Running a tight ship
To amuse you while we wait...
Is there something faintly annoying and superior (Unamerican?!) about the tightness of the Obama ship?
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To amuse you while we wait...
Is there something faintly annoying and superior (Unamerican?!) about the tightness of the Obama ship?
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The Obama campaign team has been demonstrating a level of discipline that, until now, has been one of the most successful characteristics of the Republican party.
Obviously, they have been building up the VP issue to a crescendo and have been getting a lot of free coverage for their astute strategy.
It remains to be seen, however, how beneficial his VP selection will be for him. Obama;s greatest liability, and the main reason for McCain remaining competitive, is his inexperience. Whether or not that is a fair concern is immaterial, voters believe it is and that's all that matters.
The only choice that would help him overcome that weakness would be selecting Al Gore for his running mate; unfortunately for Obama, it doesn't look like Gore is interested. Bloomberg would definitely energize the campaign, particularly among those concerned about the economy, and would guarantee the Jewish vote and record contributions. Clinton, Biden and Kaine would all be solid assets to the Democratic ticket, but except for Kaine the rest carry a lot of baggage.
We should find out who it is tomorrow morning.
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Loved the video. Overkill can do that to you.
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If someone will come forward and show how he is getting personal millions on a US Senator's salary,
then I will know that he is really a a typical American politician,
on the take from the big money elite
then we will know that he is a real American
Failing that, we must say that he is, indeed,
un-American!
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I find the whole air of holiness about this entire election farcical and ridiculous. As one of that throng of "ordinary" Americans, I've almost no faith in our "electoral" system. The manic frenzy of Obama worship and glorification for McCain's war record hearken back to ancient Rome's largess and spectacle--all of it lacking substance. Mr. Obama in particular seems to thrive on this sort of "national security syndrome" attitude and ambience.
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Justin,
I have just come out of hibernation, so the election shoud be over. I hope I got the timing right.
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3, Xie.
Don't get your knickers in a twist. It's book money.
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I don't understand the point of the "unamerican" comment. Is a competent political organization (or "machine," to put it pejoratively) supposed to be unusual in American politics. Among Democrats, Bill Clinton's and John Kennedy's campaigns come to mind as being tight ships.
I don't find it annoying. What I find annoying is the ineptness of some Democratic candidates. Republicans, I just find annoying no matter what.
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My son has volunteered to work for Obama and this is what he wrote about his first training session,
"the guy talked about how the campaign is organized and why they're looking for people to lead a team right now the idea being that right after the acceptance speach lots of people want to join and they want people who will tell them what they can do also, they gave us a general script to follow with phonecalls and canvassing and they gave us a list of names and numbers people we can go ahead and call"
They are getting ready for the poll bounce for Obama after the convention ...
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Sorry Justin, I found the video offensive. Vote for SOMEONE. I grew up knowing too many people from places where they had a vote that was fixed.
Obama's workers may run a tight ship in an election campaign, but to use the military term, it is boots on the ground, what will happen starting January 21st, 2009.
On my blog tonight I am posting about McCain's Lost Homes and Obama's money and connections. So yes, I am voting for McCain, but with a distinct lack of enthusiasm. Still, better to vote now, than ignore it and be angry when you do not have it.
Don't get me wrong, I KNOW, I could not do a better job as President. It is like watching professional sports though. I expect the pros to get it right. That's what they are getting the big bucks for. I joked about forming my own Political Party on my blog called the Pioneer Party, based on America's roots, self sufficiency, but neighbor helping neighbor when needed. Sometimes, common sense just ain't common.
http://www.tucsonmike.wordpress.com
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#6
I know. (Read carefully and try for more subtle appreciation.)
_____________________________
Just for fun: I will bet on HRC for VP. What odds do I hear?
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Maybe I'm missing something but the only thing I've noticed about Obama's ship is that it seems pretty lightweight.
McCain has said things I don't agree with, but I can't recall anything of substance that Obama has really said so far. It all seems to be spin and slogns with no specific detail of HOW he would do anything.
The say "better the devil you know, than a strange god" -- right now it looks like our choices come down to the very opinionated, but known McCain and the unknown Obama. When I see someone riding a wave this big, with no substance, I have to wonder who is pushing all that water under him. Is that unamerican? I don't know about that, but it is certainly very political.
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Xie_Ming
If Obama selects Hillary I won't vote. And its not because of Hillary..its because of Bill.
Bill Clinton has been weakening Obama still. If Clinton has any power he will try to undermine Obama.
I hope the last we hear of those two is at this convention.
I think it will be Biden for vp..he voted for the war..and he will give another point of view..but he is a plain speaker who has foreign policy credentials.
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9, Tuscon.
You are taking humor seriously. It is supposed to be taken humorously.
Which reminds me. I am suffering election burnout. Right now I don't care who wins. It can be Obama, McCain or Genghis Khan. Actually I do care. I will vote for anyone who promises to shut up.
