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The level of Iodine-131 found at the Queen Lane treatment plant is the highest of 23 sites in 13 states where the particles have appeared following the massive radiation leaks from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan. Lower levels were found at the city's two other plants.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency told the Daily News yesterday that Philadelphia water samples from last August contained nearly twice as much radioactive iodine as the recent samples collected after the Fukushima disaster.
Although numbers aren't given, I'm going to take a guess and say that in neither instance was the level of iodine-131 high enough to raise a danger flag. No harm in being careful, of course. From the Philadelphia Daily News.
Always on the lookout for interesting anti-nuclear energy editorials and op-eds, I've actually come up rather short. Sometimes, the ones I find are so weak that I don't want to highlight them. It's no fun smacking around straw men, after all.
Here's an example and it actually is a kind of a straw man. Columnist Jack Ray at the Springfield (Ill.) News-Leader wants to abandon nuclear (and coal-fired) energy in favor of renewables. He tries to get around some of the obvious drawbacks:
The only reason that solar, wind, and geothermal technologies are not sufficient enough to provide the majority of our energy needs today is that our nation has not made a serious effort to fund the necessary research and development that they deserve.
Hmmm! Well, maybe, though it does seem an awful lot of research funds have been pointed in those directions. But the real problem is that Ray seems to be after bigger fish:
Unfortunately, with a few notable exceptions, we appear to be a short-sighted country with a significant population that does not want to pay any taxes, including those that in the long run could make our country a much safer and healthier place to live for our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
The anti-nuclear angle kind of gets lost pretty quickly.
A follow-up on the St. Lucie public meeting (see post below for a preview):
Residents packed the Florida Power and Light meeting room, which are usually not so popular, according to FPL.
That was what we expected.
Some wanted to know if a hurricane or other disaster could damage the reactors or spent fuel storage areas and release radioactive material.
FPL's Michael Waldron said no. "For example, in the case of our Turkey Point plant, in 1992 it got a direct hit from hurricane Andrew and performed exactly as expected. Here at St. Lucie, hurricanes Jeanne and Frances, one after another, hit this plant directly and it survived just fine," said Waldron.
And this, too. It sounds like it went pretty well, with FPL able to answer questions put to it:
FPL has run out of room to keep all of its spent fuel in cooling tanks, and for several years, has stored them in containers, called dry casks.
"The amount is irrelevant. They license you to store it. We take it out of spent fuel pools and put it in dry storage," said Waldron.
"It's our position that dry cask storage is perfectly safe. This system has been used since the nuclear industry began so there's some spent fuel that's been on-site for 30 years or more," said [NRC spokesman Joey ]Ledford.
This is all good: the public should show up and should ask difficult questions. The article doesn't really cover the tenor of the meeting, but it does seem this happened and that FPL and the NRC gave correct answers. It'd be interesting to know how the audience took the answers, but I assume if there was pandemonium or sheer rejection, that would have been noted.
River Park in Port St. Lucie.


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The 2010 Massachusetts gubernatorial election seems at the moment to have three main contenders: incumbent Deval Patrick (D), former health-care executive Charlie Baker (R), and State Treasurer Tim Cahill (D-turned-I). Both Baker and Cahill are running to Patrick's right; both are critics of the new federal health-care law.
Cahill seems to have made a play for the Tea Partiers. He has appeared on Glenn Beck's show and has been a fierce advocate for a fiscal conservatism on the campaign trail. The Baker campaign and GOP operatives have regarded Cahill with some great skepticism. They wouldn't want to be caught in a hard-fought three-way in which Patrick ends up inching ahead with a vote percentage in the high 30's.
So the Republican Governors Association has unleashed a wave of negative attacks upon Cahill, with TV spots, mailings, and internet ads. The motivation is understandable: crush Cahill by alienating him from an irritable electorate, and make the MA governor's race a Baker-Patrick face-off. These attacks have been effective, increasing Cahill's unfavorability rating by 18 points and bringing him down to a 22% favorability rating.
However, these relentless attacks upon Cahill may also have helped Patrick rehabilitate his own image. His favorability rating has crept up to 45%. He now leads both opponents with 42% of the vote according to a Suffolk University poll---with 45% according to Rasmussen. Baker is stuck in the low thirties/high twenties, and Cahill has fallen to the low teens.
These numbers are doubly good for Patrick. Not only do they show him with a strong lead. Add together both Baker's and Cahill's numbers from the Suffolk poll, and their combined might is only 43%---only one point more than Patrick's own numbers. Eight percent of the electorate supports a Green Party candidate, giving Patrick more of a well of support to draw upon in a close match. So even if Baker can get all of Cahill's voters (or vice-versa), he still would probably lose to Patrick.
These months of in-fighting among the right have brought an electoral boon to Patrick. At the certain point, the GOP is going to have to pivot to start taking on Patrick in a more sustained way. Patrick can lose this race (his approval ratings over the past year or so have been pretty poor), but not if the center and the right keep turning their fire on each other.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Has the GOP Beat Up on Tim Cahill Enough?
Posted by Fred Bauer at 4:39 PM
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subset: commoncrawl


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Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Crocus: First sign of spring
It's still cold here, but we had a nice day last week, and the weather page said it's supposed to be nice this weekend. We've got lots of green shoots sticking up all over the yard, but this is the first one that bloomed. This photo was taken last week. Now there are more of these yellow flowers.
Mom identified this as a crocus, and I found a picture of one on Wikipedia that looks just like the one in my yard. The genus name is Crocus, and there are lots of species, hybrids, and cultivars. The name crocus comes from Greek, and means saffron or saffron yellow. It also refers to egg yolks of the same color. The leaves look like pine needles. The flowers will be cup-shaped when they open all the way. It's been a while since I've added a plant to my 100 Species Challenge list. As more things start blooming, I'll have more to add. There have been buds on the dogwood trees (identified by Maggie's parents) since the fall, and I know which trees in my yard are redbuds, but I won't post pictures and add them to my list until they bloom.
1. Poison ivy
2. Virginia creeper
3. Wild blackberry
4. Lamb's Ear
5. Great laurel
6. Fireworks Goldenrod
7. Orange Jewelweed
8. Blue Anise Sage
9. Sage
10. Greek oregano
11. Rosemary
12. Azalea
13. Stilt grass
14. Crocus
Labels: 100 Species Challenge
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Hitchcock employed the term "MacGuffin" as the mechanical element that crops up in any story, usually of no importance, simply driving the plot along, whereas George Lucas describes it as powerful, the audience caring about it as much as the heroes and villains.
I subscribe to the latter. JauntWorld, being essentially a sci-fi thriller, needs the strong MacGuffin to be the impetus for the plot to develop, and the protagonists and antagonists to struggle over.
The timebending alien jewels in Jaunt are more powerful than any technology humanity had yet developed, and of course are threaded throughout the story. How I invented these jewels are lost to the crooks and folds of my brain, but they were an early story device from the first sketches of what was then "Temporal Retrieve."
Ether needed its MacGuffin, and that is provided by the suitably mysterious property of spacetime termed "dark energy," its effects first described in 1998.
Until the MacGuffin decides to rear its head, there is no story, simple as that. Although, a kernel was recently planted for the finale....
Further Reading:


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The management committee of the Feminist Library is calling an emergency meeting on Saturday 24th February 2007 to decide on whether to close the library for good. This meeting is a last ditch attempt to rally feminists to support our library and, if we are not able to come up with a solution, to discuss finding another suitable home for the collection. Those of you who have not been in touch for a while might like to know that the collection now also includes 75 boxes of material that was the Women's Health Library that we rescued from being thrown in a skip over the summer.
For a number of years the Feminist Library has existed in a state of permanent emergency, with a dwindling number of volunteers to take part in running the library, a precarious financial situation, uncertainty about its location, and a lack of womanpower to pursue crucial funding applications.
The current group of volunteers is no longer able to sustain the situation, and the library will be forced to close without an injection of new volunteers. Therefore the meeting will have a dual function: to decide on whether or not the library will continue to stay open, and to gather experience, advice and new volunteers to reinvigorate the management committee, or help the committee find a suitable home for the collection if the decision is taken to close.
The meeting will take place at 11am at the Feminist Library on Saturday 24th February. There will be the opportunity to look around the library and to chat to us, followed by a more formal discussion. The building is wheelchair accessible. Please do let us know if you have any special access requirements.
Please distribute this invitation to attend as widely as possible. Feedback from the many feminist groups and individuals who have an interest in the library is very important to us, as well as the need to get extra help.
As a basis for discussion at the meeting, we are preparing a short document on the library's current plight and what our future options could be. If you would like to receive a copy before the meeting, or have other questions, or are considering volunteering, please contact us by email (feministlibraryappe
(Feminist Library, 5 Westminster Bridge Road, London SE1 7XW). If you wish to speak to us by phone, please include your phone number in your message and we will get back to you as quickly as possible, although it may take a few days.
RSVP is preferred but not essential.
Charlotte, Gail, Jess and Polly on behalf of
the current management committee


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Ok...get ready for this one...this is the sum of my Just Nan stitching this month.
Oh....there wasn't any...sorry!
Oh....there wasn't any...sorry!
This is my little spot to share all my news, views and of course, stitching progress and finishes too! I would love to eventually have a visitor from every country in the world. Is that possible do you think?
You are so funny Sharon. Thanks for the giggle.
Lol! Short and sweet :)
You couldn't manage one little line of stitching?
That's where my RRs come in, I've been choosing Nan bands for them all!
Lol! Love this post : )
Love it!!! Lol
I believe thinking about stitching counts!! If that were true I wouldn't have any stash and my walls would be covered in finished pieces!! LOL!


