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Resorts of Minnesota author Neil Johnson recently had the opportunity to sit down with Cathy Wurzer and talk about Minnesota resorts, their history, and the book. The audio is available here for your enjoyment.
Author Neil Johnson's first journey into the world of publishing splits the storied history with the vast array of one of the great pastimes in our state's history – resorts.
Johnson's book, "Resorts of Minnesota," looks at how resorts have grown over the last century from former logging villages to fishing lodges and a full-service family vacation.
"Quite frankly, it's an honor," said Neil Johnson – author of the new book, "Resorts of Minnesota" – of being able to hear and share Jack Bugbee's story of the resort that has been in his family since the 1920s.
In this land of ten thousand lakes, resorts are as much staple of our culture as cornfields, good schools and the Twins. Fishermen, hunters and their families love to break away for an afternoon, a weekend, even a week, on the lake.
Order through the website and have your book(s) signed. Find out more...
Alexandria Lakes, Detroit Lakes, and Otter Tail County Resorts
Bonnie Beach
East Silent Resort
Long Lake Lodge
Westridge Shores Resort
Xanadu Island Resort and Bed and Breakfast
Border Lakes, Lake Vermilion and BWCA Resorts
Aspen Resort
Elbow Lake Lodge
Moose Track Adventures
Nelson's Resort
Vermilion Dam Lodge
Voyagaire Lodge and Houseboats
Voyageur Park Lodge
Wilderness Bay Lodge
Brainerd Lakes
Agate Lake Resort
Campfire Bay
Heath's Resort
Leech Lake and Walker Area Resorts
Hiawatha Beach Resort
Hyde-A-Way Bay Resort
In-We-Go Resort
Point of Pines Resort
North Shore and the Gunflint Trail Resorts
Golden Eagle Lodge
Hungry Jack Lodge
Lamb's Resort
Northern Minnesota Resorts
Angle Inn Lodge
Bert's Cabins
Bowen Lodge
Bowstring Shores
Cedar Point Resort
Finn'n Feather Resort
Jolly Fisherman Resort
Pimushe Resort
Zippel Bay
West Central and Southern Minnesota Resorts
Bugbee Hive
Cedar Valley Resort
Dickerson's Lake Florida Resort
Riverside Resort
Veteran's Landing and Miller B&B
Resorts of Minnesota in the News | Resorts of Minnesota Blog
Copyright © 2014 Resorts of Minnesota. All rights reserved.
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From Sustrans:
Apologies, I have had to cancel tonight's feedback, due to gathering more information and preparing plans for Stonebridge Road etc . Instead we will hold sessions on Monday (Page Green) and Wednesday next week. I will upload the drafts for comment and let you know as soon as they are up.
We are also preparing a rough proposal for Markfield Road due to the high demand for it to change. All these will be on display at Page Green on Monday around the vent including new draft concept for the Roslyn Road Barrier.
We had a great feedback session on Tynemouth Road and potential closure of Antill Road to through traffic, with some new ideas coming out of it which we will feed into the designs for Monday.
We welcome your comments and ideas as always.
Apologies again for tonight's cancellation
All the best

subset: commoncrawl


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Wednesday, April 28, 2010
The Lensless Image reception tomorrow
Just to remind you, The Lensless Image: An Exhibition of Pinhole Photography opens today at Castell Photography in Asheville, NC. Two of my photos are included! There is a reception tomorrow, Thursday, April 29, from 5:00 p.m. till 8:00 p.m.. It looks as if it's going to be an excellent show - if you're in the area, I hope you'll visit.
Posted by J. M. Golding at 2:00 PM
Labels: exhibitions, pinhole
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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Thank you for signing up to receive our newsletter. We'll be sure to keep you informed of all the latest CFC happenings.
We hope you won't but if, at any point in the future you wish to unsubscribe, just use the link at the bottom of the newsletter to have your name removed from our list.


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The Senate on Friday reauthorized for five years broad electronic eavesdropping powers that legalized and expanded the President George W. Bush administration's warrantless wiretapping program.
The FISA Amendments Act, (.pdf) which was expiring Monday at midnight, allows the government to electronically eavesdrop on Americans' phone calls and e-mails without a probable-cause warrant so long as one of the parties to the communication is believed outside the United States. The communications may be intercepted "to acquire foreign intelligence information."
The House approved the measure in September. President Barack Obama, who said the spy powers were a national security priority, is expected to quickly sign the package before the law Congress codified in 2008 expires in the coming days. Over the past two days, the Senate debated and voted down a handful of amendments in what was seen as largely political theater to get Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) to lift a procedural hold on the FISA Amendments Act legislation that barred lawmakers from voting on the package.
In the end, the identical package the House passed 301-118 swept through the Senate on a 73-23 vote.
The American Civil Liberties Union immediately blasted the vote.
"The Bush administration's program of warrantless wiretapping, once considered a radical threat to the Fourth Amendment, has become institutionalized for another five years," said Michelle Richardson, the ACLU's legislative counsel.
Amendments senators refused to enact included extending the measure for just three years, another one requiring the government to account for how many times Americans' communications have been intercepted, and one by Wyden prohibiting U.S. spy agencies from reviewing the communications of Americans ensnared in the program.
"The amendment I fought to include would have helped bring the constitutional principles of security and liberty back into balance and intend to work with my colleagues to see that the liberties of individual Americans are maintained," Wyden said immediately after the vote.
The legislation does not require the government to identify the target or facility to be monitored. It can begin surveillance a week before making the request, and the surveillance can continue during the appeals process if, in a rare case, the secret FISA court rejects the surveillance application. The court's rulings are not public.
The government has also interpreted the law to mean that as long as the real target is al-Qaeda, the government can wiretap purely domestic e-mails and phone calls without getting a warrant from a judge. That's according to David Kris, a former top anti-terrorism attorney at the Justice Department.
In short, Kris said the FISA Amendments Act gives the government nearly carte blanche spying powers.
Kris, who headed the Justice Department's National Security Division between 2009 and 20011, writes in the revised 2012 edition of National Security Investigations and Prosecutions:
For example, an authorization targeting 'al Qaeda' — which is a non-U.S. person located abroad—could allow the government to wiretap any telephone that it believes will yield information from or about al Qaeda, either because the telephone is registered to a person whom the government believes is affiliated with al Qaeda, or because the government believes that the person communicates with others who are affiliated with al Qaeda, regardless of the location of the telephone.
The National Security Agency told lawmakers that it would be a violation of Americans' privacy to disclose how the measure is being used in practice.
After Obama signs the legislation Friday, the spy powers won't expire until December 31, 2017.
The law is the subject of a Supreme Court challenge. The Obama administration argues that the American Civil Liberties Union and a host of other groups suing don't have the legal standing to even bring a challenge.
A federal judge agreed, ruling the ACLU, Amnesty International, Global Fund for Women, Global Rights, Human Rights Watch, International Criminal Defence Attorneys Association, The Nation magazine, PEN American Center, Service Employees International Union and other plaintiffs did not have standing to bring the case because they could not demonstrate that they were subject to the warrantless eavesdropping.
The groups appealed to the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, arguing that they often work with overseas dissidents who might be targets of the National Security Agency program. Instead of speaking with those people on the phone or through e-mails, the groups asserted that they have had to make expensive overseas trips in a bid to maintain attorney-client confidentiality. The plaintiffs, some of them journalists, also claim the 2008 legislation chills their speech, and violates their Fourth Amendment privacy rights.
Without ruling on the merits of the case, the appeals court agreed with the plaintiffs last year that they have ample reason to fear the surveillance program, and thus have legal standing to pursue their claim.
The case, argued last month, is pending an opinion from the Supreme Court.
*Homepage Photo: wallyg / Flickr *


