladin Advisors Group, and some of the clients he serves--such as My6Sense, Emulex, and Kosmix.
Here are is the first of the two videos I made of our interview. Watching it, I was amazed at the amount of insight he packed into our relatively short conversation. I hope you enjoy it too.
Louis Gray on Advertising from Sunshine Mugrabi on Vimeo.
Posted by Sunshine at 10:24 AM 0 comments
Labels: Advertising, Digg, Emulex, Facebook, Kevin Rose, Kosmix, Louis Gray, Mashable, Michael Arrington, my6sense, online advertising, Pete Cashmore, Robert Scoble, Twitter
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Media - Is it an industry, or a sinkhole?
Last night I went to a party sponsored by Media Bistro at 111 Minna St. in downtown San Francisco. The experience reminded me of that old joke series, that always started with the following question, "What's the definition of confusion?"
In this case, the punchline would be, "Going to a media party and asking people 'what do you do?'"
A few brave souls actually wrote "unemployed" on their name tags. Most did not. When I talked to them, they said things like, "I used to be at (name of major news organization or magazine), but now I'm freelancing." For whom? "Well, I have a blog..."
Some have found a (temporary) safe haven in corporate America. I met a woman who used to be at a leading business magazine located in Silicon Valley. As we know, most of those titles are gone. Replaced by the Gigaoms and Mashables and Techcrunches of the world we now inhabit.
She now contracts for ... get this... Walmart doing packaging. She has been scooping up friends and bringing them on board. These folks had all been top editors at other magazines. I admit it. This chilled me to the bone. The former editors of major mags are now working at, of all places, Walmart? And not even as staffers, but just on a contract basis. What could be more of a sign that the industry is headed for the discount bin?
Interesting side note -- she seemed happy.
"Walmart's a good employer," she confided.
And of course there were plenty of party goers who had taken the obvious route. That old safety zone, PR. For now, there are jobs in that realm that are reasonably easy to get. But how safe is it, really? How long will that last as a haven from the storm? This morning, I put the following tweet out:
This was retweeted by several, and a good discussion ensued. Most of us who are already on Twitter are aware that we need to get on the clue train and start manifesting some new business models. So I'm not surprised at the level of dialogue we created around this.
But I wonder about the rest. Many of the folks I met at the party were nervous about giving out their Twitter name so I could tweet about meeting them there. "I prefer Facebook," said one. "Twitter seems too techy to me."
"You want to put my picture on Twitter? Like, right now?"
"Oh, Twitter. I don't have an account. Do you think I need one?" Well, no, not unless you want people to find your blog...
Folks, we need to stop clinging to small pieces of the wreckage of the media world. Let's just admit it. The ship isn't going to come bobbing back up to the surface. It is going down.
And just like the guys in the movie Time Bandits, I would urge one and all to let go of that little scrap of wood that seems to be keeping you afloat. Give in to reality. We're headed somewhere new. Somewhere that might be quite magical and exciting, but not the same place we were before.
If we can't turn back, where are we going? And what are you doing to join the ride?
Posted by Sunshine at 12:02 PM 5 comments
Labels: Media Bistro, media industry
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Twitter and Facebook - How Scared Should You Be?
Here's a frightening thought: for many companies and people, social media is no longer optional. It's a requirement of business and everyday life.
Meanwhile, there's more and more scary stuff out there about what will happen if you make a mistake on Twitter, Facebook, or some other social media platform. It's no coincidence that the most popular post on my blog has been the one that lists Ten Twitter mistakes you don't want to make. We're all terrified of making a move that will plummet us to the bottom of the social networking heap.
Fine, you say. I'll get help. I'll hire a consultant or advisor who will offer me a path through the social media wilderness. But wait! Fire up Twitter and you'll be sure to find yourself clicking on articles offering dire warnings about "snake oil salesmen"--so-called social media "gurus" who do nothing but send you into social media FAIL hell. Who wants to go there? What if you're involved in the social media strategy for your company? You've got customers, board members, VCs and--even more spine chillingly awful--stockholders to please!