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THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Uncertainty looms over admissions to self-financing medical and dental courses after some differences of opinion broke out amongst the managements over the government fees. A new crisis broke out after a group of the managements requested to permit them to receive 4.40 lakh charged by inter church council in the merit seat. Following that, the managements gave a letter to the chief minister asking him to postpone the meet to be held with the chief minister in the evening.
The new issue cropped up after talks held with the managements of self-financing medical and dental management reached nowhere yesterday. A decision could not be taken due to the dispute over the fees on the 30% of the 50 % merit seats given to the government. The government was against managements' stand to charge Rs 12.5 lakh for the 30% seats.


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10 July 2011
Sunday Morning
10 comments:
Oh, WOW! Look at all that goodness! :) Made me smile! (Visiting from The Simple Things.)ReplyDelete
yess. that sounds like the most perfect sunday morning to me! hubby and i went to church, had lunch with my parents on a patio overlooking a river, and now it's nap time :DReplyDelete
Wow, all those farmer's market goodies look amazing! I love going to farmer's markets in the summer!ReplyDelete
That food looks so yummy. That drink looks pretty awesome too. Anything in a mason jar is awesome, though.ReplyDelete
yummy summer foods! that blueberry shaker looks interesting. can't wait to see what that's about:)ReplyDelete
those fresh berries look so good!ReplyDelete
Love the Farmer's Market! Sounds like a perfect morning!ReplyDelete
looks like a perfect morning to me! I just love markets and can't wait to hear about the blueberry shaker....I <3 blueberries!ReplyDelete
your photos are so beautiful Laura! :) lovin' your sweet blog! RebeccaReplyDelete
this looks like a wonderful day! wish i was there with ya :) great photos, really scream out summer time to me, love them! have a great week!ReplyDelete
katie@little things bring smiles


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After coveting the look on everyone from chic Parisians to the hipsters who work at Urban Outfitters, I decided to join the ranks of the elite girls with bangs. Having not rocked a fringe since I was seven years old and styled myself after Velma Dinkley (yep...of Scooby Doo fame), I was a little nervous about whether or not my cheekbones and jawline would be up to the challenge.
Fortunately, I'm pretty sure I'm thrilled with the results. I'm also pretty sure I just entered a monogamous relationship with my hair straightener. ~*~BeStiEs~*~
Inspiration courtesy of Kate, Kim, Brigitte, and good old Jenny from the block.
If you have the urge to update your visage and the thick, straight locks and/or time to devote to maintenance, bangs make an instant statement without sacrificing the length you spent so long cultivating (unwittingly getting a bad haircut is a pain; consciously chopping it all off and instantly regretting it is a bitch). Additionally, bangs serve as an easy camouflage for overlarge foreheads, hairline acne, and more. Just don't make the mistake of going too short - ask for something that falls between your eyes and eyebrows initially, then have your hairstylist snip and angle you into the coif if your dreams.
Basically: Take risks. Spice up your look (and then spice up your life). It's what your youth is for. After all...it's only hair.


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State Sen. Vivian Davis Figures said Tuesday, Jan. 10, she will introduce legislation and a constitutional amendment to ban smoking in public places, including bars and restaurants but not private clubs, according to a Tuscaloosa News article.Figures, D-Mobile, has proposed various anti-smoking legislation in her 13 years in the State Senate. Now she wants to introduce a constitutional amendment to curtail exposure to secondhand smoke.The state of Alabama does not have a statewide smoking ban. Instead, the Alabama Clean Indoor Air Act, passed in 2003 with the help of Figures, generally forbids smoking in public places and public meetings unless they are designated as smoking areas, enclosed and well-ventilated. The Act bans smoking in locations such as hospitals, schools, most retail establishments, elevators, buses, taxis, restrooms and polling places.
It's discouraging knowing how property rights keep getting trampled,year after year.
A constitutional amendment eh?
She hasn't been too sucessful in the past with this sort of thing.


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DRM free iTunes Plus allows:
- You to play the music on as many devices as you like.
- It puts no restrictions on how the music files are shared or used
- You get high-quality music with 256-Kbps AAC encoding,
- You can burn iTunes Plus music to as many CDs as you need
- You can play the downloaded music on iPod, Apple TV, all Mac and Windows computers.
- ITunes Plus music costs the same as for traditional iTunes Store music, anywhere from $0.69-$1.29 per song.
- Upgrades to iTunes Plus are US$0.30 per song. For albums, upgrades are 30% of the album price.
For more details..check out.. http://hubpages.com/hub/All-About-Apples-ITunes-Plus
Copyright © 2009 Laila Rajaratnam. All Rights Reserved. Read more Entry>>


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Saturday, August 1, 2015
Michigan Home Insurance: The Benefit of Enhancing Your Home's Security
Whether you're out for a week-long vacation or you have an event to attend during the night, leaving your house unattended and unsecured can make it especially enticing to burglars. Although you can't make your home entirely safe from thieves, there are certain safety measures you can take to drastically reduce your risk of becoming a victim. We at Allied Insurance Managers, Inc. encourage Michigan homeowners like you to consult with us regarding home insurance to minimize potential property losses should the worst occur. Standard homeowner policies are divided into several categories, but home insurance typically covers liability for accidents that occur within the premises, as well as the loss of a home's content or the owner's possessions. Policies for residences require that those who are insured are living in the property.
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5A Baseball Champs Cottonwood On Talkin' Sports
May 29, 2017 —
(KUTV) They say that "slow and steady" wins the race and that was certainly the case for the Cottonwood baseball team, who just won a 5A state championship. The bracket was stocked with talent but somehow more open than usual, and Cottonwood won by focusing on things one pitch at a time. Their first state baseball title since they last won in 2008. Sunday night on Talkin' Sports, Colts head coach Jason Crawford and a few of his Seniors joined Adam Mikulich in studio. They have a great conversation about dedication, tenacity, and what it's like to have teammates!


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Lovers' Leap #1
Erotica (Paranormal/Time Travel)
June 2, 2011
Self-published (Smashwords)
Lara Kensington is living a perfectly mundane life as a museum curator, when bad boy treasure hunter, Reece Jerhico, leaps into her life. Literally. Obviously distressed, Reece tells Lara that one year in the future she will be murdered. The evidence he uses to back up his incredible story doesn't convince Lara. She thinks he's crazy. Especially after he claims to be her future fiancé. Lara would have remembered dating someone as delicious as Reece Jerhico. Hot as Reece is, Lara has a difficult time believing anything the man says until the broken amulet he wears around his neck transports them into different bodies, during a different time, in a different place-
On the run through time, attempting to escape a man who is hell-
Olivia Cunning is one of my favorite new authors. Her Sinners On Tour series is everything that a girl with a few rockstar fantasies could ask for. Therefore, when I read an article over at Shameless Romance in which Olivia Cunning talks about her new self-published novella, Loving on Borrowed Time, I first berated myself for not being up-to-date on my Olivia Cunning news and then immediately bought the book so I can read it for myself.
What I found is that Loving on Borrowed Time is a fun and entertaining read that includes a few of Cunning's trademark smokin' hot love scenes. Although the love scenes aren't quite as provocative as the Sinners books, you will certainly need some type of fan or cool drink nearby when you read this book. Fans of Cunning will definitely not be disappointed. Also, the actual romance between the main characters Lara Kenningston and Reece Jericho is quite well done. Cunning truly has a talent for creating easy chemistry between characters. Reece and Lara also have some great banter that will keep you laughing and of course, there is lots of sexual tension between the pair. Although this book was a short read, I didn't feel their relationship was rushed even though Reece does make it his mission to make Lara fall in love with him again...or I guess for the first time.
The premise of the book itself is interesting and original, although it is complicated to understand at first. In the book, we learn that in the future, Reece and Lara fall in love and plan to marry. However, Lara is killed by a terrorist. Rather than living without her, Reece, who is an archaeologist, uses an ancient Egyptian amulet to travel back in time and save Lara from being killed. But one of Reece's colleagues, Carl, doesn't want Lara to live for reasons I'm still not 100% sure about. Things aren't exactly straight forward about how the amulet works, but basically when the wearer of the amulet is thrust back in time, they embody a particular person in the past. So when Reece grabs Lara and uses the amulet to escape before Carl stops him from saving Lara, they travel to the time of the Vikings and Reece becomes the leader of a Viking horde and Lara a saucy wench he captures. In their different roles, Reece and Lara must act out history and make sure the couple they embody have their HEA. All the while they are still on the run from Carl...
Still with me? Yeah, I got a little lost too. I think the book would have been better if there was more explanation about how the amulet works. I am still scratching my head about why Reece and Lara seem to travel in time randomly, yet Reece was able to pinpoint Lara in a museum a year before they met. Also, I would have appreciated more info about how Reece and Lara met before she was killed. Yes, we know they were in love and Reece had to win Lara over, but there isn't a lot of info about Reece and Lara's courtship and life before her death. Since Loving on Borrowed Time is the first book in Cunning's Lovers' Leap series, I'm hoping that we learn more about Reece and Lara's past (future?) relationship and the motivation behind creepy Carl wanting to apprehend the couple.
Although Loving on Borrowed Time is a little complicated to understand at times, I still really enjoyed reading this novella. I applaud Ms. Cunning for expertly using her imagination to create something that is whimsical and fun to read. Reece and Lara are two great characters that have great chemistry. And the sex scenes in the book were top notch. Definitely what I would expect from the likes of Olivia Cunning. I hope more authors continue the trend of self-publishing.
Good. Lukewarm, but still hits the spot.
Other opinions:
~Shameless Romance Reviews - 4/5