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500 North 20th Street
This building's origin is the result of Badass Motherfucker-in-Chief Representative Senator Councilman Banker Shipping Tycoon Jonas Preston, MD. This dude was born in Chester in 1764, raised by a single mom in Wilmington, and graduated from medical school at the University of Pennsylvania at age 20... he would have graduated even earlier but some courses were delayed because of the Revolutionary War. After his schooling, Preston tried to be a farmer in Chester but it didn't work out. He was so pissed about his failure that he went off to find himself in Georgia for awhile, hanging out with his "close friend" (wink wink) General Wayne.
He then returned to Chester and started a medical practice (why he tried to be a farmer with a medical degree is beyond me). Preston married a Newtown, PA heiress named Opral Reese after convincing her mother that he was good with money, despite being "somewhat of a dandy". Preston would go on to live in Newtown and fight in the skirmish related to the Western Insurrection. Upon his return, he was considered a hero to everyone but the Quakers, who kicked him the fuck out of their circle of Friends.
Preston then served in PA's House of Representatives and then the Senate. His wife left him in 1811 due to him being away from home all the time (also the dandyness). Preston's second marriage was to Jane Thomas, who in 1816 nagged him to relinquish his offices (which at this point also included Bank Commissioner and President of the Bank of Delaware County) and move away from boring-ass Newtown to the most amazing and kick-ass city in the world, Philafuckingdelphia.
Preston hit Philadelphia like a bag of hammers. He was already well-known before getting there so his election to City Council upon his arrival was no surprise. He became director of the Bank of Pennsylvania and the Schuylkill Navigation Company.. at the same time. Despite working 3 full time jobs, Preston would take time out to treat poor mothers-to-be at Pennsylvania Hospital and the Friends' Asylum in Frankford. It was this volunteer work with destitute pregnant mothers that would define his legacy (not the repping, senatoring, councilmanning, bank presidenting, or shipping tycooning).
When Preston died in 1835, he left $250,000 of his $400,000 estate for the purpose of "...indigent, married women of good character..." to be provided with "proper obstetric aid". His shares of the Schuylkill Navigation Company would also be contributed to the cause. On June 16th, 1836, the Pennsylvania Legislature created his dream society, and called it the "Preston Retreat". The first meeting of the committee in charge, held at the College of Physicians, declared the location of the new Retreat would be an eight-acre plot on Hamilton Street between Schuylkill 2nd (21st) and 3rd(20th) Streets.
An architectural competition was held, and all the entries ended up being in the Greek Revival style.. expected for the time. The winning design was from the illustrious Thomas Ustick Walter.
|The rendering from April, 1837. Image from the PAB.
Since they went so over-budget and since the Schuylkill Navigation Company's shares went way down during the construction period, the Retreat wasn't able to open, even though the resident doctor and his family moved in. The building would stay empty, save for the Doctor and his family, for the next six years (nice deal for the doctor, eh?), while Schuylkill Navigation Company's stock dwindled even further. Eventually, Preston's widow was pissed off about how her husband's dream was falling apart, so she urged the committee that formed the Retreat to let the Foster Home Association use the building rent-free until the Retreat could afford to open... 19 years later.
Finally, in 1865, some of the land in Schuylkill County owned by the Schuylkill Navigation Company became extremely valuable due to the discovery of a shitload of coal. The sale of this land made the opening of the Retreat possible, albiet 25 years late. $25,000 had to be spent renovating the already-deteriorating kind-of unfinished building.
The Preston Retreat took in its first destitute married pregnant moms on May 15th, 1865. In a time when the infant mortality rate was 10%, the moms at the Retreat only had a rate of about .09%. The success of the Retreat was known far and wide as a one of the most sterile hospitals in the country, impervious to the assload of life-threatening epidemics that would roll through the city every few years.
Once the building hit about 70 years old, it became obvious that it was in need of an upgrade. They got architectural badass Edgar V. Seeler, who worked in the super-lost Drury Building, to create an addition that would not detract from the beauty of the building but add 30% more space. In 1909, a whole extra floor would be added to the building and the cupola would be preserved and rebuilt on the roof of the new story.
|Addition under construction.
Pennsylvania Hospital absorbed the Retreat in 1960, closing the 20th and Hamilton building forever. The Retreat sort of lives on... the Pennsylvania Hospital named their 1970-built maternity building the Preston Building. The old Preston Retreat building would become property of the Redevelopment Authority, who unceremoniously demolished the balls out of it in May of 1963.
|Sad-ass picture of the building right before demolition... complete with barren trees and shit.
|Its also a 1/3 size model of Jonas Preston's cock.


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News & Events
BT Is Reaching Out
Two upcoming events for the Corporate and Houston offices will benefit two worthy charities, The Periwinkle Foundation in Houston and OurCalling Ministry in Dallas. BakerTriangle has established community service as major part of corporate culture. We hope our efforts bring funds, awareness and new boosters to each organization.


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Council tax will rise for 40% of households
By Oliver Hotham
Almost half of English households will see their council tax rise, despite increased government incentives to freeze rates.
The rise is happening because police and fire authority precepts, added to the council tax, are going up.
According to the survey by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA), around 43% of households will see an increase in their council tax, but not by more than four per cent.
Opinion Former News
Opinion Former Video
Communities secretary Eric Pickles last month criticised Labour councils for raising taxes despite the incentives which saw millions of pounds flow into local government last year.
But shadow communities secretary Hilary Benn responded defending Labour in local government: "In these tough times, Labour councils are doing all they can to keep council tax low and on average residents pay less in council tax when they have a Labour council.
"This year Tory citadels like Surrey, Peterborough and Chelmsford are putting up their council tax even though CLG ministers – who talk a lot about local decision making - have made it clear that they will use new powers to penalise them next year for doing so.
"David Cameron should get his own house in order before he starts criticising Labour. Eric Pickles' plans will mean significant council tax increases for low paid workers next year because of changes to council tax benefit."
The CIPFA statistics show an increase of £4.39 a year.
According to the survey, 15% of councils will raising taxes, eight per cent of which are "principal" local authorities like city councils, London boroughs, and metropolitan and unitary authorities.
The grant on offer for freezing council tax is equal to 2.5% of a council's revenue base.


