Friday, 19 January 2007
Disappeared desktop on AOL
Just noticed that my desktop on AOL has (also) disappeared. I seem to remember that Connie had the same problem, and I'm missing my kitties :-(
Mission Statement - 2007
In May 2006, I wrote a Mission Statement. Now that the year 2007 is firmly established, I thought I'd revisit and revamp.
In recent times, quite a few new
readers have picked up on my blog. A note of warning: it has been going
for more than 2 years, so you have more than 2000 entries to go through
if you want to read it all. Not to mention the hundred or so in the
preceding blog Northern Trip - The Start. Link in linklist.
I commenced Northern Trip in October 2004, two months after starting my travels around Northern and Western Scotland. In November of that year, I settled in the Isle of Lewis. Things have been on the change since then.
At first, I did a lot of walking in the islands, in all sorts of weather. Later on, I began to get more involved in the local scene, although I am afraid that this has now deteriorated more into an observer's role. That is actually the premise under which I operate my other main blog, Arnish Lighthouse. Again, link in list.
I observe the weather, watch shipping coming and going and go walkabout around Stornoway. This is the capital of the Western Isles, pop 8,000; the islands themselves have 25,000 people. Occasionally, I'll go further afield within Lewis.
I rely heavily on Internet
websites for my information, although local and national radio and TV
play their part as well.
Characters: Mrs B and her family and friends; I don't name names. I sometimes give a name of a guest, staying in her B&B.
Isles FM is the local radio station. Manned by volunteers, they mean well but their rate of trip-ups is high. To quote one presenter: "I need electrocution lessons".
Ferries: The Isle of Lewis is the main passenger ferry. She sails daily (except Sundays) for Ullapool at 7.15 and 13.45, arriving back from there at 13.15 and 20.00. The weather tends to wreak havoc with those schedules. The Muirneag is the freight ferry. She carries lorries and trailers in on aseparate schedule, departing for the mainland at midnight and returning at 8.30 a.m.. I am staying on the waterfront, so I see everything that comes and goes.
I have been involved in two
historical projects, both relating to World War One. At that time,
about 6,000 islanders went out to fight for King and country. 1,000 did
not return, having fallen on the field of battle or perished at sea. An
additional two hundred drowned on their return from the war. They
were on board HMY Iolaire, which was wrecked 2 miles south of Stornoway. Only 75 others survived.
About
100 islanders were interned at Groningen, Holland, for the duration of
World War One, after retreating into Holland following battle at
Antwerp in October 1914. They were allowed home for the harvest each
year, provided they returned to Holland afterwards. Which they did, to
a man. That was at a time when a man's word still stood.
Do I work? No.
Am I going to find a job here? Maybe.
Do I have a family? No. My relatives live outwith the island.
How long am I going to be here? Dunno.
What is my blogging remit?
To relay to readers news items I think are of interest. Not just from Lewis, but from the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. There is an emphasis on matters maritime, bearing in mind my position in a small port.
I take a special interest in the weather, and try to relay hurricane warnings where possible.
I have also taken on a role as general blogger, commenting on everything I see fit to comment on. Or not.
Since the spring of 2006, I have become involved in the J-land community here on AOL, and try to adopt a social role, pointing out those in J-land who could do with extra attention for various reasons. If any new blogs come to my attention, I sometimes give them a mention as well.
Celebrity Big Brother
So now we know that controversial contestant Jade Goody will be evicted from the Big Brother House in about 40 minutes. For the first time in 3 years, I watched tonight's programme, which is going out WITHOUT the public for the first time. I think she has an inkling that she's in trouble, but she doesn't know how much trouble.
Anyway, I am closing proceedings on Big Brother. Tonight's viewing confirmed my notion that it is not worth writing about.
Technorati Tags: celebrity, big, brother
Anyway, I am closing proceedings on Big Brother. Tonight's viewing confirmed my notion that it is not worth writing about.