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You've decided to learn something new. Say you've taken up the banjo*, for example, and you've never played a musical instrument before. In those first lessons, you find yourself struggling with the first halting notes of "Old Joe Clark" -- this is not as easy as you thought! Do you say to yourself:
A. I have a lot to learn, but I'm getting better with every session. If I keep trying, I'll be sure to get this eventually.
B. I'm not good at this -- I guess I'll never be a really good banjo player. I'm just not musically inclined.If you lean towards A, you are approaching banjo-playing as what psychologist Carol Dweck calls an incremental theorist. That means that you think your abilities can improve over time and that you can achieve this task with sufficient practice and study. If you tend more towards B, you would approach banjo-playing more as an entity theorist. You see your musical ability as fixed and unchangeable; banjo-playing is something some people are naturally better at than others, and you are just trying to figure out whether you are one of those gifted musicians or not. For most tasks, there is probably some truth in both approaches. Some people have the capacity to achieve a higher skill level than others, but all of us can improve with practice and dedicated study. Nevertheless, the particular emphasis you bring to the task can dramatically affect how you handle challenges and failures, ultimately affecting your overall performance in the task.


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Rob Pizem's blog. This blog is about my family, my training and my rock climbing adventures. I like to rock climb, boulder and be outdoors. One of my favorite things to do is to establish new climbs in new areas.
September 8, 2011
Oct 2011 Climbing Magazine Issue
We were out there in the wild for just under two weeks thrashing through the woods everyday to get this one all cleaned, prepped and climbed. Lot's of work but the payoff was incredible climbing in an incredible setting. Thanks to Sterling Ropes, Arcteryx, SCARPA shoes and CAMP-USA for all the goodies for this successful trip in California.
piz : )
1 comment:
- AnonymousSeptember 12, 2011 at 9:10 PM
The Olsons say, "Yeah for Ari!!"ReplyDelete
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The US Mediterranean fleet is moving into position ready for a decision to launch Tomahawk cruise missiles for a crushing assault on the Islamic State's mountain strongholds in central Sinai, DEBKAfile's military and counterterrorism sources report.There's more at the link. The report also claims that a final decision to go ahead with a US missile assault on central Sinai rests with Defense Secretary James Mattis who arrived in Cairo yesterday, April 19.
The prospective American missile attack in Sinai ...would have been discussed during the Egyptian President Abdul-Fatteh El-Sisi's visit to the White House on April 3. He explained to his host, President Donald Trump, the immense difficulty of overcoming the Islamic State's affiliate when its headquarters were dug into an interconnected web of tunnels and caves in the central Jabal (Mount) Halal of the peninsula.
Nicknamed the "Tora Bora of Sinai," approach roads to this mountain fastness are few and far between....
The last Egyptian assault on ISIS' towering mountain stronghold took place on April 2, shortly before El-Sisi traveled to Washington. The Egyptian military announced that 31 terrorists had been killed and a number of caves holding arms and ammunition destroyed.
But the damage was not devastating enough to disrupt the Islamist terrorists' operations, DEBKAfile's military sources report. Most of the terrorists escaped with the help of allied Bedouin tribesmen who, familiar with every nook and cranny in the desert peninsula, guided them to safety in new caves in Jabal Halal that were even more inaccessible to Egyptian troops.
Their new headquarters can only be destroyed by cruise missiles capable of exploding underground.
I suppose we'll know soon enough what the results of Mattis' consultations with the Egyptians are.


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What I love today--pretty covers! Two of my covers (Spirited Brides and The Winter Queen) are up for the Historical category at the Cover Cafe contest. (Vote here!)
I do love a gorgeous cover. While a great cover won't make me BUY a book alone, it will make me pick a book up off the shelf and read the back cover. And if that sounds good, I might buy it. I suspect I'm not alone in this, so yay for the power of the good cover! (And boo on the evil of a hideous cover).
My friends Nicola Cornick and Anna Campbell both have lovely covers on their upcoming books:
I would definitely pick up these books even if they weren't my friends! The green and the yellow are a bit unusual for a romance (though I've been seeing a lot more yellow lately), and very eye-catching. And I'm in love with my own December cover for Duchess of Sin:
What are some covers you've seen lately you loved? What catches your eye and makes you pick up the book? What do you hate?


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Taliban ban to keep 40,000 girls from schools in Swat
* Locals say they are helpless, have no option but to accede to Taliban pressure
PESHAWAR: The future of around 40,000 girls in Swat is at stake following a Taliban ban on education for female students.
Shah Duran, the deputy of Swat-based Taliban cleric Fazlullah, has warned the administrations of government and private educational institutions to not enrol girls in schools.
The Taliban on Wednesday issued a deadline for January 15 for the ban to be implemented, following which they said they would bomb the buildings of schools allowing girls to study.
The Taliban have blown up more than 100 girls' schools in Swat in the past 14 months.
Helpless: Locals say they are helpless and have no other option but to accede to the Taliban's pressure as the government has failed to provide them with securuty.
"This is terrible," the principal of a private school in Mingora told Daily Times, requesting that the name of his school should not be mentioned as that would risk his life and property.
He said the Taliban decision had proved that the government had lost its writ in the valley. "This is the question of the future of our children. The Taliban decision will throw more than 40,000 girls out of schools," he said.
He said the school owners in Swat district were planning to convene a meeting and form a committee with the help of elders to have dialogue with the Taliban.
The announcement has stamped the statement of Awami National Party (ANP) Senator Haji Muhammad Adeel who had told a seminar in Peshawar a fortnight ago that the government had lost control over Swat.
A social worker said people had already started migrating from Swat following threats by the Taliban.
"Things are changing dramatically. We cannot say anything because the people and the whole government is helpless before the armed people," he said.
The man said his three daughters were studying at an English medium school. He had no other option but to shift his family to some other area to educate his children, he added.
Schools are the most vulnerable target since the beginning of trouble in Swat. According to figures provided by a Swat-based non-government organisation, Pakistan Coalitions for Education (PCE), Taliban have destroyed over 100 of the 490 primary schools for girls in Swat so far.
The destruction of schools and recent threats to teachers and students have forced over 50,000 girls out of schools, the PCE figures said.
Taliban ban to keep 40,000 girls from schools in Swat
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Coming out of The Revenant I felt like I had just been beaten to an emotional pulp after a relentless brutal battle against man and nature, much like the hero of this story who was mauled by a Grizzly to within an inch of his life. And that's just the beginning of his problems as he miraculously managed to overcome his injuries despite many attempts by angry native tribes and some of his own companions to kill him off.
The Revenant
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Tuesday, 18 September 2012
All Things Austen - Guest Post - Top 5 Favourite Austen Adaptations
2 comments:
I must say, I really love the 2008 Sense and Sensibility - more so than the movie (yeah yeah, gasp, shock horror, blasphemy etc etc). Like you say, the character ages are more accurate, and I thought Elinor and Marianne had a much closer bond in this one. They were more realistic as sisters, somehow. In the film they seemed so formal, even in the comfort of their own home. Also, Greg Wise and Alan Rickman may have been missing, but HELLO David Morrissey and Dan Stevens! They more than made up for it in the man-talent department, I reckon... :DReplyDeleteReplies
- Anonymous30 September 2012 at 02:51
You know, it took me forever to figure out Dan Stevens was the same guy from Downton, he looks so different with dark hair, and David Morrissey does have a bit of sexy, I saw him in another series called South Riding and I was like, that guy is kinda hot. :DDelete
And I agree with you, Marianne and Elinor seemed to have a closer bond in this version.
Hello. I would love to see what you think about my posts so feel free to leave a little comment.
Thank you for taking the time to let me know your thoughts.
Happy reading everyone!