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On Tuesday evening at around 5:10 p.m., Paul Cady, 43, of Hollis, fell to his death from a sixth floor window of the Richards Building at Maine Medical Center in Portland, the state's largest hospital.
The tragic incident has shaken both the hospital community and Cady's family, and has captured the attention of the entire state.
But many of the details surrounding the case remain unclear, with state, hospital and local police officials saying they're unavailable or unable to release specifics until they've finished their investigations into what happened — which is common in the immediate aftermath of such an incident.
Sometimes in situations like this, it's helpful to step back and take inventory of what we know and what we don't know. It helps set the stage for what questions we'll be asking in the coming days and provides some context for what investigators are likely working to determine.
What we know…
… about Paul Cady
In addition to the name, age and hometown of the victim, as released Wednesday by Portland police, Paul Cady's daughter, 20-year-old Miranda Cady, has told us a bit more about him.
He was a father of three, raising the youngest of them — a three-year-old — as a single dad.
According to what Miranda Cady has written on an online fundraising page set up to help offset some of the costs of his funeral, Paul Cady was in a serious motorcycle accident on March 9 in which he wasn't wearing a helmet and suffered a traumatic head injury.
He was put in a medically-induced coma in the immediate aftermath of the crash, but over the course of a few weeks reached a point where his daughter said he was "up, walking and talking."
… about what happened the night of the fall
Miranda Cady wrote her father was fixated on getting out of the hospital and going back home to his family, and couldn't seem to accept that he needed more medical treatment and rehab.
Here's how she described the incident:
"All he could focus on was getting home and due to his state of mind he was willing to try anything to get out of that hospital. He was able to open his hospital window enough to get out. … I would just like to put that this was not an act of suicide but a desperate attempt to be home with the family."
… about hospital safety
In addition to Portland police, the state Department of Health and Human Services' Division of Licensing and Regulatory Services is investigating the incident.
According to DHHS spokeswoman Samantha Edwards, the state of Maine does have licensing rules regarding windows in hospitals. As of 2009, any new or thereafter significantly renovated hospital facility must comply with, among other things, the American Institute of Architects' "2006 Guidelines for Design and Construction of Health Care Facilities."
That organization broadly states that if windows in patient rooms are operable, "operation of such windows shall be restricted to inhibit possible escape or suicide."
More on that in a bit.
Maine Medical Center's safety record in particular, by at least one watchdog group's criteria, has been a mixed bag in recent years.
The Leapfrog Group's semiannual hospital safety ratings, which the group says track "performance in keeping patients safe from preventable harm and medical errors," are widely cited in media reports and by industry organizations.
Maine Medical Center earned an A grade in the spring of 2012, B grades in the fall of 2012 and in both periods in 2013, and C grades in every ranking released since.
While those grades suggest an overall downward trajectory since 2012, those rankings factor in 28 diverse criteria. Most of the black marks the organization gives Maine Med are for things like surgical site infections and accidental cuts and tears during medical procedures.
Under the criterion arguably most applicable to Paul Cady's case — a category the Leapfrog Group titles "Track and reduce risks to patients" — Maine Medical has shined.
In the hospital's most recent evaluation in the fall of 2015, the organization scored Maine Medical Center a 120 out of a possible 120 points under this category, which broadly rates a hospital's awareness of "safety risks" and whether it's proactive dealing with them.
… about the stakes
Obviously, this is a tragedy that has affected the Cady family, as well as hospital staff and fellow patients. Maine Medical Center spokesman John Porter has said the hospital offered counseling to staff and patients who were "shocked and saddened" by the incident, and has repeatedly said the institution wants first and foremost to extend its deepest sympathies to the Cady family.
And before the man's death, Miranda Cady was laudatory of the hospital, writing that her father was being cared for by "some pretty amazing people" in the intensive care unit.
But we learned Thursday that Portland attorney Daniel Lilley is now representing the estate of Paul Cady. Lilley is well-known for taking on some of the highest profile cases in Maine, and has a reputation as being a fierce advocate for his clients.
In an interview with Portland NBC television affiliate WCSH 6 Thursday, Lilley stopped short of promising any legal action. But it's fair to say that his presence is a sign the family is at least considering a lawsuit, depending on what the state and police investigations turn up.
What we don't know
… about what happened to Paul Cady
We still don't really know how he got out that sixth story window.
Miranda Cady wrote that, disoriented and trying to go home, he was able to open the window enough to get out.
But neither the police nor hospital officials have corroborated that explanation publicly. Maine Medical Center spokesman Porter has declined to release any more details about the incident, citing the ongoing investigations.
Could the sixth floor window be opened enough for a patient disoriented by a brain injury to climb out? Or was the window reasonably restricted with some kind of safety mechanism to prevent that — and Cady, disillusioned, took extraordinary measures, like breaking the window, to escape?
I asked, but that's one of the many questions hospital officials say they can't address right now, and one which will likely be answered through the state investigation.
"We're not making any claims that there are any problems at the moment, except to say we are interested in what [investigators] find," Lilley told WCSH. "The window, as I understand it, is a very narrow kind of a window. So it does present some challenges and we have no ideas except to speculate and we don't want to do that."
UPDATE: The chief medical examiner ruled that Cady's death was an accident, our media partners at WGME reported on Wednesday, April 6.
… about how state licensing rules apply here
Remember the American Institute of Architects guidelines cited above? Where it said that if windows in patient rooms are operable, "operation of such windows shall be restricted to inhibit possible escape or suicide?"
If Cady just opened his window enough to climb out, as his daughter believed, that would mean the operation of his window was not restricted enough to inhibit his escape.
What's less clear, however, is whether that section of the hospital is new enough to be subject to that requirement. As DHHS' Samantha Edwards said, that AIA guideline only applies to hospital facilities built or significantly renovated — by "significantly," here, I mean renovations costing at least $50,000 — since 2009.
The Portland Press Herald's Matt Byrne, who has done some excellent reporting on this case, reported that the Richards Building was constructed in 1969.
So in order for the AIA requirement to kick in, there would need to have been at least $50,000 worth of renovations since 2009. Has there been?
That's another detail the hospital isn't releasing right now.
Even if there has been at least $50,000 in renovations at the Richards Building, there still may be gray area with regard to whether the AIA rules apply.
For instance: Does that $50,000 in work need to have been done in the unit in question, or does renovation work anywhere in the building require the entire facility to be in compliance? (So, for instance, if the hospital did $50,000 worth of repairs to a unit on the second floor in 2010, would that mean a window on the sixth floor, even if it wasn't included in that work, now needs to meet AIA guidelines?)
There are going to be many questions to be answered in the coming days.


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Monday, September 2, 2013
Labor Day Triple Fudge Cake
So to celebrate Labor Day, make this simple Labor Day Triple Fudge Cake, virtually labor-free.
1 comment:
- ~~louise~~ said...
Happy Labor Day, Janet! Oh I LOVE that book. What a GREAT idea to share that Labor Day Cake Recipe! Very cool.
I'll be pinning it for sure, thank you so much for sharing...
- September 2, 2013 at 2:57 PM
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The Biblical Uncovering of the Pope and the Papacy (Papacy is the Antichrist)
A tremendous number of facts that need to be realized and remembered from this message. Please listen carefully. (Includes bonus video)
A tremendous number of facts that need to be realized and remembered from this message. Please listen carefully. (Includes bonus video)
Please spread the word that the Papacy is the anti-Christ by using this as your avatar icon.
It order for there to be unity in all races, creeds, and countries, the individual ideologies and strongly held beliefs of the different nations and faiths has to be broken down. So to do this, a system such as covert organized stalking, which also includes electronic harassment, is used to bring people together of various beliefs, persuasions, preferences, and dispositions.
Originally posted on CrossTheBorder.org:
…But this apostasy was to have a head, and the coming and character of that head are the great subject of Paul's Thessalonian prophecy. A mistaken apprehension of his first letter to them had led the Thessalonians to expect an immediate advent of Christ, and in his second epistle Paul…
1973 Prophecy – The Vision by David Wilkerson
A concocted doctrine of deceit to mislead & divide the Christians who were growing in number as a result of the Reformation. The Jesuits, a RCC militarized priesthood that works in the shadows breeds chaos, confusion, & death.
Art Katz (2/13/29 – 6/28/07) is a foreshadowing of the earthly priesthood that will proceed from the nation of Israel when Yeshua-Jesus rules as KING of Kings. The throne of this Kingdom is the fulfillment of the Davidic covenant which is, the Tabernacle of David.


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HISD Multilingual Programs is launching this week a Language School of the Week Campaign to recognize HISD schools who foster the development of fluency and literacy in English and in an additional language for all students with special attention given to English Language Learners. All schools are eligible. Submissions should be through Twitter in the form of a picture or video to @HISDMultiPrgms with the hashtag #HISDLangSOW. It must be representative of the promotion of bilingualism, biliteracy, cross-cultural awareness, and high academic achievement. For your entry to be considered for the week, your submission must be made no later than each Thursday at 5 p.m. The campaign will run through May 2016. Recognized campuses will be selected at the campaign administrator's discretion. Look for the weekly winning campus each week through Multilingual Program's weekly eBlast and Twitter.
Enter your school today!