Technorati Tags: celebrity, big, brother
Error update
From AOL techie (aimpageswill):
I know that it has been very frustrating the last several weeks in regards to the errors you have been receiving with File Manager and Hometown. I wanted to let everyone know that the problem seems to have been fixed finally. You should be able to access both File Manager and Hometown now through the AOL client and you should not receive those nasty 504 errors anymore. Please give it a try and let me know if you are still experiencing any issues. Thanks so much for all of your patience!
I know that it has been very frustrating the last several weeks in regards to the errors you have been receiving with File Manager and Hometown. I wanted to let everyone know that the problem seems to have been fixed finally. You should be able to access both File Manager and Hometown now through the AOL client and you should not receive those nasty 504 errors anymore. Please give it a try and let me know if you are still experiencing any issues. Thanks so much for all of your patience!
Friday notes
The weather here has turned grey and drizzly, although not too cold. Further south, the big storm has raced east, and is now wreaking havoc in Poland, Belarus and the Ukraine. Fatalities have unfortunately occurred, with around 10 in both Britain and Germany, and several more in other countries. The majority were caused by falling trees or flying debris. After another episode of high winds later today and tomorrow, the weather should turn colder over the weekend.
Two things came to my attention from the Small Isles, the group of 4 islands south of Skye. During the series Autumnwatch, which ran in October, the rut of the deer at Kilmory, Isle of Rum was followed closely. There are now plans afoot to plant 4,000 acres of Kilmory Glen with trees, which would require 2/3 of the herd of deer to be culled, effectively pulling the plug on 30 years of research on the animals.
And after all the nasty rats were exterminated from Rum's neighbour, Canna, precautions have been put into place to prevent the rodents from hitching a lift back on board fishing boats, the ferry and private yachts.
This week saw some very extreme weather around the world. The southwestern USA had some unusually cold weather (also judging by what is being written in journals), whereas Moscow was balmy with a daytime temperature of +6C, some 15 degrees above the seasonal average. A chart, found on Weather Underground's website showed temperatures across the north Asian continent to be some 10 degrees above normal.
Climate change or a one-off anomaly? Time only will tell.
Technorati Tags: storm, rum, canna, weather
Two things came to my attention from the Small Isles, the group of 4 islands south of Skye. During the series Autumnwatch, which ran in October, the rut of the deer at Kilmory, Isle of Rum was followed closely. There are now plans afoot to plant 4,000 acres of Kilmory Glen with trees, which would require 2/3 of the herd of deer to be culled, effectively pulling the plug on 30 years of research on the animals.
And after all the nasty rats were exterminated from Rum's neighbour, Canna, precautions have been put into place to prevent the rodents from hitching a lift back on board fishing boats, the ferry and private yachts.
This week saw some very extreme weather around the world. The southwestern USA had some unusually cold weather (also judging by what is being written in journals), whereas Moscow was balmy with a daytime temperature of +6C, some 15 degrees above the seasonal average. A chart, found on Weather Underground's website showed temperatures across the north Asian continent to be some 10 degrees above normal.
Climate change or a one-off anomaly? Time only will tell.
Technorati Tags: storm, rum, canna, weather
Thursday, 18 January 2007
Stormy weather
Although the Western Isles were not affected by today's major storm, the rest of the UK has had a big dose of it. Scotland had its first major fall of snow this year, and England was on the receiving end of 60 to 100 mph winds. Seven people are reported to have lost their lives in various incidents, among them a child of 2 that was crushed under a collapsing wall.
The storm is now wreaking havoc on the continent. Coastal weather stations in Holland are reporting winds at force 10 on the Beaufort scale, with gusts in excess of 60 knots. The evening high tide is expected some 3.5 to 3.8 metres (about 12 feet) higher than normal, prompting a coastal defense alert in the north of the country.
Germany is affected by gales, with winds gusting up to 60 knots as well. Five people died in the Netherlands through falling trees, and a crane collapsed in the city of Utrecht on top of a university building. Several were taken to hospital with injuries, none of these life threatening. Rail services have been suspended in Holland and parts of Germany for the rest of the evening.