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9, Tuscon.
And, by the way, If when election day comes (if it ever does) and I find I don't like either candidate - I won't vote. And it won't be the first time.
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In reply to #3, Xie_Ming:
"If someone will come forward and show how he is getting personal millions on a US Senator's salary..."
Enjoy!
http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/index.php?cycle=2008
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Obama will also run a tight ship in his administration with no leaked sensitive information aka a professional respected office style with clear chains of command and responsibility. . . . not the highly politicized influence peddling "cherry picking" hierarchy called the White House we labor through today.
Americans have forgotten or never knew what a well run government "for the people" can do for the best interests of this country. The lobbyists and cronyism has reached an all time high and the people have found their voice once again, in Obama's tight ship. May it have a successful safe landing in the White House with the dramatic thoughtful changes we need to survive as a nation. The other candidate will continue on the present road to our nation's swift ultimate destruction.
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toydrum
If you don't know what Obama stands for then blame the media and read this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Barack_Obama
And it is your responsibility to search out information...because the cable news networks will not give you the information you need to be informed.
quote from link...
"Obama's health care plan includes implementing guaranteed eligibility for affordable health care for all Americans, paid for by insurance reform, reducing costs, removing patent protection for pharmaceuticals, and required employer contributions.[38] He would provide for mandatory health care insurance for children."
the quote references to:
http://www.barackobama.com/issues/healthcare/
and this is the health plan in pdf format:
[Unsuitable/Broken URL removed by Moderator]
I support mandatory health care insurance for children.
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I could fill this blog with the specifics given by Obama about his plans if he becomes president.
It shows how ill informed Americans are that it is possible for someone to say that Obama has no substance. And that will be repeated by many while they refuse to search out information about what Obama does stand for.
It is that lack of curiosity and that intellectual laziness that is a problem in America.
No one will agree completely with Obama..He has been tacking to the middle recently..but he certainly does have opinions that have been given... sometimes in detail.
People should be talking about ideas like the Nationall Health Insurance Exchange..if they were following the information that was available from Obama's plans for America and his plans for national health care.
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Even though I believe that it will be Hillary,
there is this interesting piece that came out
today promoting Biden.
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10, Xie.
1000 to 1.
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10. Xie.
A clue that it won't be Hillery is that she is scheduled to speak long before Obama. That could be misdirection, of course. The speaking order can be changed.
But only if he is supremely weak, or supremely stupid, would he choose the viper in his breast.
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AP is just reporting (as of 10pm west coast time) that a leak reports that it's Biden. So much for a tight ship.
Serves Obama right for teasing.
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not sure why it's blocked... but you can cut and
paste this url:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/22/opinion/22brooks.html?em
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#18, bethpa, Obama has everything on his web site.
And, it is true that a large number of people don't
bother to go look, which I think is laziness.
But, when they vote, especially in time or war,
they are looking for someone with whom they
feel has the experience to perform the job.
Somehow, McCain has done that better in
the last two weeks than Obama, or the international
situation favors him over domestic issues, where
Obama can beat McCain up.
The Russians are giving McCain this election.
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22, Gary.
Is that a leak or a fake leak? Maybe Obama is adding to the drama (or melodrama).
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25, Guns.
"The Russians are giving McCain the election."
The Wall Street Journal is giving it to Obama. Is this another COLD WAR?
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Allmymarbles (#25), all I know is what I read in the newspapers (or on the web). It is an "unconfirmed" claim, but, in my opinion, more reliable than anything previously reported on Canadian TV.
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CNN reports two items, a., that Biden is the choice and b., that Mrs Clinton has been told she's not. If true, then the way the numbers are going she must be very relieved.
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Once again, Justin, you have proved yourself
infallible. Now, if you could just sneak on to Obama's
plane...
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The other day Obama referred to himself in the third-person singular for the first time. At least it was the first time I heard him do it. This is something I always watch for because it tells me a lot about the person's attitude towards himself and others. It shows disdain for us common folk and places the speaker on a higher plane, very like the royal "we."
As a person I don't much like Obama. He is maniipulative and calculating and cold and unnervingly organized. And, given his use of the third-person singular, he feels superior.
That doesn't mean he would not be a good president and it does not mean that I will not vote for him. But I do wish I could like him as a person.
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#30, Ms. Marbles, that's an interesting observation.
Many people think that your reaction to Obama is
similar to the reactions that Gore evoked in
the 2000 campaign.
It's also interesting how we tend to apply more
of a personality evaluation to candidates for
the presidency than for lower offices.
Is this because of the greater exposure to the
public of candidates for the higher office?
And, how do you evaluate McCain as a person?
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31, Guns.
Actually I haven't thought about him much. He behaves like a party hack of the old school. His general technique is to look wise and benign and grandfatherly, and I suppose some are taken in by it.
Given what we know of his nature he must have tremendous control - but then, he has been at it a long time. He lies and misdirects continually and, for all I know, he will get away with it.