Take a deep breath. Yes, there are horror stories. But they aren't anywhere near as common as the success stories. Something to keep in mind: we're descending into the so-called "trough of disillusionment" in the Gartner "hype cycle" for the newer social media tools such as Facebook and Twitter. What this means is that we're all, as a group heading into a state of anxiety. We fear demons lurking around every corner. Social media hucksters. Blood suckers. Sharks, circling around looking for fresh meat... But how realistic is all this fear-mongering?
My basic assumption when I work with companies is that they have not taken leave of their senses. In my experience, social media does not turn otherwise smart marketing and PR people into raving lunatics. Sure, there are stupid ideas, or ideas that seemed good at the time but in retrospect were unwise. But this kind of thing predates social media by decades. So Toyota laid an egg when it sent (ahem) harrassing emails to a customer recently. But don't forget that in 2007, a very low-tech attempt at publicity by the Cartoon Network led to a city-wide bomb scare in Boston. And does anyone remember the nightmare that was New Coke?
Even those who have been pilloried for their Twit-faux-pas, like former Ketchum consultant James Andrews, are finding that notoriety is working in their favor rather than against it. Andrews recently told Businessweek, "'It helps me today ... I use it as a case study. It creates authenticity.'" I agree. The more mistakes you make, the bolder you become--the more willing to stretch out and risk falling on your face. This is the only way to get better at anything.
I would much rather work with companies that have an open, curious, creative outlook than those who are hiring me because they are seeking ways to run for cover. One reason is that it's a lot more interesting for me. But another reason is that a proactive attitude leads to better results overall. Social media is just one part of a larger marketing and PR strategy, after all. So relax. Take heart. You'll probably live longer, and therefore live to see the day when someone tries to scare us about the next big thing.
Posted by Sunshine at 12:48 PM 2 comments
Labels: Fedex, James Andrews, Ketchum, Social Media, social media fiasco, social media guru, stress, Twitter, Twitter etiquette
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Girls Gone Tech Wild
Anna Anisin on Twitter, where we had chats about my new haircut and other such topics. We were also now Facebook friends. Sadly, when we met face to face, it quickly became clear that she had no idea who I was. But she was friendly enough, telling me all about her startup Baseball Beauties, which merges girly-girl stuff like fashion with a love of baseball. A novel concept and one that apparently pays her bills, as she told me that she is doing this full-time. Wow. I'm impressed. I also met a woman named Krystyl, who is known for her tech events calendar at http://www.krystyl.net/ and her frequently re-dyed blonde and purple locks. Here's the even blurrier and more badly lit pic I took of her:
Last night I was fortunate enough to attend the Girls in Tech holiday party. Held at the bar at 5A5 Steak Lounge (yes, that's what it's called, a "steak lounge") in downtown San Fran, the event was packed with folks who were there to flog their latest projects, see and be seen, and generally shmooz as only the SF tech crowd can.
Not to be left out, I was there talking up my latest venture, TechnoGirlTalk. Seemed like the perfect party to find potential interviewees for the podcast, which will feature women movers and shakers in high tech.
It was, and it wasn't. I did meet some women who had all manner of new and potentially successful startups. For example, I snapped this rather badly lit pic of Eileen Conway, co-founder of a new site, GroopSwoop, which offers coupons and special offers to local Bay Area merchant offerings such as massages, mani-pedis, and today's special, cupcakes. Yumm!
Sadly, the folks I was hoping to meet--the developers and IT admininstrators and other hard-core geek girls who would make the best subjects for my podcast--were rather thin on the ground at the party. Understandable, of course, and the crowd was still a rockin' one. And overall, I was impressed by Girls in Tech as an organization. In addition to its own series of talks, it has its arms around a number of related events. For example, they're a sponsor of She's Geeky, a tech "unconference" that I am seriously looking forward to attending when it arrives in the Bay Area in late January 2010. Also, they were very helpful when I told them my hopes and dreams for the TechnoGirlTalk podcast. Especially Cass Phillipps, who gave me lots of advice about who I should talk to, and who even got in touch with me today to follow up with more thoughts and ideas!
Okay that's your tech gossip download for the day. Be good, provision or dev well as is your wont, and remember, whatever they dish out to you, rock on, dudettes.
Posted by Sunshine at 9:20 PM 0 comments
Labels: Anna Anisin, Cass Phillipps, Eileen Conway, Girls in Tech, GroopSwoop, Krystyl, She's Geeky, TechnoGirlTalk, women in technology