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I would never rank this as a masterpiece, but it is a lot of fun to watch. Try not to think too hard about the details and just enjoy the rather good stunts. You could pick at the plot or the acting but its obvious the actors were really enjoying themselves and that sort of infects you as you watch it.
If you looking for something to fill a night in, you likely won't be upset.
Hansel & Gretel are bounty hunters who track and kill witches all over the world. As the fabled Blood Moon approaches, the siblings encounter a new form of evil that might hold a secret to their past.
This movie is an interesting take on the fairy tale with a twist. Although this isn't a fairy tale for kids as there is a lot of blood, violence and killing but for adult …
Read more >


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The time has come for the annual hunt, a time when males of the Pack are permitted to let loose and do what comes naturally to them-- mate. Only once a year are they allowed to touch the pure, to mate with the select few in hopes of finding that perfect match.
Bastian has been waiting a very long time for the one woman he's wanted to come of age. Now that she has joined the hunt, there is nothing and no one to stop him from having her.
The laws of the Pack are very clear. You keep what you catch and respect the Alpha. Challenging the Law could mean shedding of blood, death, or worse—banishment! And when one does challenge Bastian he is not afraid to stand up for what's his.
Sable tried to hold her breath as she watched him walk around the camp. He didn't raise his head or sniff in the air. He just walked around the fire. The golden lights made his body appear larger than what it was. His sweat shined off the muscles of his chest and arms.
Legs muscles seemed to bunch a bit as he walked. Now why he was just walking around the fire, she didn't know. She did wish he would leave like the other two had, so she could climb down and leave.
Making the mistake of looking away from him, Sable didn't see the charge until it was too late. The male ran fast towards her tree, hitting it with his shoulder so hard that it shook. It caused her to lose her grip on the limb, which in turn had her falling out of the tree.
She screamed as she went down, bracing herself for a hard landing. Instead she landed right in his arms. Strong arms held her close to his hard chest. Her mouth was open in surprise, she wanted to scream at him, but all she could do was look at him, not yet seeing his face.
"Once a tree climber, always a tree climber," he said. "How—how'd you know?" she stuttered out.
"I've watched you for a long time, Sable. Watched you climb up in those trees to watch others. No more watching now. Tonight, the show is you and me."
"Wh—what are you going to do?"
"I've caught you. Now I'm going to claim you as a mate."
If she had thought earlier about resisting him some, it was too late. With a quick upward motion of his arms, she found herself slung over his shoulder, one arm over her legs. Now at his mercy, Sable couldn't do a thing as he walked away from the camp back into the woods.
He took a path she didn't know about. Sable had ventured in the woods many times, on her own, during the day. She wanted to discover every place she could, for this night. However, the path he was taking she didn't know.
She was just about ready to scream at him to stop when they came out of the woods into another clearing. Sable was able to turn on his shoulder a little bit, to see where they were.
An old barn came into view but she wasn't sure who owned it.
He walked right up to the barn like he didn't have a care in the world. Off in the night a wolf howled and he stopped, turning slightly.
"One of my brothers has just claimed his mate," he said. Turning back, he began walking again.
Once they reached the barn, he went right inside with her. He didn't put her down, which was what she had expected him to do. Instead he went deeper into the darkness and up to a built in ladder, leading up into the hay loft.
"Hold on," he told her.
Sable didn't know what he meant, until he started the climb up. Feeling like she might fall face first back to the ground, she grabbed his sides tightly as he climbed upward. Once they reached the top, he walked further back, and then turned to the right, before he dropped her down on a bed made of straw.
Available here:
Connect with Jaden:
Twitter @jadensinclair1
Jaden Sinclair lives in a small town in Kansas with her husband of eighteen years, two boys and a few pets that keep her hopping. Between sports and the animals it's a wonder at times how she is able to keep the flow of her writing going. But she does. She has many series in the works and out for your enjoyment, and most known for the Shifter series. Between werewolves, vampires, scifi, new worlds or simple romances, one never really knows what will come out next. So to keep up with what she doing, visit her website: www.jadensinclair.com
or just simply email her at firstname.lastname@example.com. She'll love to hear from you!


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>Looks delicious, as a matter of fact, I wish I had that bowlful right now. This is definitely a repeat for us as well. I would think that this recipe would be good for you on those cold winter nights when you are rushing between work and classes and sleep and what have you. Okay, I am making this a really long comment just so that I can say my comment was longer than your post. Do you think I am there yet? I think I am. LOL. Great post, said just what it needed to. Hugs.
>Ditto Kayte. good soup for cold days/nights. warm cozy nights in side with a big bowl of spicy soup. And now my comment is long too. HAHAHAHAHAHA
>I love that you did a one sentence post and I might have to copy you on that one. I agree—good soup :).
>That one sentence said it all. At least when you're busy you still find time to cook. Good for you!
>Well, I guess I'll just get straight to the point like you did: your soup looks awesome!
>Your bowl of tomato-tortilla soup looks delicious! I enjoyed how quick the soup was to put together for a weeknight dinner. We needs those easy recipes along the way.


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"It's 24 hours of pure exhilaration, complete exhaustion, and it's not for the faint of heart or the ill-prepared. It is the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans. But before you win it, you have to master finishing it. This film chronicles the dedication, the determination and the spirit required to not just survive 3,000 grueling miles, but to be in a position to win one of the greatest races in history." -- iTunes Store
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the fine print: Downloads posted on the Free iTunes Downloads blog are usually free for ~1 week. After that, you'll have to pay for them.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
[video] Truth in 24
at 9:32 AM Labels: documentary, sports
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This charm is a Yantra, independent of any Mantra or Tantra, other than what is mentioned here. The Yantra is written on a clean white piece of paper with Kesar [Saffron]. The Saffron is mixed in a little bit of Milk to make a thick paste. Then using a pointed stick it is written on the paper with this paste.
Then some water is poured over this paper and the Yantra is lightly rubbed and then the water is collected in a mug. If this water is drunk by both the husband and wife, then it is said to bring back the lost excitement and attraction back in their lives.
|Husband - Wife Attraction Charm - 2
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A. Have a conversation as natural as possible with a partner about the topic. Use the pictures above and the questions below to help you.
- Have discipline problems worsened in schools in recent times? Compare what you know of these issues with your own school days.
- "It takes a village to raise a child". Do you agree with this African proverb? To what extent are we all responsible for the actions and behaviour of our children?
- Are teachers trained to tackle problems like bullying or other serious problems which might arise in schools?
- Do universities prepare people for the real world? Why? Why not?
- "It is a miracle that curiosity survives formal education" (Albert Einstein). Do you agree? Would you say that knowledge is the result of curiosity? Discuss.
- Do you know anybody who started a degree but dropped out after only a year? Why do you think this happens?
- Did you ever play truant and did you ever write your own absence notes? Did any of the kids at your school ever do that? Were they ever caught red-handed?
- Do you know students who cheat in exams even at the university level? How would you feel if you found out that your doctor cheated at medical school?
- Were you ever given a detention at school? Were you ever grounded as a consequence? Did these punishments successfully act as a deterrent?
- When do you think a student should be suspended from school? and expelled?
- What should be done about plagiarism in this day and age of the internet?
- Were any of your classmates defiant or obnoxious at school? How did the teachers deal with them?
- What will the classroom of the future look like?
Student A
1 "Knowledge is power" (Francis Bacon). Do you agree? Discuss
2. How might university education be improved?
3. What kind of subjects / topics do you read widely and voraciously?
Student B
1. "The dumbest people I know are those who know it all" (Malcolm Forbes). Do you agree? Discuss.
2. Should university students study away from home in order to get a degree? Do you think studying in a foreign country on an Erasmus grant is something positive or not?
3. What role do the new technologies play in education nowadays? Have traditional teaching methods outlived their usefulness? How do children learn best? Can children learn almost anything through video games?
tackle something to make a determined effort to deal with a difficult problem or situation. E.g. The government is determined to tackle inflation. I think I'll tackle the repairs next weekend. Firefighters tackled a blaze in a garage last night.
drop out (of something) to leave school, college, etc. without finishing your studies. E.g. She started a degree but dropped out after only a year.
play truant: to stay away from school without permission: e.g. he often played truant and he usually wrote his own absence notes
catch somebody red-handed: to catch somebody in the act of doing something wrong or committing a crime. E.g. I caught him red-handed, stealing a wallet.
medical school: a college where students study to obtain a degree in medicine.
detention: the punishment of being kept at school for a time after other students have gone home. E.g. They can't give me (a) detention for this.
ground somebody to punish a child or young person by not allowing them to go out with their friends for a period of time. E.g. You're grounded for a week!
deterrent (to somebody/something) a thing that makes somebody less likely to do something (= that deters them). E.g. Hopefully his punishment will act as a deterrent to others. The country's nuclear deterrents (= nuclear weapons that are intended to stop an enemy from attacking).
be suspended from to officially prevent somebody from going to school for a time. E.g. She was suspended from school for a week.
expel somebody (from something) to officially make somebody leave a school or an organization. E.g. She was expelled from school at 15.