Below pictures were taken from a Dutch newspaper's website, and from the website of German broadcaster ARD.
Crane collapsed on top of university building in Utrecht, Holland
Lorry has overturned on the A71 motorway in Germany
High seas batter the seafront at Wimereux, between Calais and Boulogne in northwestern France.
Technorati Tags: storm, europe, uk, january, 2007
The storm is now wreaking havoc on the continent. Coastal weather stations in Holland are reporting winds at force 10 on the Beaufort scale, with gusts in excess of 60 knots. The evening high tide is expected some 3.5 to 3.8 metres (about 12 feet) higher than normal, prompting a coastal defense alert in the north of the country.
Germany is affected by gales, with winds gusting up to 60 knots as well. Five people died in the Netherlands through falling trees, and a crane collapsed in the city of Utrecht on top of a university building. Several were taken to hospital with injuries, none of these life threatening. Rail services have been suspended in Holland and parts of Germany for the rest of the evening.
Below pictures were taken from a Dutch newspaper's website, and from the website of German broadcaster ARD.
Crane collapsed on top of university building in Utrecht, Holland
Lorry has overturned on the A71 motorway in Germany
High seas batter the seafront at Wimereux, between Calais and Boulogne in northwestern France.
Technorati Tags: storm, europe, uk, january, 2007
Ignorance indeed
Although the Big Brother row has indeed led to big bother for Channel 4 (it has lost the sponsorship deal for the show), the underlying problem has become a little clearer, from my perspective at any rate.
The object of the verbal abuse, Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty, has made it clear that she does not regard the rows as racially motivated. One of her opponents in the BB house, Jade Goody, has shown that in the years since she was a contestant in BB she has not learned one thing. Video footage emerged of a trip that she undertook to India. At one point, she was going to visit a temple. To describe her behaviour as boorish is an understatement. She has not got the foggiest. It had to be explained to Jade that she had to be respectful. Good god above.
Well, there is a debate going on in the UK about immigration. There is talk of integration, on the part of those that come to live here. Fair enough, when you're in Rome, you do as the Romans do. On the other hand, the natives should seize the opportunity to come to know about those from unknown cultures that come to the UK. I am confident that the vast majority of Britons are more than prepared to do so, many going on holiday to the countries that the migrants come from. OK, Iraq, Somalia and Afghanistan are not exactly top of the travel agents' lists.
It is ignorant, loud-mouthed inviduals, like Ms Goody, that cause a lot of trouble. Time for a bit of education.
Technorati Tags: celebrity, big, brother
The object of the verbal abuse, Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty, has made it clear that she does not regard the rows as racially motivated. One of her opponents in the BB house, Jade Goody, has shown that in the years since she was a contestant in BB she has not learned one thing. Video footage emerged of a trip that she undertook to India. At one point, she was going to visit a temple. To describe her behaviour as boorish is an understatement. She has not got the foggiest. It had to be explained to Jade that she had to be respectful. Good god above.
Well, there is a debate going on in the UK about immigration. There is talk of integration, on the part of those that come to live here. Fair enough, when you're in Rome, you do as the Romans do. On the other hand, the natives should seize the opportunity to come to know about those from unknown cultures that come to the UK. I am confident that the vast majority of Britons are more than prepared to do so, many going on holiday to the countries that the migrants come from. OK, Iraq, Somalia and Afghanistan are not exactly top of the travel agents' lists.
It is ignorant, loud-mouthed inviduals, like Ms Goody, that cause a lot of trouble. Time for a bit of education.
Technorati Tags: celebrity, big, brother
Thursday notes - continued
The row surrounding Big Brother, which is going to give Channel 4 Big Bother, could now see Hertfordshire Police getting involved. The Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty has now expressed concern that she is being subjected to racial abuse. Channel 4 has seen the ratings jump in the wake of this row, but police involvement could well put a spanner in their works.
And a deal has reportedly been reached in the case of the schoolgirl Molly Campbell, who ran away from Stornoway to be with her dad in Pakistan. He has now declared that her mother has agreed to come and visit Misbah, as she is known, in Pakistan at the father's expense.