text:
|'Period Piece, Gwen Raverat
|Gwen Raverat
|Gwen Raverat: self-portrait
|Illustration: Gwen Raverat
|Another example of Gwen Raverat's work. She was one of the first women to be trained at the Slade.
I thought 'Period Piece' would be available on Kindle, but it isn't. However, here is the copy that I own, and here is a newer edition, with many rave reviews.


text:
Customs & Traffic
Transportation of Dangerous Goods
Couriers / Freight
Frequently Asked Questions
Submit Your Feedback
Connect to:
Current Events
Announcement of New Customs Broker
Purchasing Resources is pleased to announce that effective February 15th, 2013, McMaster University's customs broker will be Thompson Ahern & Co. Ltd (TACO), 6299 Airport Road, Suite 506, Mississauga, Ontario L4V 1N3, Phone 905 677-3471 Fax 905 677-3464.
Thompson, Ahern & Co. Ltd is a full service customs brokerage provider. They have the technology, resources and infrastructure that are essential to maintaining a customs compliant enviroment at McMaster.
Purchasing Resources has begun the process of advising the University's high volume suppliers. However, your assistance is requested in order to notify our vast network of international (including U.S.) suppliers during this transition period.
Please ask your suppliers to update their records with the following information for any shipments sent after February 14th, 2013.
- Thompson, Ahern & Co. Ltd must be referenced as McMaster University's broker on the supplier's invoice/commercial invoice and waybill if McMaster University is responsible for the customs clearance and payment of any duties/taxes at the time of import;
- McMaster University's Purchase Order number must appear on the supplier's invoice/commercial invoice and waybill;
- If the supplier will not accept a Purchase Order number, and a credit card must be used, please request that the supplier reference your 10 digit internal account number (i.e. 1234566100) on their invoice/commercial invoice and waybill. Referencing this account number ensures that any brokerage, duties and taxes are correctly allocated, and also helps to expedite the customs clearance process.
If you have any additional questions regarding this announcement, please email John Bentley, Customs & Traffic Officer at email@example.com.
Importation of Laboratory Animal Diets
Import Permits and the completion of Facility Questionnaires may be required for Laboratory Animal Diets imported from the USA and abroad. Canada customs' regulations change frequently throughout the year. Please contact the Customs & Traffic office at ext 23084 prior to ordering for more information. Where possible, it is recommended that animal feed be sourced from a Canadian company/distributor.
US of International Goods
End Use Requirements,
Taxes (PST & GST) and Duty
Import Permits
and the Import Controls List
Couriers / Freight
Federal Express Online Shipping Tutorials
Couriers, Freight, Airline Cargo/Oversized/High Weight Shipments, and Transit Insurance


text:
We kissed, then, and the ardour of her kiss stole my breath away. I returned her passion with all the fervor I possessed. A lifetime of vows and heart-felt disciplines had prepared me well, for in that kiss I sealed with all my soul the fate before me, embracing a mystery clothed in warm and yielding female flesh. Holding only the moment, with neither thought nor care for the future, I kissed her, and drank deep the strong wine of desire.
Cite this Page: Citation