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I'm supposed to be writing a research proposal right now. But I'm distracted. By a YouTube video. Gark Turk's spoken-word piece Look Up turns the lens on distractions themselves, and considers how technologies and devices are shaping our behaviour and relationships. I dare you to watch the video and not feel some twinge of recognition … Continue reading
Tag Archives: Facebook
Why we should use the internet: to get off the internet
You gotta do something to it to keep it interesting, and for me that's often doing something you're not supposed to do, like making things too loud, fucking it up with some dirty space echo or tape delay. Like, people are so hyper-stimulated nowadays, you gotta do something extreme to make 'em pay attention. … Continue reading


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Jahvid Best placed on injured reserve
After missing the last five games, Lions running back Jahvid Best has been placed on injured reserve, ending his season.
Best sustained his concussion in the loss to the 49ers on Oct. 16. It was his second this season. His first concussion occurred during training camp.
While in his senior year of college at Cal, Best also sustained a concussion.
The Lions have struggled with the running game since he's been out of action.
They re-signed Kevin Smith who had a solid effort in the win against the Panthers on Sunday. But early in the Thanksgiving game Smith injured his ankle and didn't return. Afterward he said X-rays were negative. Reports are that he has a high ankle sprain. Recovery can vary with that specific injury.
The Lions next game is on Dec. 4 at New Orleans at 8:30 p.m. on Sunday night football.
(Follow @PaulaPasche on Twitter. Get Lions news delivered directly to your phone by texting the keyword "Lions" to 22700. Msg & Data Rates May Apply. Text HELP for help. Text STOP to cancel.)
Labels: Detroit Lions, Jahvid Best, paula pasche


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William (Bill) McLaughlin
1929 - 2013, Port Townsend, WA; formerly of Santa Barbara
William (Bill) McLaughlin died suddenly but peacefully in Port Townsend WA on November 29 at the age of 84, following a week spent visiting with friends and his son Michael. Bill's wife Margaret passed away in 2008 after a marriage of 57 years. Bill had three sons, Timothy (wife Diane) of Cazenovia, New York, John, late of Telluride, Colorado, and Michael of San Jose, California.
Bill grew up in Upland and nearby Cucamonga in Southern California. A sailor from early on, Bill learned to sail in a boat he purchased with $80 that his father lent him. With his father serving as 'crew', Bill did well in the Pacific Coast Regatta and other races. While attending Santa Barbara High School, he also ran track as a high hurdler. Bill went on to earn his undergraduate degree at UC Santa Barbara where he met Margaret, his future wife. They were married March 3rd, 1951, days before he shipped out as an activated USN reserve. He then spent time off of Korea and in the China Sea as a navy signalman, primarily on the escort carrier CVE-114, the Rendova.
Bill returned home to his new bride and first son Tim, mustering out in 1952. He continued his education, earning his teaching credential, Master's degree, and school administrative certificate at UCLA. He taught social studies at Newport Harbor High School before moving back to Santa Barbara to head the social studies department and coach a winning track team at the new San Marcos High School. He moved into administrative work, eventually becoming Assistant Superintendent of the Santa Barbara School system.
In Santa Barbara schools he hit his stride, learning the difficult balance of laws, policy and politics that are involved in working with the various educational stakeholders; students, parents, faculty, administrative staff, and the Board of Education, each with different perspectives and concerns. One of his proudest achievements while at Santa Barbara was the building of Dos Pueblos High School in Goleta.
Bill joined the Federal Office of Education (within HEW) at the Region Nine office in San Francisco, where he worked with educators and community activists throughout the West Coast, Hawaii, and the Trust Territories on such programs as the "Model Cities" initiative of 1966, part of President Lyndon Johnson's "War on Poverty". He particularly enjoyed his commutes from Tiburon in Marin County to San Francisco via ferry during these years.
After two years in San Francisco he established the new Office of Education Region Ten office in Seattle, with responsibility for working with educators in the Northwestern states. His work in Seattle included highly innovative projects, such as the then novel satellite broadcasting of educational programs to remote Alaskan towns and villages. The family moved again in 1973 to Virginia, where Bill assumed responsibility for all ten regional offices within the Office of Education and then the Department of Education. He became a charter member of the Senior Executive Service (S.E.S.) in 1978.
In 1981, Bill was informed that the new presidential administration wished to dispense with his services. Due to his S.E.S status, he was able to transfer into the Education Department's Office of Inspector General as Assistant Inspector General for Management and Policy. Working in an environment that was new to him, he adapted and earned "Outstanding" or "Superior" performance evaluations for his work in this new role.
He was fortunate that at the end of his working life he was able to return to special education, a field he studied at UCLA. He served as the acting Director of the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) assisting public institutions with issues as diverse as educational curricula, head trauma research, and A.D.A. compliance. A highlight was when he represented the United States on a trip to rehabilitation centers in India.
While in the Washington DC area, Bill and his wife Margaret established the National Capitol chapter of the UCSB alumni association. While Margaret served as Chapter President, Bill helped students adapt to life in the nation's capital and became a member of the UCSB Alumni Board. For his alumni work and his career accomplishments in education, Bill was awarded the UCSB Outstanding Alumni Award.
Upon retiring from Washington D.C. to Washington State in the mid nineties, he became active in politics, something precluded during his career in the Federal civil service. He worked with the Washington State Democratic party, guiding local candidates door to door in Port Ludlow, serving as a state committee member, arranging presidential caucuses and more. For his efforts in Jefferson County and Washington State as a whole, he was awarded the Warren G. Magnuson Lifetime Achievement Award by the Washington State Democratic Party. He and Margaret became active members of the Quimper Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. In his spare time he sailed his small sailboat "Geist", tended his garden, and entertained a stream of visiting family and friends to the Pacific Northwest.
Bill is survived by his two sons Timothy and Michael McLaughlin, sister Barbara Johnson of Santa Barbara, California, and a large extended family.
A memorial service will be held at 3 pm on Sunday, December 29th at the Quimper Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 2333 San Juan Ave., Port Townsend Washington.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Alzheimer's Association (alz.org).