As I posted earlier this afternoon, high winds are battering England and Wales, with gusts up to 99 mph reported on the Isle of Wight. One person lost his life when his car was struck by a falling branch. Power is off for about 25,000 customers in southern England. The gales should slowly abate through the afternoon, as should the snow that has affected central and southern Scotland. Up here in the north, it's been a nice, quiet day so far.
Technorati Tags: celebrity, big, brother, molly, campbell, storm
And a deal has reportedly been reached in the case of the schoolgirl Molly Campbell, who ran away from Stornoway to be with her dad in Pakistan. He has now declared that her mother has agreed to come and visit Misbah, as she is known, in Pakistan at the father's expense.
As I posted earlier this afternoon, high winds are battering England and Wales, with gusts up to 99 mph reported on the Isle of Wight. One person lost his life when his car was struck by a falling branch. Power is off for about 25,000 customers in southern England. The gales should slowly abate through the afternoon, as should the snow that has affected central and southern Scotland. Up here in the north, it's been a nice, quiet day so far.
Technorati Tags: celebrity, big, brother, molly, campbell, storm
Thursday notes
Reasonable morning, with occasional sunshine and not much wind. This is contrast to the rest of the country, which is either under inches of snow (Scotland) or buffeted by winds up to 60 mph (southeastern England).
Anyone in those areas: please take care in either the snow & ice, or the high winds.
Anyone in those areas: please take care in either the snow & ice, or the high winds.
Wednesday, 17 January 2007
Flock
I'm in the process of putting my pictures on FlickR, and if you go to my sidebar you'll see the wee widget that will take you to the collection. My other graphics are in Photobucket, and not for public display in there, I link there if I need them.
A few months ago, I discovered a new webbrowser called Flock. Whether this works with the AOL client software I don't know. I've put that in front of Stephanie, our techie, and she promised to pass it on to one of her cow-orkers.
This is how you can use it.
1. Download the Flock software, which is not unlike Mozilla Firefox, the browser I normally use.
2. Within Flock, your pictures on FlickR, Photobucket or whatever are shown in a picture bar, which you toggle by clicking on PICS.
3. Pictures can also be uploaded from within Flock.
4. You can setup a blog - and unfortunately, AOL blogs are not mentioned. What I did is to use a Blogger blog, and now Flock thinks I want to put pics in the Blogger blog. Not really. What makes Flock so useful is that you can drag pictures from the picturebar into an AOL entry, and you can select a small or a large version of the image. The result is shown in my previous post.
5. Below is shown the entry window for this blog, as I was writing this post.
A few months ago, I discovered a new webbrowser called Flock. Whether this works with the AOL client software I don't know. I've put that in front of Stephanie, our techie, and she promised to pass it on to one of her cow-orkers.
This is how you can use it.
1. Download the Flock software, which is not unlike Mozilla Firefox, the browser I normally use.
2. Within Flock, your pictures on FlickR, Photobucket or whatever are shown in a picture bar, which you toggle by clicking on PICS.
3. Pictures can also be uploaded from within Flock.
4. You can setup a blog - and unfortunately, AOL blogs are not mentioned. What I did is to use a Blogger blog, and now Flock thinks I want to put pics in the Blogger blog. Not really. What makes Flock so useful is that you can drag pictures from the picturebar into an AOL entry, and you can select a small or a large version of the image. The result is shown in my previous post.
5. Below is shown the entry window for this blog, as I was writing this post.
Trial
I'm trying something out with a new webbrowser, called Flock. It's great if you work with pictures / graphics. However, trying to find 1 picture in amongst the 4,300 I've got on FlickR now is a bit of a job lol.
This seems to work well.
This seems to work well.
Ignorance
Kate has written an entry on the row surrounding Celebrity Big Brother. This show, currently running on (UK) Channel 4, features a number of celebrities being thrown together for a couple of weeks, completely cut off from the outside world. All their actions and antics are aired 24/7 on Channel 4 and its off-shoots.