text:
Posts Tagged Washington Post
Journalists Tell Obama to Put His Money Where his MouthWas (in 2008)
Posted by Inquisitive Dame in politics on November 14, 2010
"I'd rather be a really good one-term president," Barack Obama once said in an interview with Diane Sawyer, "than a mediocre two-term president." Well, those words are now coming back to haunt him in the form of a Washington Post Op-Ed.
Post contributors Douglas E. Shoen and Patrick H. Cadell (Democrats who worked for Presidents Carter and Clinton, respectively) have called on President Obama to announce "immediately" that he will not be running for re-election in 2010.
Citing Obama's floundering on how he wants to govern and the "shellacking" the president and his cronies took in the midterm elections, Shoen and Cadell write that the only way Obama can make good on his campaign promises to end bipartisanship and bring real "change" to Washington is to put the country's future above his own political and personal gain. It's a novel idea for most politicians, let alone one who was once touted as a modern-day Messiah, and Schoen and Cadell make an excellent case for it. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/12/AR2010111202846.html?sid=ST2010111203190 Of course, others could make an even better case for him resigning now, but that another story.
In the meantime, commentators across the pond are weighing on the "symbiotic" relationship between Obama and George W. Bush. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/us-politics/8131268/The-Decider-returns-to-haunt-Mr-Nuance-as-George-W.-Bush-eclipses-Barack-Obama.html "There could have been no Obama without Bush," Toby Harnden argues in the Telegraph" and only Obama's stumbles could have made Bush look good again so quickly." The implications of Harnden's statement are huge, that in effect Obama was never all that great and that he was propelled to stardom, not due to his own merits, but to the shortcomings of someone else. Indeed, much of Obama's shortcomings (his lack of experience, his socialist leanings, to name a few) were overlooked because so many people wanted someone other than Bush. Of course, a big part of both the global hatred of Bush and adoration of Obama was the result of media spin, so it's sweet irony that now that same media is turning the tables.


text:
I love these bright sunshiny Spring days; I was going to say mornings but, by the time I have manoeuvred myself from the divan, and into daytime apparel, ante-meridian is already veering toward the post component of the day. At this time of the year I've at least got a few more daylight hours to appreciate, even when the body achingly summons me to an afternoon nap.
What I don't like about these bright days is the omnipresent temptation to do a little pottering about in the garden. Don't get me wrong, I loved gardening when it didn't have a payback clause attached, whereas now it's far too easy to forget the limited number of spoons available.
When I succumb to the garden's lure it so easily leads me to forget about "pacing". My beloved is always good at reminding me to slow down, or stop, these times of physical endeavour, especially when I'm enjoying the change from my otherwise sedentary lifestyle. Actually, much of the time, the word sludge seems more appropriate than sedentary to express how this mode of being feels. Yesterday a short time spent mowing the lawn, albeit using an electric mower, seemed to have used up most of my 24 hour stamina supply.
It's always wonderful to hear the buzzing hum of the bees, both bumble and honey, as I walk past the heather laden rockery towards the wildlife friendly reserve at the far end of the garden. Primroses and cowslips are thriving and the nettles are springing back to life; the chatter, piped and fluted songs, of our avian visitors make an idyllic background as I move into reclining mode in the summerhouse.
Even the fluttering butterflies seem like jet propelled aircraft in comparison to my enforced lethargy.