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DUA LIPA. Current Affairs - 2020
2019 Grammy Awards
The 61st GRAMMY Awards were held on February 10, 2019, at Staples Center in Los Angeles. The winners are:
- Record of the Year: THIS IS AMERICA.
- Album of the Year: GOLDEN HOUR.
- Song of The Year: THIS IS AMERICA.
- Best New Artist: DUA LIPA.
- Best Pop Solo Performance: JOANNE (WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOIN'?)
- Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: SHALLOW
- Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album: MY WAY
- Best Pop Vocal Album: SWEETENER
- Best Dance Recording: ELECTRICITY
- Best Dance/Electronic Album: WOMAN WORLDWIDE
Grammy Awards
Grammy Awards are presented by the Recording Academy to recognize achievements in the music industry. The Grammys held for the first time on May 4, 1959, are the second of the Big Three major music awards held annually (between the American Music Awards in the Fall, and the Billboard Music Awards in the Summer).
Month: Current Affairs – February, 2019 Categories: Awards Current Affairs
Tags: 2019 Grammy Awards • Album of the Year • Best New Artist • DUA LIPA. • GOLDEN HOUR
Tags: 2019 Grammy Awards • Album of the Year • Best New Artist • DUA LIPA. • GOLDEN HOUR


text: Marc Hom is a Danish photographer, from Copenhagen, graduate of the Danish Art Academy. He begins his career in New York, with a book of photos of the Ballet of Vienna. He works then with Liz Tilberis and Fabien from Harper's Bazaar. This step introduces him into the world of the fashion photography. His clichés are of a sublime of natural, and the most known celebrities posed for his objective : Angelina Jolie, Eva Mendes, Johnny Depp, Sienna Miller, Roman Polanski, Tim Burton, Quentin Tarantino, Robert Redford, Matthew McConaughey and many others. His creative and influential work allowed him to collaborate with customers like Vogue, Gucci ou Max Mara.


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known for her works: "General Hospital," "Charlie's Angels," "Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief" and more!
Seen with YOU gNeek's Working Lighter Cufflinks and says, "That's adorable, What a great idea! That's so cool!"*
*quote source: GBK
Note: YOU gNeek neither states nor implies that any of these celebrities endorse our products. We sincerely thank Annie Ilonzeh for taking pictures with our functional jewelry. Wow, you look fantastic!


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Address: Hampden Park, Glasgow, G42 9BA
Tel: 0141 616 6139
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Web: www.scottishfootballmuseum.org.uk
Admission: Rates listed below
Opening hours: Mon – Sat 10am – 5pm; Sun 11am – 5pm
Visit the Hampden Experience and see more than 2,500 exhibits in 14 galleries, walk amongst Scotland's footballing legends in the Hall Of Fame and take the Stadium Tour……….it's who we are.
Telling the story of Scotland's football heritage, the Scottish Football Museum features 14 galleries that take you through the development of the Scottish game from the 19th century to the present day. Experience will reveal the sights, sounds and stories of the world's favourite game, in the country that took football to the world.
As one of Glasgow's leading attractions, The Hampden Experience is an ideal day out for families, avid football fans and novices eager to gain knowledge of Scottish football. The museum is home to the world's most impressive national collection of football related objects, memorabilia and ephemera including the Scottish Cup.
Visitors can spend a day enjoying Scotland's football heritage, remembering the legends that inspire the champions of today.
On the Stadium Tour you will see the Stadium as the players do on matchday – visit the underground roadway, team changing rooms and have the speed of your shot electronically measured in the players warm up area. Walk down the tunnel, hear the famous Hampden Roar and then follow the footsteps of legends by climbing the stairs to the Cup Presentation Area. Public tours of the stadium are available each day at 11am, 12.30pm, 2pm and 3pm, subject to events within the stadium.
You can also relax in the Museum café and purchase gifts and souvenirs from the Hampden shop.
Museum admission:
- Adults £8
- Under 16's/concessions £3
- Under 5's Free
Stadium Tour Prices:
PLEASE NOTE: There will be occasions when tours are not offered because the stadium is being used for other events.
- Adults £8
- Under 16's/concessions £3.50
- Under 5's Free
Combined Museum Admission & Stadium Tour:
- Adults £12
- Under 16's/concessions £5
- Under 5's Free
Discounts are available for group bookings (applies to groups of 10 or more).
*Eligibility applies to students, MA members, senior citizens and the unwaged with the presentation of valid ID.