The current edition features a Bollywood (Indian film) star, Shilpa Shetty. Also in there is a previous Big Brother contestant, Jade Goody and her mother, as well as a handful of others. Needless to say, I do not watch CBB. I stopped watching Big Brother 3 years ago.
It would appear that Jade Goody, who is a wee bit deficient in the intellectual department, ganged up on the Indian lady and engaged in a spot of bullying with a few others. It appeared to highlight Shilpa's ethnical provenance, and was seen to be racist in nature.
As a result, nearly 20,000 complaints were filed with the broadcasting regulator OfCom, questions were asked of the Prime Minister in Parliament and Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown was asked some pertinent questions on his visit to India this week. Even the Police could make an appearance, if the allegations of overt racism were seen to be substantiated.
All a storm in a teacup to me; the contestants are not aware of the row going on outside, and probably, in the back of their minds, regard it as part of the Big Brother experience. Not very nice, but there you go. I am not belittling those 20,000 complaints, and would applaud some stern words being spoken to those in the BB House. I really think that's all it needs. But, bearing in mind the now world-wide fallout that this useless piece of television has created, it probably will not be enough. Secretly, I hope the whole idea of Big Brother gets ditched. It's grown stale.
Technorati Tags: celebrity, big, brother
The current edition features a Bollywood (Indian film) star, Shilpa Shetty. Also in there is a previous Big Brother contestant, Jade Goody and her mother, as well as a handful of others. Needless to say, I do not watch CBB. I stopped watching Big Brother 3 years ago.
It would appear that Jade Goody, who is a wee bit deficient in the intellectual department, ganged up on the Indian lady and engaged in a spot of bullying with a few others. It appeared to highlight Shilpa's ethnical provenance, and was seen to be racist in nature.
As a result, nearly 20,000 complaints were filed with the broadcasting regulator OfCom, questions were asked of the Prime Minister in Parliament and Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown was asked some pertinent questions on his visit to India this week. Even the Police could make an appearance, if the allegations of overt racism were seen to be substantiated.
All a storm in a teacup to me; the contestants are not aware of the row going on outside, and probably, in the back of their minds, regard it as part of the Big Brother experience. Not very nice, but there you go. I am not belittling those 20,000 complaints, and would applaud some stern words being spoken to those in the BB House. I really think that's all it needs. But, bearing in mind the now world-wide fallout that this useless piece of television has created, it probably will not be enough. Secretly, I hope the whole idea of Big Brother gets ditched. It's grown stale.
Technorati Tags: celebrity, big, brother
Wednesday notes
Reasonably nice afternoon in the islands, in spite of the 4C on the thermometer. A drop in temps to levels below zero is foreseen after the weekend. Northern Ireland is having snow, and gales are forecast for England and Wales. As the low pressure system is presently overhead, we're having a nice day out of it.
Molly Campbell / Misbah Rana: lawyers for her parents were at the Supreme Court in Pakistan, to thrash out an access deal for her mother. Mrs Campbell had agreed to drop the custody battle, provided she had reasonable access to her child.
Molly Campbell / Misbah Rana: lawyers for her parents were at the Supreme Court in Pakistan, to thrash out an access deal for her mother. Mrs Campbell had agreed to drop the custody battle, provided she had reasonable access to her child.
Tuesday, 16 January 2007
Journals news
Valerie (IIImagicXX) has made her journal private, in order that she can get her life back in order again. Don't worry: all is well, and I have advised her to broadcast her re-emergence in J-land through one of us. The thing is, if you make your journal private, all alerts from it are CANCELLED. Even if you go public again, you need to request alerts again.
Gina (Ginabommer) has opened a new journal (My Love), which replaces the one she deleted yesterday. She asked me to pass this on, as she refuses to be chased away from something she loves. J-land, you've done yourself proud.
Other Gina (motoxmom72) needs final confirmation of the about 8 who said they were going back in December whether they are going to the J-land Convention in March. Either leave a comment in the Convention journal or email her direct (motoxmom72 at aol.com).