text:
New Blog Talk Radio now playing along with latest Live on MNN. See bottom of this blog for the video. Due to working on HBO's "The Deuce" the next new blog will be this coming Monday.
Saturday Update:
Update on the ratings for the show and it's a big hit. Will it stay that way? It looks that way as some other shows are having problems with their ratings. Good for her.
Wow what a surprise, lol. This season so far has been great along with a superbody count,Zombies and superhero are ruling the airwaves. How wonder the studios are scratching their heads, lol.
Wednesday Update:
Good for her and the crew. My favorite thing about this show and I hope they keep this up that it's light and not like Agents of Shield being dark and depressing. No fun. I like fun! Even tho the premise is dark with her enemies the overall is upbeat with Flockhart as her boss and comedy relief.
Not like another show I loved and got cancelled after one year...
WTF?!!! Great writing, great acting all around, great premise and funny as hell and this gets cancelled. While Ballers did better ratings and we all love The Rock, it was not as tight as The Brink. They both should have been a double header for a Saturday Night. Hopefully the same doesn't happen the Blunt Talk with Patrick Stewart who is also funny as hell and his age he dances? WTF! lol.
So how did we like the premiere episode. While it';s exactly the same show that leaked a few months back there was some tweaking with the special effects, just sharper really. As far as Supergirl herself she's perfect for the role as is the rest of the cast. Never heard of her before, have you? No? Well check out the next link below for a little bio...that was her in Homeland? Wow!
Her bio courtesy of Joblo. Man these guys don't miss a thing, lol. And she's a brunette too?
http://movieweb.com/star-wars-7-force-Even tawakens-luke-skywalker/
OK, he's not in the trailer but that is his hand next to R2D2. As far as I'm concern just more publicity for the movie. But with the release so soon they still haven't got to do the score? Kinda close, don't you think?
Even through both The Killer and Hard Boiled could use an update, they will screwed it up with to much wired harness and green screen like the superhero movie nowadays. These should be hardcore and Hollywood is just going to ruin it no matter who is directing it.
Does it deserve it? Why not. There's not much out there to begin with. Sure there's talk of Depp and Fassbender but both their films tanked. There's Spielberg for Bridge but no repeat there. Again if anything it will get the tech awards for sure.
Godzilla rip-off which every way you look at it. That's all this is. Hence on the bottom of the list.


text:
The Gamecocks will host the Florida Gators this Wednesday at Colonial Life Arena. Tip off is set for 8 p.m. and will be televised on the SEC Network (Channel 806 – Time Warner Cable, Columbia) with Dave Neal and Mark Gottfried on the call. Fans can also listen to Andy Demetra and Casey Manning on the Gamecock ISP Sports Network across the state.
South Carolina (13-9, 4-4) Notes
- South Carolina is 10-2 in games played at Colonial Life Arena this season, scoring 80.0 points per game in those contests.
- The Gamecocks are 3-1 in conference home games this season with wins over LSU, then-No.1 Kentucky and Georgia.
- Devan Downey's 3.0 steals per game lead the league and rank second in the nation (as of Feb. 8 NCAA stats)
- In January's contest in Gainesville, Downey dropped 36 on the Gators and has averaged 34.5 ppg against UF in the last two meetings
- At the Colonial Life Arena in 2009, South Carolina defeated the Gators, 70-69, on a buzzer-beater layup made by Zam Fredrick.
- Over the last 3 seasons, no game between UF and South Carolina has only been decided by more than 4 points, and 9 of the last 11 meetings between the two have been decided by six points.
Florida (17-6, 6-3) Notes
- Florida holds a 36-20 advantage in the all-time series with South Carolina, including a 17-12 upper hand in games played in Columbia
- Chandler Parsons' buzzer-beater 3 gave Florida a 58-56 win in the first meeting this season between the two schools just two weeks ago
- Florida has won the last 10 match-ups between the two SEC East rivals
- The Gators have been much more effective closing out games, and after last Thursday's 66-65 win at Alabama, are 5-3 in games decided by 5 points or less
- Chandler Parsons had his third double-double of the season and fifth of his career with 18 points and 12 boards against Mississippi State. He leads UF in rebounding in SEC play at 7.4 per game, including a team-high 22 offensive rebounds