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Pwn2Own (2013) Contest a Blast – FULL Results
CanSecWest is a conference, and 2013's conference once again involved the Pwn2Own contest for hackers, an elite (1337) competition. The concept remained simple and will always that if you pwn a fully-patched browser running on a fully-patched laptop, you get to keep the laptop.
However, different rules applied this year. It involved successfully demonstrating the exploit, providing the sponsor (HP) the fully functioning exploit, and all details involved with the vulnerability used in the attack. If there were many vulnerabilities, multiple reports are needed, etc.
The work couldn't be sold to anyone else, and proof of concept would belong to HP once sold. Basically, HP buys the winning exploits for own use. Their idea of reward money was the following:
- Google Chrome on Windows 7 = $100,000
- IE10 on Windows 8 = $100,000 or IE9 on Windows 7 = $75,000.
- Mozilla Firefox on Windows 7 = $60,000
- Apple Safari on Mac OS X Mountain Lion = $65,000
- Adobe Reader XI and Flash Player = $70,000
- Oracle Java = $20,000
It was assuredly a blast at the competition, no doubt about it.
DAY ONE: Java, Chrome, IE10, and Firefox PWNED!!!
(Where's Safari, right? It survived!)
The idea behind each attack is the ability to browse to an untrusted website where you're able to inject and run arbitrary code outside of the browsing environment.
Of course, one of the rules is: "A successful attack … must require little or no user interaction and must demonstrate code execution… If a sandbox is present, a full sandbox escape is required to win."
In addition to Chrome, Firefox, and IE10 being pwned, Java was pwned three times on the first day. Once by James Forshaw, Joshua Drake, and VUPEN Security. VUPEN Security also led a lot of the pack of issues by successfully exploiting IE10 and Firefox as well.
The only other exploit was by Nils & Jon, where both successfully exploited Chrome.
The day after the first day of Pwn2Own, Mozilla and Google patched the exploits that were pushed out. Amazingly fast, Firefox went on to version 19.0.2 (which you should've been updated automatically), and Chrome went on to version 25.0.1364.160 (effectively patching 10 vulnerabilities).
"We received the technical details on Wednesday evening and within less than 24 hours diagnosed the issue, built a patch, validated the fix and the resulting builds, and deployed the patch to users," said Michael Coates, Mozilla's director of security assurance, in a Thursday blog.
Microsoft has decided to wait until next week's Patch Tuesday run of updates to push out the fix for the Internet Explorer exploit on IE10.
DAY TWO: Adobe Reader and Flash Player PWNED!!! Java PWNED AGAIN!!!
The last day of Pwn2Own 2013 went with a BANG!
Flash Player…exploited by VUPEN Security (any surprise?). Adobe Reader PWNED by George Hotz. Java once again was exploited, this time proxied by Ben Murphy.
Who're the overall prize winners?
- James Forshaw, Ben Murphy, and Joshua Drake for Java – each $20,000
- VUPEN Security for IE10 + Firefox + Java + Flash – $250,000
- Nils & Jon for Google Chrome – $100,000
- George Hotz for Adobe Reader – $70,000
Of course, George Hotz is best known for jailbreaking the iPhone and PlayStation 3. He's still in progress with a lawsuit with Sony over the issue for PS3.
It's amazing to see that Java was PWNED 4 times in just two days, but is it any surprise based on the number of vulnerabilities Oracle has dealt with for Java?
Now in its eighth year, Pwn2Own contest had $480,000 in payouts, a record year. Amazing!
Got any vibe on this issue? Post comment below! 🙂
Adobe Releases Emergency Patch for Adobe Reader
Adobe has released its emergency patch after a string of events in the past nearly ten days on dealing with a zero-day vulnerability. This was originally reported by FireEye in a blog post.
The FireEye blog stated the following:
"Upon successful exploitation, it will drop two DLLs. The first DLL shows a fake error message and opens a decoy PDF document, which is usually common in targeted attacks. The second DLL in turn drops the callback component, which talks to a remote domain."
After that was published, the FireEye researchers sent the bug report & sample to Adobe. Soon after, Adobe released a notification that there is a problem.
Eventually, Adobe detailed this past weekend that a patch would be available next week…well it's here.
Adobe released its patch yesterday, in efforts to remediate the situation.
According to Adobe, the following versions are now available:
- Users of Adobe Reader XI (11.0.01 and earlier) for Windows and Macintosh should update to Adobe Reader XI (11.0.02).
- For users of Adobe Reader X (10.1.5 and earlier) for Windows and Macintosh, who cannot update to Adobe Reader XI (11.0.02), Adobe has made available the update Adobe Reader X (10.1.6).
- For users of Adobe Reader 9.5.3 and earlier 9.x versions for Windows and Macintosh, who cannot update to Adobe Reader XI (11.0.02), Adobe has made available the update Adobe Reader 9.5.4.
- Users of Adobe Reader 9.5.3 and earlier 9.x versions for Linux should update to Adobe Reader 9.5.4.
- Users of Adobe Acrobat XI (11.0.01 and earlier) for Windows and Macintosh should update to Adobe Acrobat XI (11.0.02).
- Users of Adobe Acrobat X (10.1.5 and earlier) for Windows and Macintosh should update to Adobe Acrobat X (10.1.6).
- Users of Adobe Acrobat 9.5.3 and earlier 9.x versions for Windows and Macintosh should update to Adobe Acrobat 9.5.4.
Get Alternative Software for Adobe Reader
Are the latest band of exploits too challenging for you? Want something different? Tired of updating Adobe Reader once to twice a week?
Here is a short list of PDF viewers, the best alternatives for Adobe Reader.
- Sumatra PDF
This program is extremely lightweight, easy on resources, and fun to use for its ability to get the job done. Open a PDF.
- Foxit Reader
Free, lightweight – Foxit Reader is a great alternative for Adobe Reader. Although not as thin on the resources or fast like Sumatra, Foxit sure has a lot to offer. How about text converter, highlighting, or even integration with DocuSign services? Awesome!
- Nitro PDF Reader
This is similar to Sumatra. Nitro has some other features to offer, including free editing tools. This does have a bit of a pokey interface, like Adobe Reader can be sometimes, but still looks slick!
There you have it! Good luck!
Windows 8 Security Features Explained (mini-whitepaper)
Windows 8 is apparently more secure than Windows 7. Perhaps this is true, and it is best to learn what security features there are for the new operating system. Some of these security features are verified to help out very well in the security of Windows 8, and some may not be in time, or lastly some may not work at all.
One of the most discussed security features is Secure Boot. Now, Secure Boot is a Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) specified in the boot process to check cryptographic signatures of kernel-mode drivers, making sure they aren't modified or corrupted. In other words, the boot process is now made to check if the operating system has been corrupted by malware or some other issue.
This is all part of a hardware restriction process called Hardware DRM. All non-ARM devices have the option to turn Secure Boot off, however ARM devices must keep it on. Experts state that it will be resistant to rootkits, since the MBR and BIOS cannot be accessed, unless if someone working on the computer penetrates it.
Next, Windows 8 features better built in antivirus software, with a much better improved Windows Defender. The software in Windows 8 is combined with the optional tool Microsoft Security Essentials. Now, with Windows Defender super-powered with MSE, it has much more anti-malware features.
With better anti-malware features, Internet Explorer is now made with better features as well. It has the ability to prevent zero-day exploits much greater than previous versions of Internet Explorer. With the challenges of exploiting Windows 7, there was the issue risen up again for Java and Flash Player, so hackers can gain control over the operating system. Those browser plugins are now easier to exploit than the Internet Explorer's code.
A new application sandboxing environment called AppContainer provides the ability to run all apps in a controlled environment, where it controls how apps work. This prevents apps from disrupting the operating system. Of course, this is just supplemented by Internet Explorer's SmartScreen filter, which prevents the download/install of known malicious software. However, Windows 8 now has SmartScreen available for any app, allowing even more prevention. Of course, this means Microsoft employees are going to increase in numbers, if they really want to keep up. Now that hackers know their new challenges, they will be relentless.
The questions are still played on whether Windows 8 will be a repeat of Vista or not. The reality of the situation, is if Windows 8 has big popularity, then the security issues will also light up big time. However, many will stick to Windows 7, so the security issues for Windows users are not close to be over. Feel free to take a look at related articles below for Symantec's opinions, which aren't too well on the new OS.
Added October 31, 2012: Trusted Platform Module, read more
Keep up with the latest security tips on our blog here. In addition, please donate to help us continue to write these awesome whitepapers.
Related articles
- Over Half Of Windows 8 Users Still Prefer Windows 7 (webpronews.com)
- Gates: New Windows 8 system is `very exciting' (seattletimes.com)
- Windows 8 Security Is Not Good – Symantec (news.softpedia.com)
- UEFI and Secure Boot: The Hell I Went Through (prismdragon.wordpress.com)
Java Flaws Becoming Serious Issue
Java exploitation has been a problem for years. Many of the issues encountered with Java exploitation are usually because versions are out-of-date.
Web-exploit-toolkits are used by attackers to attempt exploits at common vulnerable plugins, including Java, Adobe Flash Player, and Adobe Reader.
"As the Advanced Malware Analysts administrator/group owner, I see a lot of issues with people not updating Java, Flash Player, and Reader. These attack vectors were used 5 or so years ago, up until today. Still a complete problem. Problem is, people do not use great tools like Secunia PSI or the auto-update feature in each of the plugins' control panels," says Jay Pfoutz – administrator and group owner of the Advanced Malware Analysts. The Advanced Malware Analysts are a group of malware analysts whom volunteer on tech support forums across the web to assist in malware removal for free.
Exploitation frequently happens when people fail to update their plugins in a timely manner. Java plugin problems lately have increased because attackers are now targeting Java a lot more.
Here is how to check for the latest updates for Java (should be done weekly):
- If using Mozilla Firefox, Plugin Check is the easiest way.
- Click Start, navigate to Control Panel. Look for Java in the list, and double-click on that. Click the "Update" tab, and then click the "Check for Updates Automatically" check box if you want Java to search for updates automatically. Select how you want Java to notify you about available updates. Or you can hit the Update Now button. More info here
- Verify Java Version Online
By doing this, you are ensuring prevention from malware exploitation. However, it won't be enough. Please download and install the following also:
Related articles
- Microsoft: Update Java or kill it (zdnet.com)
- Java vulnerabilities increasingly targeted by attackers, researchers say (infoworld.com)
- New Mac malware uncovered as Mountain Lion is released (apple24seven.wordpress.com)


text:
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During these uncertain times, how can we help?
See below to access our COVID-19 Resource Hub, and to explore our growing directory of both COVID-19-specific and virtual volunteering opportunities.
The Academy Project provides the education, support, and holistic individual guidance needed to unleash the potential in foster youth in Los Angeles, CA while freeing and fueling their innate desire to thrive. www.theacademyproject.org
The County of Los Angeles has more than 32,000 youth in the foster care system. That's not a typo. Los Angeles has more foster youth than the next highest STATE population, NY.
50% of foster youth will be homeless, incarcerated, and/or institutionalized upon leaving the foster care system.
42% of foster youth will not graduate high school
Only 3% of Foster Youth go to college.
Because they are changing plaements so often, Foster youth can attend anywhere from 7-20 schools while in care.
The Academy Project (TAP) was born from the principle that keeping school as a point of stability can significantly help foster children succeed educationally while providing the opportunity to form strong relationships with peers and caring adults. The Academy Project will provide 7th and 8th grade foster youth in Los Angeles, holistic individual support and an education based on an innovative, full time, alternative engagement model, ensuring each child fully realizes his/her inherent potential.
Beginning with the Class of 2020, TAP provides an innovative, year-round, after-school alternative education engagement model starting with 20 participating foster youth. Students are guaranteed continued enrollment through to the completion of 8th grade regardless of placement changes.
Engagement begins prior to the start of the school year with CAMP XAVIER, our 2 week summer day camp that culminates in a week-long sleep away program partnered with UCLA Unicamp.