Gina (Ginabommer) has opened a new journal (My Love), which replaces the one she deleted yesterday. She asked me to pass this on, as she refuses to be chased away from something she loves. J-land, you've done yourself proud.
Other Gina (motoxmom72) needs final confirmation of the about 8 who said they were going back in December whether they are going to the J-land Convention in March. Either leave a comment in the Convention journal or email her direct (motoxmom72 at aol.com).
16 January 1707
It is 300 years ago today that the then Scottish Parliament voted in favour of the Act of Union with England. Polls undertaken in recent times show that 56% of Scots are in favour of maintaining the union, and about 75% of English.
In elections for the Scottish Parliament next May, the Scottish National Party expects to make gains. The SNP is in favour of Scottish independence, and aims to run the Scottish economy on the North Sea oil and gas revenues. These are currently flowing to the UK government coffers.
In my personal opinion, I think that London is extremely unlikely to cede an income, amounting to billions of pounds, to Edinburgh, should Scotland ever become independent.
In elections for the Scottish Parliament next May, the Scottish National Party expects to make gains. The SNP is in favour of Scottish independence, and aims to run the Scottish economy on the North Sea oil and gas revenues. These are currently flowing to the UK government coffers.
In my personal opinion, I think that London is extremely unlikely to cede an income, amounting to billions of pounds, to Edinburgh, should Scotland ever become independent.
Tuesday notes
At last - a dry day. It's cold though, mercury did not climb above 4C all day. Cloud has increased through the afternoon and the first spots of rain are falling on westfacing coasts of Lewis. Tomorrow more rain and wind. On Thursday, there will be strong winds again, but this time in England and Wales. The gales will carry gusts of 60 to 70 mph, similar to what we had here on Monday. Be careful out on the roads.
Am just listening to Isles FM, our local radio station, which tells us that there is no news. No local news at any rate.
Am just listening to Isles FM, our local radio station, which tells us that there is no news. No local news at any rate.
8 dummies
1. WILL THE REAL DUMMY PLEASE STAND UP?
AT&T fired President John Walter after nine months, saying he lacked intellectual leadership. He received a $26 million severance package. Perhaps it's not Walter who's lacking intelligence.
2. WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM OUR FRIENDS:
Police in Oakland CA spent two hours attempting to subdue a gunman who had barricaded himself inside his home. After firing ten tear gas canisters, officers discovered that the man was standing beside them in the police line shouting, "Please come out and give yourself up!"
3. WHAT WAS PLAN B???
An Illinois man, pretending to have a gun, kidnapped a motorist and forced him to drive to two different automated teller machines, wherein the kidnapper proceeded to withdraw money from his own bank accounts.
4. THE GETAWAY!
A man walked into a Topeka KS Kwik Stop and asked for all the money in the cash drawer. Apparently the take was too small, so he tied up the store clerk and worked the counter himself for three hours until police showed up and grabbed him.
5. DID I SAY THAT???
Police in Los Angeles had good luck with a robbery suspect who just couldn't control himself during a lineup. When detectives asked each man in the lineup to repeat the words: "Give me all your money or I'll shoot," the man shouted, "That's not what I said!"
6. ARE WE COMMUNICATING???
A man spoke frantically into the phone: "My wife is pregnant, and her contractions are only two minutes apart." "Is this her first child?" the doctor asked. "No!" the man shouted, "This is her husband!"
7. NOT THE SHARPEST TOOL IN THE SHED!
In Modesto CA, Steven Richard King was arrested for trying to hold up a Bank of America branch without a weapon. King used a thumb and a finger to simulate a gun.
Unfortunately, he failed to keep his hand in his pocket. (Hellooooooo!)
8. THE GRAND FINALE!!!
Last summer down on Lake Isabella, located in the high desert an hour east of Bakersfield CA, some folks new to boating were having a problem. No matter how hard they tried, they couldn't get their brand new 22 foot boat going. It was very sluggish in almost every maneuver no matter how much power they applied. After about an hour of trying to make it go, they putted into a nearby marina, thinking someone there may be able to tell them what was wrong. A thorough topside check revealed everything in perfect working condition. The engine ran fine, the out-drive went up and down, and
the propeller was the correct size and pitch. So one of the marina guys jumped in the water to check underneath. He came up choking on water, he was laughing so hard.