text:
On April 1, 1820, a pamphlet calling for a national strike was circulated through Glasgow by a group calling itself A Committee for Forming a Provisional Government. What became known as the Radical War, or Insurrection of 1820, had as an antecedent the Massacre of Peterloo (August 16, 1819 - dubbed Peterloo after the Battle of Waterloo four years earlier), in which a crowd of 60,000 - 80,000 protesters gathered at St. Peter's Field in Manchester was charged on by armed cavalry.
The Radicals were largely comprised of weavers, who, according to Rev. Robert Rennie, were among the better educated tradespeople. The weavers saw their economic quality of life deteriorating in the first two decades of the 19th century, impacted by the Napoleonic Wars. Earnings fell by half between 1800 and 1808, and much further over the next decade. The pamphlets circulated on April 1st called for a national strike:
"Friends and Countrymen! Rouse from that state in which we have sunk for so many years, we are at length compelled from the extremity of our sufferings, and the contempt heaped upon our petitions for redress, to assert our rights at the hazard of our lives." by "taking up arms for the redress of our common grievances". "Equality of rights (not of property)... Liberty or Death is our motto, and we have sworn to return home in triumph - or return no more.... we earnestly request all to desist from their labour from and after this day, the first of April [until] in possession of those rights..." It called for a rising "To show the world that we are not that lawless, sanguinary rabble which our oppressors would persuade the higher circles we are but a brave and generous people determined to be free."
A footnote added: "Britons – God – Justice – the wish of all good men, are with us. Join together and make it one good cause, and the nations of the earth shall hail the day when the Standard of Liberty shall be raised on its native soil."
The following Monday, a strike did occur, followed by violent incidents at Bonnymuir and Greenock. The Radical War had little chance of succeeding, and its main instigators, James Wilson, John Baird, and Andrew Hardie were captured, tried, and executed.
Fallout from the Insurrection of 1820 included the scheduling of a visit by King George IV to Scotland, which Sir Walter Scott organized very effectively. Scott authored a poem for this event, "Carle, now the King's Come":
"The news has flown frae mouth to mouth,
the North for once has bang'd the South;
The deil a Scotsman's die o' drouth,
Carle, now the King's come!


text:
|Proud to be American
Happiness can only be found if you can free yourself of all other distractions. Saul Bellow
I guess I haven't had the same focus as that of good ole Chris, as my attempts at creating art --or doing anything for that matter-- have been hit or miss. I still haven't found a way to get my old task-oriented, success-driven life back that I had before the death of my husband. When that life left, it also took my confidence and motivation with it, leaving me with inertia, insecurities and (gasp) procrastination. I seem to have lost the ability to study, and to pray and I have lost the joy of reading--which has been with me since a little girl. I have filled the gap with social networking both face to face and on the internet--good things but insufficient.
However, I am convinced, that I won't be able to live in the old life again as it is impossible to return to yesterday and we only have today; I am in the process in building a new life--some days I participate in that better than others. While I am not pleased with the procrastination and I miss the motivation, it is all a part of the transition. I have learned a lot in the last 16 months about myself, God and about other people. The dust is still settling, and we will see where Maxie will be when it does. Meanwhile I am getting a hip replaced. My first hope was that this would help me to get part of my old life, but I realize that this hip has been has been impeding my ability to move freely for some time, even before I noticed the pain, so in that respect I want my new life to be better than the old. I do want reading part of my new life so I am ordering books by my favorite authors to read while I am laid up. All I can say is: hide and watch and see what kind of Maxie emerges....
The drawing is titled Proud to be American. I found a website that provides a gallery for my art and where I can create a gallery of works of other artists. I am enjoying it very much. http://artofmaxielee.deviantart.com/


text:
Potion of Giant Strength
A potion imbued with the strength of giants.
Ascendant campaigns can view previous versions of their pages, see what has changed (and who did it), and even restore old versions. It's like having a rewind button for your campaign.
We've already been saving your edits, so if you
upgrade now
you will have instant access to your previous versions. Plus, you get a 15-day free trial, so there's nothing to lose.