text:
Two postcards by the unknown artist DInah
Monday, 30 September 2013
Peace is coming
Posted by Old Egg at 23:11 7 comments:
Labels: Childhood, Peace, Propaganda, Two Shoes Tuesday, War
Sunday, 29 September 2013
Patches of Rosemary
So I went back there
Where we used to live long ago
Our springtime of life
The ghosts were gathered
Memories swarmed unbidden
Edging out today
How fitting it was
Exact place on the hillside
Sharp taste of regret
With patches of rosemary
My tears spilling lasting loveWhere I worshipped you
Posted by Old Egg at 00:55 19 comments:
Labels: Haiku, Love, Poetry, Sadness, The Sunday Whirl
Friday, 27 September 2013
My redhead
Yes, she had red hair
Pale skin and eyes to die for
But it was her smile
That drew me to her
Should have thought of my father
"Do not play with fire"
That is what he said
I do remember that now
It hurt quite a lot
It was all worth while
Oh yes, I can see that nowHer smile was red hot
Posted by Old Egg at 19:21 5 comments:
Labels: Flirt, Haiku, Poetry, Sunday Scribblings
Thursday, 26 September 2013
The Game
He was nonchalant
Animated, talkative
But no, not to her
He spoke with his friends
But admired her earthy looks
Sexy but aloof
"I'll give him ten more
And then I am out of here"
As she swirled her drink
Then she turned away
"Good, she is interested"
And broke from his group
"We'll go for a meal?"
She turned and nodded at him
"Grotesque game isn't it?"
Posted by Old Egg at 03:32 8 comments:
Labels: Haiku, Love, Poetry, Romance, Three Word Wednesday
Tuesday, 24 September 2013
Mahuikas Tales No. 5 Hatupatu and Karangaituku
Mahuika story telling was attracting more and more children to hear her tales. Even older children would come along as well in case they had not heard the stories before. A widow who was now living in the village had married one of the fisherman there and had a teenage daughter Hekeheke who while passing by heard Mahuika talking to the children so paused just as the storyteller was about to start a story for them.
Hekeheke nodded a greeting to Mahuika and approached from the side and asked if she could sit and listen to the story. Mahuika nodded saying. "Are you not the girl from the hot springs country way inland?" and here Mahuika pointed to the mountains to the south west.
Hekeheke agreed "Yes Auntie, I am from Rotorua where the great geysers are."
"Then I have a story to tell the children that you probably know. Sit down Hekeheke you are very welcome." Mahuika then began her story.Many years ago, it was the custom of some tribes to go hunting for birds during the long summer months. The people who lived around Lake Rotorua where Hekeheke used to live sent their best hunters into the forests to trap the plump wood pigeon, the kereru. When the calabashes were filled with preserved kereru, they would return home to a joyous welcome. Hatupatu and his three older brothers hunted them too.
One time, however, when the brothers returned home their father noticed that Hatupatu was not with them.
"Where is your little brother?" said their father.
"We don't know as he did not come back with us," the brothers replied as they shook their heads.
"Oh no! He is not dead is he?" asked their father. When the brothers said they could not find him, their father knew that this must be case.
Early in the morning the father got up and went down to the lake shore to pray to Tane Mahuta, the god of forests and woods. He asked Tane Mahuta to look for Hatupatu and to restore him to life again.
As he was praying, a cloud of sand flies rose from the waters edge and flew into the forest. It spread out and danced above the trees until the father could not see them any more. The sand flies went to the whare (hut) where the brothers had spent the summer catching the kereru. They flew through the cracks in the wall and settled on a pile of feathers that lay in a dim corner of the whare.
Underneath the feathers they found the body of Hatupatu. The air crackled and hummed and very slowly Hatupatu was restored to life. As the feathers flew in the air the cloud of sand flies rose and Hatupatu sat up. Then with a loud buzz the cloud of insects circled his head and disappeared into the night.
When daylight came, Hatupatu now recovered set off for home. He had not gone far when he saw a woman floating over the ground and staring into the trees. As he watched a bird would fall from its perch, and then another, and another. He rubbed his eyes in amazement. The woman had set no bird snares; she had no spear in her hand but somehow she was killing the birds while they sat on the trees just by staring at them. She heard his gasp of amazement and turned towards him.
Hatupatu was terrified. He shrieked with fear and began to run away for it was the bird woman. Kurangaituku!
He looked over his shoulder and saw Kurangaituku moving swiftly through the trees. Hatupatu ran as fast as he could but the evil woman followed and every time she flapped her arms she got closer to Hatupatu.
Then when he dashed into a clearing, Hatupatu found his way barred by a huge rock. He looked behind him and saw Kurangaituku reach out her long talons towards him. Hatupatu beat on the face of the rock and screamed. "Open up! Open up!"
The rock split into two and Hatupatu fell inside. As the rock shut, Kurangaituku shot her lip towards Hatupatu. She gave a loud screech but the rock had closed and prevented her from reaching him. Inside Hatupatu could hear Kurangaituku thumping and clawing at the rock face.So he lay still and waited.A long time passed and there was silence all around the rock. Hatupatu listened but he could not hear Kurangaituku anymore.
"Good " he said. "She must have gone. So he hit the rock wall and said, "Open rock!" The wall split open and Hatupatu stepped out.
Hatupatu looked around for Kurangaituku. She was now nowhere to be seen. He looked at the rock face and saw huge claw marks scratched into the rock. Hatupatu shuddered and began walking. As the sun began to set Hatupatu reached the edge of the forest and looked down upon Lake Rotorua."Good, I am almost home,"
He began to jog down the well-worn path to the lake when suddenly he heard the sound of beating wings. He looked behind him and there high above the trees was Kurangaituku ready to strike at him again. So he ran for the lake.
Kurangaituku struck out with her beak like lips. Hatupatu dodged and raced for the hot pools of Whakarewarewa. Steam rose in the air and boiling water bubbled up high. Hatupatu ran between the scorching hot pools of mud and water. Kurangaituku struck at him again and again through the drifting steam.
Hatupatu leaped over a geyser just as it began to rise. Kurangaituku leaped too but the geyser threw itself at Kurangaituku, caught her in the boiling hot jet of steam and water and as she died it took her down into the boiling waters under the earth. Hatupatu watched as the geyser continued bubbling and heaving but Kurangaituku never appeared again. So he turned and went back home safely to his family.
The little children were all a little shocked by the story and looked to Hekeheke to see what she would say.
"Thank you for the story Auntie, you told the story very well."
"You do not have to call me Auntie, Hekeheke. You are old enough to call me by my name Mahuika."
Hekeheke smiled and nodded back at her and said "That rock where Hatupatu hid is still there Mahuika, but I did not like to go near it. All of us children were scared in case she found one of us. It is said you can still see Kurangaituku's long claw marks on it where she tried to get at Hatupatu."
With that some of the girls said they were Kurangaituku and pretended their hands were claws and reached out for the boys laughing.
Posted by Old Egg at 05:15 5 comments:
Labels: Legends, Mahuika, Maori, The Serialists
Sunday, 22 September 2013
The bad seed
Stories that we tell
How many clues in our life
Our secret domain
As from our cradle
We are peering outward bound
Do you see us three?
Truth, lies, forgetting
Never seen by my mother
Apple of her eye
Welcome claws of fate
You have piled my spirits up
I, friend to no-one
Now for rash actions
I'll lead my life in exile
She will never see
Posted by Old Egg at 15:59 9 comments:
Thursday, 19 September 2013
Does a porpoise have a purpose?
Does a porpoise have a purpose?
And is there meaning to our lives?
Why do we congregate together
Like those busy bees in their hives?
There's that famous line in 'Grand Hotel'
Garbo said "I want to be alone"
She must have had a premonition
Soon all would have a mobile phone
I am a loner and I love it
What bliss there is in solitude
Breathing in the air unsulliedVacuuming the house in the nude
Posted by Old Egg at 20:46 8 comments:
Labels: Humour, Poetry, Sunday Scribblings
She looks good to me
I offer her a drink
She shows her glass still half full
A pout on her lips
Then shakes her head
More in fun than in denial