(NOW REMEMBER...THIS IS TRUE.)
Under the boat, still strapped securely in place ... was the trailer!
AT&T fired President John Walter after nine months, saying he lacked intellectual leadership. He received a $26 million severance package. Perhaps it's not Walter who's lacking intelligence.
2. WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM OUR FRIENDS:
Police in Oakland CA spent two hours attempting to subdue a gunman who had barricaded himself inside his home. After firing ten tear gas canisters, officers discovered that the man was standing beside them in the police line shouting, "Please come out and give yourself up!"
3. WHAT WAS PLAN B???
An Illinois man, pretending to have a gun, kidnapped a motorist and forced him to drive to two different automated teller machines, wherein the kidnapper proceeded to withdraw money from his own bank accounts.
4. THE GETAWAY!
A man walked into a Topeka KS Kwik Stop and asked for all the money in the cash drawer. Apparently the take was too small, so he tied up the store clerk and worked the counter himself for three hours until police showed up and grabbed him.
5. DID I SAY THAT???
Police in Los Angeles had good luck with a robbery suspect who just couldn't control himself during a lineup. When detectives asked each man in the lineup to repeat the words: "Give me all your money or I'll shoot," the man shouted, "That's not what I said!"
6. ARE WE COMMUNICATING???
A man spoke frantically into the phone: "My wife is pregnant, and her contractions are only two minutes apart." "Is this her first child?" the doctor asked. "No!" the man shouted, "This is her husband!"
7. NOT THE SHARPEST TOOL IN THE SHED!
In Modesto CA, Steven Richard King was arrested for trying to hold up a Bank of America branch without a weapon. King used a thumb and a finger to simulate a gun.
Unfortunately, he failed to keep his hand in his pocket. (Hellooooooo!)
8. THE GRAND FINALE!!!
Last summer down on Lake Isabella, located in the high desert an hour east of Bakersfield CA, some folks new to boating were having a problem. No matter how hard they tried, they couldn't get their brand new 22 foot boat going. It was very sluggish in almost every maneuver no matter how much power they applied. After about an hour of trying to make it go, they putted into a nearby marina, thinking someone there may be able to tell them what was wrong. A thorough topside check revealed everything in perfect working condition. The engine ran fine, the out-drive went up and down, and
the propeller was the correct size and pitch. So one of the marina guys jumped in the water to check underneath. He came up choking on water, he was laughing so hard.
(NOW REMEMBER...THIS IS TRUE.)
Under the boat, still strapped securely in place ... was the trailer!
Moral degeneration
Kate posed a nice question in her blog today, after reading a writer lament the decline of moral values in the Roman Empire, 2,000 years ago.
Although I wouldn't agree that poverty go hand in hand with contentment, I have been worried for a long time about a decline stroke alteration in society's attitudes. When times are hard, people tend to look out for each other more. Now that times are good, there is a great problem with loneliness and isolation. Time and time again, some poor soul is found dead, years after they passed away. Letters keep piling through the letterbox, bills keep on being paid (Direct Debit), and nobody takes a bit of notice that one person is not seen out and about for days, weeks, months, years.
Another change, and I'm going to offend the women's rights movement here, has been birthcontrol. The Pill freed women up from the chores of the house and kids, and being able to take up a career. Whereas in the past, women were supposed to sit at home whilst the men went out to work. I fully support the idea that men and women are equally good in the workplace. The point I'm making is that mum and dad are both out working all day. Out of sheer necessity. Not because they cannot live without a lavish lifestyle, but just to pay for the bare essentials of life.
So here we have children let loose from school at 3.30pm, and their parents not home until 6pm. They are left to roam the streets, in the worst possible instance. I accept that the vast majority of people take their parental responsibility serious and arrange for someone to take care of their youngsters. But a section do not.