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History: every vote counts May 25, 2009Posted by lifejacket in Comment & Opinion.
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Callimachus, it is up to you, right now, to enslave Athens or to make it free … Right now, Athens is in the most perilous moment of its history … Now, I'll tell you just how this is possible, how it is up to you – and only you – to determine the course of events. We ten generals are split right in two, with half saying fight and the other half not. If we don't fight now, I'm afraid that a storm of civil strife will so shake the timber of the Athenian people that they will go over to the Medes. But if we fight now, before the cracks can show in some of the Athenians … why then we can survive this battle. All this depends on you. It hangs on your decision – now. If you vote with me, your country will be free and your city will be first in all of Hellas, but if you choose the side of those who urge us not to fight, then the opposite of all the good I've spoken of will fall to you.
General Miltiades, Marathon, 490BC; quoted by Herodotus, The Histories 6.109; Blanco 1992.
Be apathetic at your peril May 18, 2009Posted by lifejacket in Electoral & Parliamentary Reform, Financial shenanigans.
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The subject of voter apathy has long been a point of discussion, however a lot of comments I've witnessed over the last week regarding Expensegate – whether on Twitter, BBC or the numerous newspaper comments forums – point to "apathy" being in some quarters a wild understatement.
Comments along the lines of "Expenses? Can't. Be. Bothered", "Bored with expenses, why don't the media shut up about it?", "I don't care, it's just a drop in the ocean", or even "Leave them [MPs] alone, they've a difficult job to do."
Yet there can be little argument that the events that have engulfed Parliament over the past ten days are unprecedented in recent political history. First the jaw-dropping extent of the expenses abuses themselves – not mere rumours of them but hard proof in the form of official paperwork; then allegations (today's Telegraph) that the Fees Office assisted at least one MP in screwing the system; and this evening the so-far unverified report that the Met are intending to investigate at least five MPs for irregularities, including the current Chancellor of the Exchequer and a former cabinet minister. The Speaker of the House of Commons, already deeply unpopular and himself accused of allowance abuses in February last year, lost his temper and verbally attacked two MPs for expressing their condemnation of Parliament's failings; today, when he refused to heed mounting calls for him to step down, he refused to give time to a debate of no confidence in him (do turkeys vote for Christmas?) and was in turn hounded by exasperated MPs in the chamber. Reportedly the Queen has told the Prime Minister to deal with the expenses situation immediately. The leader of the Opposition has not only abandoned normal campaigning for the forthcoming local and European elections and called for the dissolution of parliament and a general election, he is also urging the people of the country – whatever their political persuasion – to write petitions telling the government to go (in fact at time of writing 60,200 people have already signed an existing online petition asking the Prime Minister to resign).
This affair is rapidly heading towards becoming one of Britain's most significant political crises since the upheavals of the mid-17th century, if not the most. Yes, politicians and party leaders have been ousted here and there since that time, and indeed a King abdicated over a personal matter that clashed with his monarchical position; but there has been little of such magnitude that it threatened to bring the whole parliamentary edifice crashing down around the country's ears if left unaddressed. Nothing that so pervaded the whole seat of government, on all sides of the house, and so shocked the country, or which demanded such immediate "root and branch" reform of the way MPs fundamentally conduct themselves while carrying out their duties. Nothing that so damaged the faith and trust that the people put in their representatives.
It will certainly be an unpleasantly historic moment if the Speaker is removed, as the last time that happened was in 1695 when Sir John Trevor was ousted for taking bribes.
And speaking of bribes, we mustn't forget another ongoing financial scandal: two members of the House of Lords currently face suspension from the House for taking money in return for tabling amendments. To my knowledge the last time this sanction was imposed was during the English Civil War, when many Lords (and indeed many MPs in the Commons) were "disabled" from sitting, for siding with King Charles I.
With all these things in mind, and given how political crises can, if handled the wrong way, spiral outwards into political and civil protest, unrest or even civil war – if you're unconvinced, read any book on the origins of the English Civil War and the anger many ordinary people felt towards the King and his advisors – how can any sane citizen, with a care for the welfare of their country, dismiss the expenses affair as boring, unimportant, and un-newsworthy?
[Update 01:47 19.05: the news article re. the Met investigations (via @wdawe, with thanks) ]
Digital Sinecure May 13, 2009Posted by lifejacket in Financial shenanigans, Labour lunacy.
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a grotesque amount of public money to waste on a pointless job
… is the opinion of the Taxpayers Alliance, concerning the government's appointment of a "Director of Digital Engagement". Salary? £160,000.
A grotesque waste, yes; though perhaps an indication that after its recent excruciating attempts at "digital engagement" – e.g. bizarre YouTube videos and a petition on the PM's own website demanding his resignation (57,831 signatures at time of writing) – the government at least recognises that it needs someone to manage what it does on the web.
But heck, what am I saying? That would imply that the government is capable of recognising its own failings *laughs hysterically*
"We can't be trusted: so you must pay for us to be policed." May 10, 2009Posted by lifejacket in Financial shenanigans.
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This expenses affair is starting to feel like a particularly surreal episode of Monty Python.
From The Times:
MPs on the House of Commons Commission, which oversees the running of Parliament, will meet today to approve a new independent unit to process expenses. The unit, expected to cost £600,000 a year, is being seen as a desperate rearguard action to protect Parliament's reputation.
So because a large number of MPs appear to have no concept of morals or integrity, and "the system" is too weak and/or corrupted to prevent them milking it, we have to pay another £600,000 every year to pay a private company to police those MPs and stop them thieving from the public purse?
Wouldn't it be cheaper just to sack the lot of them and start again?
Parliament must be dissolved NOW and a general election called; AFTER every MP's expenses are fully publicised, unredacted, so that voters can make up their own minds as to whether the present incumbent in their constituency is fit to hold office.
And as for this …
Senior Labour figures say that the future privatisation of the Fees Office to process claims would exempt receipts from publication under Freedom of Information rules.
… words simply fail me.
Gamekeepers and pheasants – update May 10, 2009Posted by lifejacket in Electoral & Parliamentary Reform, Financial shenanigans.
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Original Sky News report here.
Mr Bell goes on to say that the unit will be staffed with "professional accountants".
Does this imply that Westminster has not employed professional accountants in the past?
"Professional" does not necessarily equate to "impartial". Will these accountants be independently vetted for any conflict of interest before they begin their work?
Gamekeepers and pheasants May 10, 2009Posted by lifejacket in Electoral & Parliamentary Reform, Financial shenanigans.
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Stuart Bell, Labour MP to Sky News (via BBC news):
In all probability tomorrow the (House of Commons) Commission will approve a special specific audit unit, hived off from the fees office, independent of the fees office which will verify in future every claim that's made by any member of Parliament.
Excuse me? The House of Commons Commission? Which supervises Commons administration? To "approve" a unit which in turn will approve MPs' expenses?
You are having a laugh. Gamekeepers and pheasants come to mind. Surely, given the scale of this situation, nothing is acceptable short of absolute independence of the auditing body from Parliament, in every respect, including who appoints it and where it convenes.
Parliament has shown it cannot be trusted to police itself, and frankly it is impossible to believe Parliament will satisfactorily clean up its own mess without putting its own interests first.
Perhaps the Athenians were onto something… May 9, 2009Posted by lifejacket in Electoral & Parliamentary Reform, Financial shenanigans.
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I'm studying Ancient Greece for a degree course, and read something yesterday in one of the set books that struck a chord with me.
Including jobs entailed by the administration of the empire, there may have been as many as severn hundred official positions in classical Athens, and most offices were held … by boards of several men, all serving one-year terms. Many … were selected by lot. Most citizen males, by the time they died had held some public office at one time or another, and a good many had held several. By diluting power in this way, Athenian voters believed they could inhibit the growth of an identifiable class of permanent officials (what we might call bureaucrats) with interests different from those of the populace at large.
(Pomeroy, S.B., Burstein, S.M., Donlan, W. and Roberts, J.T. (2004) a Brief History of Ancient Greece: Politics, Society and Culture, Oxford: Oxford University Press; p.47)
To my mind, both bureaucrats and politicians are "an identifiable class" in the UK today, and it's been very clear for a very long time that a great number of them – particularly politicians – have interests as far removed from the populace at large as it is possible to get.
Perhaps – given the bloated size of these classes in our society, their stifling effect on personal liberty and on economic growth (political correctness; "red tape"), and the fact that they feel they have an unquestioned right to gorge themselves on the public purse – we should consider the Athenian concept of public service more closely?
"Public Service" vs. "Self-Service" May 8, 2009Posted by lifejacket in Financial shenanigans.
Tags: expenses
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It occurs to me that there are thousands of people in this country who work tirelessly for charities, good causes and local community efforts; some receive a modest salary, others basic expenses, and some – probably the great majority – receive no remuneration at all. That, it seems, is true service: to think only of the work, and what it can achieve, and within that work, to forget the self.
Politicians are called "public servants"; but plainly they are not. They pursue the exact definition of "self-service": that is, helping yourself to whatever's on offer, "as much as you can eat", and in this particular instance, getting someone else to pay. In fact, to pay twice: for not only do politicians get their menu choices paid for, but they get paid handsomely simply for being in the cafe in the first place.
I suggest that the only way to get people into politics who truly want to serve, is to pay a salary no more than the current national average, to remove all "allowances", and to limit or deny expenses altogether except for those specifically on a list pre-agreed by a body independent of Parliament. Perhaps "extraordinary expenses" might be claimed, but only under the utmost scrutiny, by an independent body, and with no guarantee that they would be granted.
By limiting the material benefits in this way you can be sure that only those people truly dedicated to public service, and who truly knew what it meant, would apply.
*Splutter* May 8, 2009Posted by lifejacket in Uncategorized.
Tags: Brown, ukip
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How remiss! Not to have blogged for close on 3 years. I blame the last Tory government (why not? They've been responsible for everything since 1997 … haven't they?)
Meanwhile, I admire tenacity, but UKIP have never been on my radar as planet-earth dwellers.
I'm benevolently hopeful for them, I really am, but as long as Gordon Brown has any fingernails left – imaginary ones, in his case – he ain't going to loosen his grip. Not that he has much of one in many other respects.


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Since 1994 Harlech Film Society have been selecting quality films from around the world to be shown at Theatr Harlech. The members submit their choices and the selection committee creates a varied programme of 9 films (usually every third Thursday) for the following season.
The film society has enriched the lives of many who appreciate the pleasures of seeing great films on the big screen with excellent technical facilities, including Dolby wrap around sound. The bar is open for drinks and coffee before and after the screening.
Film Hub Wales supported projects:
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She started to "kill" the ball, common dog play. I caught a glimpse of something shiny on the ball and was worried it was a tack or a nail. As I got closer, I realized that my previous double quotes needed to be edited out.
She realized I saw and decided to let me in on her secret. She apparently killed it before it could camouflage to an actual tennis ball again. Here's a closeup:
Here are some previous kills I found once I knew what to look for. The last two pictures, I think, indicate a scalped mutant and in a separate location its oddly crusted brain.