She looks good to me
It is Saturday
I am in a bar tonight
Must look too lonely
I'll wait for my mates
Fact is I am not handsome
Better in a crowd
Look around the room
Life's sure not easygoing
Breathe in sex and booze
She taps my shoulder
"You're lucky, I've changed my mind
I've just been dumped"
Posted by Old Egg at 00:06 6 comments:
Labels: Flirt, Haiku, Poetry, Romance, Three Word Wednesday
Tuesday, 17 September 2013
A sad song
Spring sprung fresh and new
How I am in love with you
That scent of longing
Now summer's balmy breath
Teases with her fecundity
With those warm kisses
Blow, blow autumn winds
And mark the passing of time
As those sad leaves fall
And now we must part
Winter beckons with icy breath
And I say farewell
Posted by Old Egg at 19:13 5 comments:
Labels: Haiku, Life, Poetry, Sadness, Two Shoes Tuesday
Sunday, 15 September 2013
Violet was her name
She was vivacious
And just my sort of girlfriend
Short, sassy and single
Violet by name
She manipulated me
But I didn't care
A vision to see
A grin spread over her face
Oh she mastered me
How I miss her vibrancy
Did she go the whole slatherI'm left vacuous
Posted by Old Egg at 03:56 17 comments:
Labels: Haiku, Love, Poetry, Romance, The Sunday Whirl
Saturday, 14 September 2013
Turning up like a bad penny
Turning up like a bad penny is a term that keeps its currency even though pennies are of little use anywhere now with inflation…well inflating all the time!
When I was lad we had a gas meter in the kitchen and we paid for the use of the coal gas to the cooker by inserting pennies into the meter close to the floor. It also took shillings (12 pence) as well but we could never afford to put one of those in as you could buy two loaves of bread with that and more!
It was late 1940's in England and everything was short including me, but cash most of all. The meter reader would call every month or so to check the reading and take the cash within the meter box. There was always enough as the pennies (or shillings if my parents were foolhardy enough to put such a valuable coin in just for gas) were always sufficient to pay for the cubic feet of gas used as the Gas Board has cleverly adjusted the meters to give less than the correct value for the gas burnt in cooking the dinner and boiling the kettle.
This is because they knew about us and the rest of the poor people in the country that would put any odd piece of metal in the slot in the hope that it registered and allowed the gas to flow for a little while longer. The reader would calculate how much was owed, tot up the legal tender in the box, and take the amount owed and return the rest to mother! She would then put the legal coins back in the meter and place the rubbish on a shelf for use later…perhaps.
You may ask what we used to get the gas flowing. The easiest piece to use was an Irish penny there were thousands of these finding their way into circulation in England. They were the identical size and weight to the British penny and if your mother didn't check her change carefully she might find one in her purse which would then be placed near the meter for use when the gas ran out. She might try to return it to a shopkeeper but usually they were ahead in that game. We tried French francs to mimic a shilling but they were made of a very light alloy at the time and were slightly smaller than a shilling and didn't work at all.
As time went by our stock of Irish pennies grew and each time the meter man came there was less real cash refunded. Luckily we never got to the point when the meter man would glare at mother and demand the three pence short in the meter or threaten to call the police. But we were honest folk…generally.
The electric meter was another matter it only accepted shillings. Because most meters used shillings they were often difficult to get hold of and as a precaution of not having electric light at night one shilling piece was placed on top of the meter in case the light failed and left everyone in the pitch dark. This would mean the tallest person would have to find a chair, drag it to the hall where the meter was placed high on the wall and grope in the dark to locate the shilling and insert it in the slot and turn the handle to get the meter to receive it and the light would return. That is unless you found the shilling had not been put there, or you accidentally flicked it off and it was somewhere on the floor in the darkness or it had been borrowed to use in the gas meter or Mum had used it to buy some vegetables and hoped the power wouldn't run out before Dad came home.
Meanwhile I fumbled my way to bed as I had missed Dick Barton on the radio by this time in any case.
Posted by Old Egg at 05:25 4 comments:
Labels: Austerity, Life, Money, Sunday Scribblings
Wednesday, 11 September 2013
Escape Plan
"So what's up with you? Whatever you do don't cringe in the corner or you will never get out," woofed Sparky.
"What to you know?" moaned Spot.
"I've been here before. This is where my master got me a few years back."
"So he didn't like you then?"
"Far from it. They liked me I played with their kid and all was fine until they had to live in the city. They got an apartment in a high rise…not suitable for pets…so they had to let me go…such a shame as I really liked the kid. We used to roll on the floor togther and when I barked he pretended to as well. But I am digressing, how about you?"
"All I did was to have a little snack…and they got rid of me."
"Yes, I know your type. You made a simple blunder and bit someone didn't you? Was it the postman?"
"No, a neighbour with a mower. It was only a bark and a little nip."
"But you drew blood though, didn't you?"
"Oh, just shut up about it."
"The main thing is we have got to get out of here otherwise we will have to go to that building over there."
"What's over there?"
"That's the end of the road. If nobody wants you after a few weeks you will be put down."
"Put down where?"
At this point Sparky rolled on his back with his feet in the air and his tongue hanging out. "Do you get it, now?"
"So what's your plan?"
"First be friendly with the girl handlers then go over the top with prospective owners. Watch and learn my friend. Listen there's someone coming now…wait, just what are you doing?"
"I am going to the back of the enclosure."
"No, no, no. That's the wrong thing to do. When they come get all excited and wag your tail. Run around in a circle and…oh, just watch me."
"You must be joking."
"Hello boys," said the young handler. "Well someone is happy to me, Isn't your friend coming to say hello too?"
With that Spot slowly walked to the front of his enclosure and cautiously wagged his tail…just a little, then sat down looking at her.
Then Sparky barked to Spot. "When she enters you cage lick her hand and if she bends down lick her face. Apart from that your on your own, I want to get out of here first."
"No, I can't do that she will smell of powder and perfume which is a horrible taste."
"You are as daft as a cat. The handlers smell like us. Give her a kiss."
Later that day the handler brought some potential customers around.
"As I said you're on you own, Spot. I've got to get out of here."
"How can you tell if they will be good or not?"
"Adults with a boy are good especially if he is happy to be licked. If it is a little girl don't jump up on her but lean on her and just nuzzle in her hand affectionately. Other than that don't look sulky"
The young handler came up with the family then said "we have two boys here both looking for a home. This one is Spot and this one is Sparky."
"Have you gone mad, Sparky? Why are running in a circle with you tongue hanging out?
"Because I am going to leave on the next bus out of here…hang on Spot, what are you doing now with you head cocked to one side with one paw up. Who taught you that trick?
Posted by Old Egg at 17:29 4 comments:
Labels: Dogs, Three Word Wednesday
Tuesday, 10 September 2013
Mahuika's Tales No. 3. Kupe and Te Wheke
Te Wheke the Octopus
When Mahuika found the children waiting for the story one day they were all chattering together about what one boy's father had found in his fishing net the previous day. It was Te Wheke the octopus.
Mahuika laughed "Well why not? That means he has learned from his ancestors that fish will be waiting to be eaten in mens nets if he is careful because he has been told to fish there."
"Who told Te Wheke, Mahuika?" asked the boy whose father had found the octopus.
"Listen to the story to see if you can find out then." So they all sat down around and waited for the story.A long long time ago in far away Hawaiki, a Tohunga (a magic man) named Muturangi, sat brooding, thinking of his revenge upon the villagers who had banished him to the other side of the island far from his village because of the way he had used his magic
One day as he waded in the sea he came across Te Wheke (the octopus) feeding in the shallows. Quickly using his magic powers, he charmed the creature and became its master.