text:
Tuesday, 3 February 2015
53. Psychedelic Seaside
7 comments:
AMAZING! love the dress!ReplyDelete
OMG this outfit is perfect, from the fabulous dress to the cool boots and the amazing jewelry, of course. Love the 70s vibe ! Can't wait for more posts from you, even if it's one every 2-3 weeks, it's always best not to feel pressure about blogging, I totally get you, it's hard to come with a cool outfit once a week or a photographer the day you like your look^^ReplyDelete
I've missed your posts! This dress is beautiful, love how you accessorised it!ReplyDelete
Tara x
Love the print!! xReplyDelete
oh you queen! so perfect! <3ReplyDelete
You can always blog about something besides your outfits. There are tons of writing prompts & I'm sure your every day style is just as awesome. You could also do posts of other outfits you love or bloggers you love, ect. Hope that helps.ReplyDelete
xoxo Sara


text:
Friday, March 20, 2009
What? No new entry all week????
I'm off on another quick trip to the island this weekend. This time I'm taking the two little dogs with me as I start to get them familiar with their soon-to-be new home. I will get to sleep in my new house for the first time, albeit on a foamy on the floor! It will be interesting to see Belle's and Oliver's reaction to having me sleep at ground-level. They already have some dog beds over there, but I wonder if I will have two little shelties snuggling up to me at night?
Once again, Ellen will be piggy, alpaca, cat, and big dog sitting for me. I am so deeply indebted to her I cannot possibly repay her for all she has done. Oh.....I know! I'll leave all the critters to her in my will. They are, after all, PRICELESS!
5 comments:
Have a good trip Jean, enjoy your first night in your new home, and I hope Belle and Oliver will snuggle up with you tonight!
P.S. Athough I sure wish she would snuggle, my old Sheltie gal never does, she's independant and I suspect doesn't want to share any body heat...so good luck!
- March 20, 2009 at 3:53 PM
- Black Jack's Carol said...
It's an exciting thing, sleeping one's first night in a new place. And that first walk with the dogs should be quite the adventure. I hope you, Belle and Oliver have a happy weekend.
- March 20, 2009 at 9:54 PM
- Patience-please said...
What a special adventure. I look forward to reading all about it! (And I hope the dogs snuggle... maybe you can borrow Cisco!)
- March 21, 2009 at 7:28 AM
I'm sure Ellen will appreciate your generosity Jean. ROFLMAF.
Else and the Crofton gang.
- March 21, 2009 at 10:58 AM
Hahaaa, NO other dog snuggles like a whippet does...
Else, Jean doesn't know it yet, but I'm allowing her to keep her crew and I'll be adding a couple more to it on certain weekends. Every lure coursing event on the island is marked on the calendar now... with a big "staying at Jean's - no need to call ahead" beside it. And she'll be hosting a lovely wine and cheese for thee and me on each of these weekends. Hehehheeeee... what fun!!!
- March 22, 2009 at 6:06 PM


text:
Four miners die of suffocation in Megahalaya coal mine
Shillong: Four miners have died of suffocation inside hazardous rat-hole coal pits in a remote mining area near the Indo-Bangladesh border in Meghalaya's South West Khasi Hills district and another was crushed in a quarry, officials said on Saturday.
The incident took place on Thursday evening but the matter was brought to the notice of the district administration yesterday, Deputy Commissioner R Lyngdoh told a news agency.
She said the victims died after inhaling toxic gases formed inside the mine and their bodies have been retrieved and sent for post mortem to Ranikor Community Health Centre.
State special rescue teams rushed to the site and retrieved the bodies last evening, the district administrator said.
In another incident, a stone quarry miner was crushed to death in neighbouring West Khasi Hills district and his co-worker escaped with minor injuries when a slab of stone collapsed over him.
The incident took place yesterday at Mawphyrnai village near Mairang Sub-Division.
At least 100 persons have died in the past six years in mining-related accidents in Meghalaya, the worst being the Nongalbibra accident in July last year in which 15 coal miners were trapped to death in similar rat-hole pits.
The National Green Tribunal, in its order last week, has directed the state government to come out with the truth? on the incident last year even as it called for a complete report on the incident.
About this entry
You're currently reading "Four miners die of suffocation in Megahalaya coal mine," an entry on Coal Mountain
- Published:
- October 12, 2013 / 8:08 AM
- Category:
- Mine Disasters
- Tags:
- Bangladesh, coal mine, died, India, killed, labor history, miner