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Samsung Washing Machine - Give me my powder!
Dear Samsung,
It has come to my attention just how poo you really are. With all your bravado about technology and innovation, you've forgotten about the everyday somebody. You know….people…humans…ohhh forget about it. Too busy playing with machines to realise that humans still run this world. Anywho if we roll the clock back to June where I still thought your organisation was reputable, I was on the hunt for a new washing machine, and low and behold I found one, a Samsung one, with what seemed like a tacky yet decent deal. Buy now and receive 16kgs of washing powder. 16kgs I thought to myself, that could help me wash my elephant sized underpants or all the dirty cloths in Nepal.
So I bought it! And thought great. Now all I have to do is wait for washing powder to roll in. Wrong. After having to put together as much information as was gathered in the Spanish inquisition and sent off for my white gold, you can imagine how greatly disappointed I was to receive a letter back from "The Team at Samsung" – which sounds like the start of a joke…how many Samsung employees does it take to write a rejection letter?! – The letter ridiculously stated that my claim was an invalid! How would you know?! My claim is not an invalid! It's a piece of paper. A clean white sheet made from the nicest of trees, a picture of virility and health. It doesn't get around in a wheelchair…and it doesn't get the front car spot at the supermarket. Beside the point, you knocked back my application for the powder as you received my application 3 days late. 3 days. Yes 3 days…explain yourself.
Instead of a nice letter stating – "unfortunately we are quite sorry that your were not able to gather as much evidence as is required in a murder trial yet still get your claim in on time" the letter from your "team" read "your claim is invalid" – huh. You would think that with a "team" of writers at Samsung you could produce a nicer letter…If I were you I'd look into that team, they might be a bit like Real Madrid where they are too busy worrying about what their hair looks like to remember who they're playing for.
So as a curious customer I called the 1800 number to find out more. I left a message and was promised that I would be called back. Do you think I was called back?! Nuh. The Samsung Call Back Team must have been too busy stroking their machines to notice mere humans calling. Oh well. I suppose I will have to tweet and blog on just how crap you are…and if you lose just one customer out of all my effort it will be worth it.
Shame on you Samsung!


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It surely does have a nice ring to it but Mr Trump has developed an attitude that has worn thin on the democratic section of America. Now they are placed in a quandary, one where they will have to choose in perhaps having another Pole under the office desk accompanied by the same Government they have had for quite some time now. Frankly I find Trump refreshing for he does not lie to his supporters and he does not lie to his haters. One would guess that he will mellow somewhat if he does gain office but I truly feel that he will make things work for the USA once more. I have folloed Trump since he appeared on Oprah and truly believe America needs him.
For too long America has been in the hands of the wrong type of people who continue to believe that the world can be united as one with all people wandering around in a blissful Garden of Eden. America needs strength just as Russia has strength in Putin, Trump has so much in common with Putin [they even have the same number of letters in their names of which two are the same letters. I believe that Americans will show support for Trump if he can moderate his words and get the Media back onside by promising the Moguls everything. One now understands that the Media control the voters by push and pull tactics so one can only hope that the American public will see through the media crap and get a strong leader. So far it has been two wimpish money moguls, a swordsman, a black Muslim. This I hope is the end of an era because Hilary cannot lord it over Putin, she may have the name but she could never climb Mt Everest.


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The Side Effects of You singer performed "To the Heaven" and "Pass Me Not" before the lively crowd.
Fantasia takes us to church this Monday afternoon!
The former American Idol winner joined BET's Sunday Best for a lively performance last night. Fantasia performed "To the Heavens" from her latest album, Side Effects of You. She then sang "Pass Me Not" as a tribute to the late Whitney Houston—giving the crowd much to scream and shout about.
Check out the performance that left the audience begging for more.


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The temperatures might be dipping, but the action is heating up a bit on Spanaway Lake.
Anglers have been catching brown trout as big as 19 inches on the south end of the lake, said Bud Herlitzka of Spanaway Lake Boat House.
"I've been really pleased with the growth of the browns," Herlitzka said. "And the browns don't stop biting when it gets cold, unlike the rainbows. The rainbows get a little lazy when it gets cold."
Herlitzka recommended trolling at depth of about 5 feet. He says the action seems to be picking up during the middle of the day.
American: Kokanee, perch and rainbow trout are all biting.
Chelan: Anton Jones of Darrell and Dad's Family Guide Service suggests using spoons in chartreuse splatter back glow for those trying to land trout. He suggests purple glow flatfish north of the Chelan Yacht Club.
Lone: Fly-fishermen are having success.
Mayfield: Go deep with Power Eggs and worms for the best chance to catch rainbow trout.
Riffe: A good option if you're looking to land silvers this weekend. Worms and cocktail shrimp seem to be working best.
Sammamish: Good cutthroat fishing continues here, said Mike Chamberlain of Ted's Sports Center in Lynnwood.
Washington: The action has been slow.
Columbia: Anglers are catching sturgeon in the Bonneville Pool and walleye in The Dalles Pool.
Cowlitz: The action is showing signs of heating up but has been inconsistent.
Lewis: "It's not red-hot," Chamberlain said, "but it's a good option."
Olympic Peninsula: "The Olympic Peninsula rivers are definitely the best place to go right now," Chamberlain said. The Hoh, Sol Duc, Quillayute and Bogachiel rivers are proving to be good options.
Tacoma: The Point Defiance Boathouse Marina staff reports that fishing is picking up. They recommend trolling between the slag pile and the clay banks or the Quartermaster Harbor area. Most anglers are using flasher and spoon at a depth of 90-140 feet.
North Sound: Marine Area 9 is a solid choice for anglers, and Marine areas 5 and 6 opened to fishing Wednesday. Oak Harbor is a good place to jig for smelt this weekend. Most anglers are having no trouble catching their limit of one chinook in areas 5 and 6.
Discovery Bay: The Gardiner Salmon Derby starts today and runs through Monday. The derby winner gets $10,000. Participants can launch from Freshwater Bay, Port Angeles, Sequim, Port Townsend and Discovery Bay and can fish over 500 miles. Tickets are $40. For information, visit www.gardinersalmonderby.org.
Craig Hill: 253-597-8497


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Thursday, May 22, 2014
Organising and running your own training sessions
A cpd25 event in London, UK, on 26 June 2014 is Organising and running your own training sessions. It is a priced event: £150 for members and £225 for other institutions. http://www.cpd25.ac.uk/events/staff-development-forum-ii-event-ref-tg1sdf2/
Posted by Sheila Webber at 23:53
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The sign in the window read: "Evolution Is True. The Bible's a Lie. God's a Ghost." For this he was charged with violating the city ordinance against blasphemy. Because he was an atheist and therefore couldn't swear the court's religious oath to tell the truth, he wasn't permitted to testify in his own defense.
The judge then dismissed the original charge, replacing it with one of distributing obscene, slanderous, or scurrilous literature. Smith was convicted, fined $25, and served most of a twenty-six-day jail sentence. His high-profile fast while behind bars drew national media attention. Upon his release, he immediately resumed his atheist activities, was again charged with blasphemy, and this time the charge held. In his trial he was again denied the right to testify and was sentenced to ninety days in jail and a fine of $100. Released on $1,000 bail, Smith appealed the verdict. The case then dragged on for several years until it was finally dismissed. (Wiki)
The imagination paints the rest: the familiar visage of an obnoxious, sanctimonious, smug idiot doing his best of trying everyone's patience and taking pride in seeing people steering clear of him on sight. The evenings spent editing "The Truth Seeker" and dreaming of martyr's glory and the coming of freethinking paradise. A sweaty, hot summer noon in a Southern city; the lemonade stand near the courthouse; walnut trees seen from the window. An old, bespectacled judge trying to talk sense to the moron, so he can let him go and see him never, ever again. The passionate self-defense invoking the names of Bruno and Galileo and the great James Hervey Johnson before the jury thinking, oh, when this fool will finally finish, pay his $100, and let them go home. The fly walking across open pages of "On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life." And then the repetition of the same.
This, ladies and gentlemen, is why the blasphemy laws are almost never enforced in the US of A. It is not because of logical, clever, and impregnable arguments of the constitutional lawyers and sagely, progressive justices. It is not due to the higher principles of universal good implemented in the Bill of Rights. It is not because of ACLU zealots, pride parades, or preachy presidents. It is not because of monkey trials, exploding heads of cartoon prophets, or televangelists caught with hookers. It is not for a myriad other reasons.
Title: The last U.S. conviction for blasphemy was of atheist activist Charles Lee Smith
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|Tuan N'Gai, founder of Silence Equals Consent,
organized a rally in Lithonia, Ga., on Saturday,
abuse and homophobia within the black church.
"This problem knows no boundaries, all of us together will have to stand up and be vocal," Tuan author and civil rights activist Tuan N'Gai, founder of Silence Equals Consent, told the group.
In addition to taking a stand against sex abuse in the black church, event organizers held the rally to honor the lives of gay and lesbian youth who have committed suicide after being bullied as a result of homophobia.
N'Gai chose Lithonia as the site of the rally to show support for the four young men who have spoken out about the alleged sexual abuse they said they endured by New Birth Missionary Baptist Church Bishop Eddie Long.
The mega church is also located in Lithonia. The bishop, who opposes marriage for gays and lesbians, has strongly denied the teenager's claims.
Moved to action, N'Gai said he was told such an event would never take place. He said he was told DeKalb County does not allow prayer vigils to be held in their parks. N'Gai was allowed, however, to hold the event at the Willie A. Watkins Special Event Center on Redan Road in the Atlanta suburb.
N'Gai encouraged those in attendance to keep the momentum of the rally going by organizing panel discussions every 60 to 90 days to continue to discuss ways to end sexual abuse; make YouTube videos with positive messages, speaking out or in memoriam of people who have lost loved ones; make "Silence Equals Consent" or another mantra as signature on emails, tweets, text messages or other electronic forms of communication or on social networks; volunteer with churches or other community organizations that are dedicated to healing the community and to become active and become a part of the political process in their communities by exercising their right to vote.
With the recent LGBT teen suicides, N'Gai felt it was important to hold the rally and to continue to hold future events, "to let those who are afraid to speak out know that it is not your fault."
"There are people who are unafraid and there are people who are willing to stand and support you," added N'Gai
To take action does not take much, N'Gai urged. "You are equipped with life's most powerful weapon against the abuse - "that weapon is your voice," he said. " Your creative voice can give others the courage to stand up... Your voice is your God-given weapon."
Members of the clergy, civil rights leaders and social justice activists from across the country spoke and led a prayer all in an effort to move the churches to take action against abuse
Spoken Word artist and Atlanta resident S. Velvet Noose performed his poem "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" about a boy who endured abuse by a youth minister, suicide attempts and his family's taunts because of his lack of masculinity.
Noose felt it was important to take part in the rally because, "my story is these kids story."
"All these kids committing suicide because of bullying, I've tried it," he said of own suicide attempts.
While some on the panel spoke of the abuses that take place in the church, Samuel Heath, a minister with Unity Fellowship Church in Atlanta, spoke of having a good upbringing in the church. "There is some good in church and there is some bad in church," he said. "But, the church is not the building. The church is each and every one of us sitting in this building."
And Heath too encouraged people to make a vow to break the silence.
Pleased with the 20 something people in attendance, N'Gai said he was surprised so many people came out to pledge to be a part of the coalition.
And although he was hoping to have more support from affirming churches, he said there are already plans in the making to return to Georgia for another rally in the future. The next vigil will be held in Florida.
"We want to keep the momentum going, and we want to get more young people involved," added N'Gai. "We hope to inspire the young people."