Muturangi would send Te Wheke, the octopus, out to catch fish and bring them back for him to eat. One day he had an idea, and told Te Wheke "Go over there where the villagers are setting their fishing nets and take some of the fish that are caught in their nets. It will be easier than having to catch the fish yourself".
This is what Te Wheke did but even with plenty of food, and revenge on the villagers, Muturangi was still not happy and continued to brood.
When the fishermen pulled in their nets not only were there no fish in them. But to make matters worse the nets too had been damaged, some even beyond repair.
"Who is taking our fish" cried one fisherman, "Look at my net, it's ruined" said another. The fishermen were mystified so they went to find Kupe, a very respected Maori warrior to ask him what it meant.
"I too will go fishing, and see what is destroying our nets and taking our fish" said Kupe. Paddling his Waka (canoe) before dawn, Kupe was already on the fishing grounds just as the Ra, the sun rose to start his new journey across the sky.
Setting his net, Kupe lay in wait. Only a short time had passed when he noticed a disturbance in the water and then slowly became aware of the presence of magic in the water as Te Wheke was unravelling the nets.
"It must be Muturangi using his powers" He said to himself and thought he must be getting the Wheke to wreck the villagers nets and to feed himself!
Kupe struck Te Wheke with his Taiaha (a long club) and a great battle ensued, Kupe was very strong and as fast as the fastest wind, his fighting skill was famous but Te Wheke had eight arms and was quick and strong as well.
On they fought, on and on, striking, blocking, spinning out of the way, again and again as Kupe's Taiaha (barbed spear) was stabbing everywhere.
This great struggle moved across Te Moana Nui a Kiwa, the great ocean of Kiwa (the Pacific Ocean), till Kupe managed to bring Te Wheke to Te Tau Ihu (the Northern part of the South Island of Aotearoa) and with greater effort began to land even more blows on Te Wheke.
Great gouges were carved out of the land and the sea rushed-into them during the titanic struggle until Te Wheke finally began to weaken, and tire.
Realising his doom Te Wheke became more and more desperate to get away, the motion of his many arms backing away caused great boulders to be churned up in a long line forming islands.
Kupe could sense victory. Leaping into the air Kupe brought all his weight to bear and delivered the mortal blow with such force that Te Wheke was killed outright, splitting him into two.
When Te Wheke was split his eyes eyes flew off in different directions and landed in separate places. They turned to into rock, one of the rocks is next to Arapawa Island but you should not look at it because it is bad luck to gaze upon the dark eye of the octopus. It is said that the other eye landed at Ngawhatu but I do not know where that is; concluded Mahuika.
All the children were wide eyed with the tale of the fight as Hoku walked by and heard her finish the story. "Oh, Mahuika the children will wake up screaming tonight after that story. Could you not tell them a happier one?"
"Tomorrow perhaps," said Mahuika as she grinned at her.
Posted by Old Egg at 20:13 2 comments:
Labels: Legends, Mahuika, Maori, The Serialists
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RRN Highlights Engaging Rewards Experts in New Section on Portal
RRN at RewardsRecognitionNetwork.com has announced a new section on the RRN portal called Engaging Rewards Experts that highlights brands, fulfillment companies, gift card firms and technology suppliers dedicated to promoting the importance of the reward experience. This includes the scientific selection of reward strategies based on the people and organizational culture, as well as the use of customization and personalized presentation. Companies in the new Engaging Rewards Experts section showcase their ability to customize, personalize and maximize the reward experience using the power of their brands and support services.
These founding companies committed to the reward experience and best practices also support RRN's The Art and Science of Engaging Rewards eBook summarizing research and best practices. Says Bruce Bolger, Founder of the Enterprise Engagement Alliance: "Our surveys of leading fulfillment companies in the marketplace indicate that only about 15% of reward programs would comply with research-based standards for best practices related to the way they're selected, presented and designed to maximize the experience. Our goal is to increase that to 85% of the industry so that organizations achieve the full value of what non-cash rewards can provide in terms of inspiration and emotional connection."
The five founding companies in the Engaging Rewards Experts effort are: Bulova, Hinda, Maui Jim, Pulse Experiential Travel and Velocity B2B. The section will be continually updated and marketed as more brands, fulfillment companies, gift card suppliers and technology firms join the effort to promote the purposeful, creative selection and use of rewards to maximize their impact. The effort also includes:
- A new focus at the Rewards & Recognition Expo at RandRexpo.com on helping exhibitors highlight their reward selection, technology, customization and personalization capabilities.
- A new online learning platform based on The Art and Science of Engaging Rewards that includes an online learning platform available for free from all registered users.
"Rewards generally go to an organization's most important customers, so it makes no sense that most have become the equivalent of cash delivered anonymously," says Bolger "Organizations think nothing of spending huge sums on media planning, of which 90% is wasted on people who will never engage, and think little about a medium that is guaranteed to be consumed by almost everyone who receives it. We believe the reason is simple: Organizations either haven't seen or absorbed the impact of the research." Engaging Rewards Experts, he adds, can help create "unique packaging, combinations of products, personalization and experiences that establish an emotional connection. The research and logic affirm that rewards for everyone should be selected and presented with the same care as they are for athletes and entertainers."
Says Nick Gazivoda, Vice President of Sales for RRN and Director of the Rewards & Recognition Expo: "Our mission is to equip the industry with the knowledge necessary to help companies profit from best practices, especially in an era where an organization as prestigious as ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) has recognized the importance of rewards and recognition. We would like the 2018 Rewards & Recognition Expo in Galveston to be the first time that leading brands, fulfillment companies, gift card firms and technology companies come together to specifically share the unique ways they can take their brands and services to the next level based on all the years of research supporting this approach. Our goal is to showcase the full creativity and capability of this industry, which deserves much more credit than it gets for its size and impact."


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Starting Bubbles: 65
Recommended Potions: RB Bubble and the +3 holes in the ceiling
Useful Charm:
the Charm of Antidote
Points needed for 1, 2, 3 Star:
85 000, 115 000, 140 000
Special bubbles:
Infected Bubbles
Doom Skull Bubbles
Shoot like a madman to let as many bubbles in the middle with all the doom skulls fall/be burst away. It is quite essential to leave the virus clusters at the sides untouched, as you need the points they will generate falling on Spiders into the Cauldrons.
When you have done all you can in the middle, drop the side virus clusters and burst more bubbles on the sides, to see the ceiling.


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TORONTO, July 24 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index opened lower on Monday, hurt by slips for some of its biggest banks and gold miners and a broad retreat in consumer names.
The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index was down 83.4 points, or 0.55 percent, at 15,099.73 shortly after the open. All 10 main sectors were in the red. (Reporting by Alastair Sharp)


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You Need To Know The Basics Before Applying For An Education Loan-MoneyMindz
India's First Free Online/On-call Financial Advisory Portal – MoneyMindz You can't afford not to know how student loans work. With the cost of higher education rising quickly, you'll probably need financial assistance to pay for tuition, fees, room, and board. As the educational expenses are soaring, education loans have become very common… Read More »