The result is young teenagers roaming the streets in groups, or worse: gangs, not knowing what to do with themselves. They get up to mischief, worse, intimidate people for the heck of it, vandalism, you name it. The drugs culture thrives on this as well.
Yes there is great affluence in Western society nowadays. But there is a large proportion of people who have great difficulty making ends meet. It is of course quite easy for me to sit here pontificating about the problems in society nowadays. The solution is much harder to find, because one of the greatest challenges, drugs misuse, requires not just a national but an international approach.
The War on Terrorism, as George W. Bush grandiosely put it, has had one negative side effect. Although the Taleban were kicked out of power, it also meant that the growing of opium poppies in Afghanistan, the source of about 90% of the world's supply of illicit heroin, has resumed at record levels. At least the Talebon proscribed growing poppies.
The culture of coca leaves, source for cocaine, is a multi-billion industry, which creates a society, a state within a state in countries like Colombia. The drugsbarons have power, equal to that of a head of state. Sending the cavalry in, no, I have never believed in the doctrine of bombing your opponent into submission - see Iraq.
There is international migration, with thousands travelling overseas in search of a better life. People arrive in Europe and America, from places with a vastly different culture, and integration is a slow process. It leads to tensions in society, again.
In Roman times, there was only the Mediterranean to worry about. In the year 2007, all problems in society have an international root.
Although I wouldn't agree that poverty go hand in hand with contentment, I have been worried for a long time about a decline stroke alteration in society's attitudes. When times are hard, people tend to look out for each other more. Now that times are good, there is a great problem with loneliness and isolation. Time and time again, some poor soul is found dead, years after they passed away. Letters keep piling through the letterbox, bills keep on being paid (Direct Debit), and nobody takes a bit of notice that one person is not seen out and about for days, weeks, months, years.
Another change, and I'm going to offend the women's rights movement here, has been birthcontrol. The Pill freed women up from the chores of the house and kids, and being able to take up a career. Whereas in the past, women were supposed to sit at home whilst the men went out to work. I fully support the idea that men and women are equally good in the workplace. The point I'm making is that mum and dad are both out working all day. Out of sheer necessity. Not because they cannot live without a lavish lifestyle, but just to pay for the bare essentials of life.
So here we have children let loose from school at 3.30pm, and their parents not home until 6pm. They are left to roam the streets, in the worst possible instance. I accept that the vast majority of people take their parental responsibility serious and arrange for someone to take care of their youngsters. But a section do not.
The result is young teenagers roaming the streets in groups, or worse: gangs, not knowing what to do with themselves. They get up to mischief, worse, intimidate people for the heck of it, vandalism, you name it. The drugs culture thrives on this as well.
Yes there is great affluence in Western society nowadays. But there is a large proportion of people who have great difficulty making ends meet. It is of course quite easy for me to sit here pontificating about the problems in society nowadays. The solution is much harder to find, because one of the greatest challenges, drugs misuse, requires not just a national but an international approach.
The War on Terrorism, as George W. Bush grandiosely put it, has had one negative side effect. Although the Taleban were kicked out of power, it also meant that the growing of opium poppies in Afghanistan, the source of about 90% of the world's supply of illicit heroin, has resumed at record levels. At least the Talebon proscribed growing poppies.
The culture of coca leaves, source for cocaine, is a multi-billion industry, which creates a society, a state within a state in countries like Colombia. The drugsbarons have power, equal to that of a head of state. Sending the cavalry in, no, I have never believed in the doctrine of bombing your opponent into submission - see Iraq.
There is international migration, with thousands travelling overseas in search of a better life. People arrive in Europe and America, from places with a vastly different culture, and integration is a slow process. It leads to tensions in society, again.
In Roman times, there was only the Mediterranean to worry about. In the year 2007, all problems in society have an international root.
Monday, 15 January 2007
New journal
Found this delightful and informative journal by a lady in the Lake District of northern England. Give her a read, if you want.
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