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meadows alive in night
spirits trapped in war
blue sky dreams
a walk in the woods
no bird cries
all roads lead somewhere
thicker in the forest
delusions in silence
skeletal trees clack
like pool balls
walking in wind
Hey all, I decided to post haiku because I am going to send two batches away from my year in haiku book. I never finished typing the poems. Now I am going to finish typing them and I will send a batch to two different haiku publishers. Maybe I will throw Frogpond in there because they published me once before. Enjoy


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This is nothing new. The Academy Awards have been snubbing actors, directors, composers, writers, and films for years. Unfortunately it has been more harshly displayed with each passing year. In recent years I've noticed major snubs to great performances, beautiful scores, and remarkable directing. Why doesn't the Academy acknowledge those artists? Let's talk about it… shall we?
When the 2012 Academy Awards nominations were released I was disappointed to see who was excluded from recognition, again.
The Dark Knight Rises (2012) was a big surprise for me since its predecessor in the Batman Trilogy, The Dark Knight (2008), was nominated for 8 Oscars and won the Best Supporting Actor and Sound Editing categories. Sadly, I'm beginning to believe that the Academy and other film watchers now associate TDKR with the Aurora Shootings. It is because of that link that it was not nominated for Sound Editing or Original Score for Hans Zimmer, among a list of possibilities. I understand that the Academy doesn't want to appear to be praising a film and its link to gun violence, a hot topic no one wants to be associated with… but come on? So many worked hard on that film. They deserve some sort of recognition. Don't be so uptight, Academy. I wept for Christopher Nolan and his film. This picture was snubbed from at least 6 categories this year.
Best Supporting Actor this year. I don't like it. Aside from The Master (2012), I have seen all best supporting role nominees this past year. All of the men have been previous winners-nominees before the nominations for this year was announced. Granted, their roles in those pictures added flavor to the dialog, but I didn't buy some. I didn't see the need for Alan Arkin's nomination for Argo (2012). I loved his character, but I didn't see it as Oscar worthy. He didn't move me like the other nominees have. He just made me laugh. Who I would have liked to see nominated was Tom Holland for his performance in The Impossible (2012).
He and Naomi Watts were brilliant together. I was convinced they were mother and son, and that their love for one another rich and real. Tom Holland's character brought me to tears and left me biting my nails, rocking back and forth, praying for a happy resolution to his heart breaking story in the film. This young man was r-o-b-b-e-d of a nomination.
As was Javier Bardem for his role in Skyfall (2012), but I'm still on the fence about him being nominated or not. We can move on from this… I suppose.
As soon as I saw the Snow White & The Huntsman (2012) and The Avengers (2012) were nominated instead of The Dark Knight Rises (2012), I wanted to scream my lungs out and shake someone. Of course, I didn't. I've regained composure, eventually. Breathing in, breathing out. Calming myself. Those were good films, I suppose worth of recognition for their art direction. All this isn't stopping my jaw from drooping to my keyboard, shaking my head in disappointment. I sometimes wonder what is wrong with the Academy's mind. You know you have also.
Can we also talk about Jacki Weaver's role in Silver Linings Playbook (2012)? I absolutely loved this movie! It was relatable, beautiful, tearful, inspiring, everything I love in a movie, but Jacki Weaver? She did a good job portraying the anxious mother-obedient wife, I just didn't see it as nomination worthy. Which has brought me to conclusion that the Academy was lazy in picking their Best Supporting Actresses this year. They must have had their obvious list done and saw that they had a slot left to fill. She was hardly on screen! When she was in a scene she barely said any lines, just standing their with sad eyes, quivering behind Robert DeNiro. They thought this was worthy of a nomination? Please.
I would have rather seen Kara Hayward from Moonrise Kingdom (2012) nominated for Best Supporting Actress. That was a role worth talking about. Not Jacki Weaver. No.
Ben Affleck snubbed from Best Director? We don't even need to talk about this. You know they're wrong. (Argo Fuck Yourself)
Do you see what I mean? Every year the Academy wow's me with their ridiculous snubs and nominees. I will never understand it. Many things do not make sense to me. It is either pure laziness, actually taking a chance and nominate someone who has worth to be nominated, or they didn't connect with what they saw on screen.
I'm done with this topic. There are past years that have disappointed me also. We'll discuss this in another post.


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Before you even read this entry, just admit something -- at some point in your life, you've heard about a friend of yours passing through your *area* without letting you know, and you threw down the "WTF" flag, even if it was just to yourself.
Well, I figured I'd titled enough entries with "If Life Had a Rulebook" that it might be time to vary things up a bit.
The other day I was talking to a friend who lives in the Greater NYC area. I had been planning to visit the area and see this person, but was ultimately unable to do so based on the State Active Duty (SAD) mobilization for a Hurricane that never really hit Massachusetts, other than to dump what I'm told was six inches of rain on Martha's Vineyard last Friday.
Anyway, this friend asked about another mutual friend of ours, and sort of lamented that while he was reasonably certain that the mutual friend had been in the general New York area at several points over the past few years, he had never been given the "heads-up." I've also seen this phenomenon described in some articles about the perils of online social networking -- if you're constantly making a photojournal of your life and displaying it to everyone who knows you, you're inevitably going to torque some people who see you were in their area but didn't pass them a "battlespace entry notification."
This raises an interesting question: Do friends owe it to each other to pass the word when they are going to be in each others' general operating area?
After a lot of deliberation and attempts to see this from all sides, my answer is a resounding NO.
There are just too many variables here, and too high of a likelihood that a simple notification passed with the best intentions will lead to gross overcomplication.
A lot of times, if your travel is either work-related (like my current trip to Killeen, Texas, where I'm typing this right now), or personal but pointed (i.e. visiting your in-laws) you're not able to veer too far off course. Chances are, your itinerary is jam-packed enough without adding in other potential twists. That friend of mine in Austin isn't really that far away, but after a long day of running around, doing whatever is required job-wise, the LAST thing I feel like doing after 6 p.m. is adding anything else in -- I'll be quite happy with a quick dinner, some TV, and some restful sleep before doing it all again the next day.
I know I usually hem-and-haw on questions like this, but what gives me the confidence to answer so resoundingly is a simple application of the Golden Rule. Someone I consider a good friend, even though I hadn't seen him in more than five years, was just up in Lowell for my wedding. His girlfriend just finished graduate school in Cambridge, and her family is from Salem, NH. In relative terms, that might as well be next door to me. However, in catching up with him, it didn't even occur to me to harangue him about why-hadn't-he-given-me-a-shout or any such nonsense -- if he's driven all the way up here to see his girlfriend or her family, I think he's got plenty more on his plate! Ditto for another Eastern Seaboard friend of mine whose wife hails from the Merrimack Valley-- as much as I would love to catch up, and as much as I can reasonably assume that he and his wife have been "up this way" it would be an obnoxious overstatement of my own importance to assume he owed me some notification.
Just to tie the whole thing up -- my recent sojourn down to New York (yup, the one that never happened because I was in Reading, waiting for vehicles and equipment to return on Saturday) nearly got bogged down in a ridiculous logistical snafu for this very reason. Though originally planning to visit for a mate's 30th birthday, I passed the word on to some other friends whose tastes tend to be champagne and caviar to our Miller Genuine Draft and franks. Needless to say, the entire thing could have been a cluster-you-know-what when they started talking about fancy-pants dinner reservations and detailed plans.
My learning point for the future?
Next time, I'll just keep it simple.