What people are not talking about openly is his health and his age. I know all that stuff about his clean bill of health, but I also know that with recurrent melanoma later recurrences are often internal, and that those are very dangerous.
Also he doesn't show much vigor and he is forgetful and vague. I would say that he is failing. If he is elected it would not surprise me if he died in office. For that reason his running mate is important.
I don't like him because I don't respect him. My feelings about Obama are quite different.
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Tight ship ? Come off it Justin. When you consider the number of heffalump traps being set for him, Obama has to tread very carefully. He's doing well.
Biden is a good pick - but my heart sinks at the thought of the number of times we'll hear the 'plagiarised Neil Kinnock' story (I've already heard it half a dozen times and its only half past seven).
It doesn't mean anything to Americans (Neil who?) but its a gift to the UK commentariat because it gives us a little piece of the election. Anyway, Neil's got the gift of the gab so he was rather a good person to nick your words off - and the passage of time has been good to him.
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Marbles, #32, I have to agree about McCain,
although I have not seen him in person, so I have
excused his lapses on extreme fatigue. He certainly
is not the same man who ran against Bush
in the 2000 primaries.
The "maverick" label simply doesn't seem to
describe him anymore.
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Matt Drudge has egg on his face (so do I!) for falling for the Bayh smokescreen
Biden is ok. A reassuring figure for older Dems and acceptable to Hillary supporters.
He's also an attack dog who can take on Rove and the GOP smear machine.
Ordinary working class folk can relate to him in a way they can't with Obama.
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The leak was real. (Someone is in real trouble - but was probably paid well.) It's Biden. And I think Obama declared before he planned to because of it.
Note: I did not get the e-mail from him that I should have.
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Well, it seems to be Joe.
In that case, he's already set the tone for the campaign.
Biden: "It's not me guys, I'm not the guy."
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Video highlights on Biden
;-)
ed
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36. Allmy
Nor did I, I think you are right: someone has just lost their job ...
The shame about Biden is that he is just such a conventional pick: a good man no doubt and useful, but he doesn't put pressure on in the south-southwest.
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It is indeed Joe Biden - got the text!
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Re:#36. The text came in at 0421, but apparently was leaked to the media before 0300. There are sometimes delays with text messages so not sure when it was sent by the campaign.
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The email was sent 9.53 UK time ie. 4.53 ET/ 3.53CT. You can't tell me they really wanted to release it in the middle of the night ...
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Biden balances out the ticket with his experience and seems able to put his ego aside and do what needs to be done. He should make a fine VP.
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Re:#42 Seems as good a time as any. I rather enjoyed being startled awake and then very relieved the choice was not Clinton.
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Best breakdown laughing in the videos (to me) can be seen in the first one with letterman. Biden couldn't address it for sniggering...
Watch it and enjoy the joke.
xx
ed
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I have just read an article claiming that by picking Biden, Obama shows a lack of confidence.
There is a good case to be made that the reverse is true. By picking someone of such length of service, experience and, indeed, popularity, Obama is sending a message that he means business.
He could have chosen one of the Governors who would have made him look glamorous by comparison, but Joe Biden is a big political beastie and together they'll make a formidable team. No lack of confidence there.
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I am not American. I would be interested to see what Americans think will happen if (as seems likely) Obama wins the election.
It looks like there will be a world recession for another year or so yet. Even after that, the recovery will not be very fast because some of the tricks - like iffy financial instruments - simply don't exist to invent money with any more.
Obama is promising tax cuts for 95% of the population. That much cut for that many people does not come cheap. He will also leave taxes for higher earners pretty much where they were 10 or 15 years ago, which is not that high.
So, if he wants to spend a higher proportion of GDP, he will have to make cuts somewhere else. His plan says that he will ‘…cut unnecessary spending…’. I suppose I’m getting old (I’m 61) but I’ve heard that so many times I feel tired just hearing it again.
There is some detail like – “…reducing subsidies for banks that make student loans…” and “…limiting payments for high-income farmers…” (If only the EU could) but (1) none of these look like they amount to much and (2) they will have other consequences.
If he is going to make a major impact on social provision of one kind or another he will have to cut big – like defence. I believe there is this pork barrel which rolls right over politicians trying to do that.
Have I misunderstood this ?
Maybe this is not a good time for a social reformer (assuming he is) to win an election ?
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Stopping the wat will save a bunch of money. Just look at the running counter here
Salaam, etc.
ed
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Picking Biden should not surprise anyone. Obama's weakness is, clearly, his lack of foreign policy experience, which happens to be Biden's forte. Biden's record is solid and he is bound to be an asset to the ticket, but he is an uninspiring politician that I doubt will energize the moderate Independents that Obama needs to win in November, and he is most certainly not going to calm the dissafected Clinton supporters that are likely to doom Obama's chances to win. He is as safe a choice as Obama could have made without selecting Hillary, but a poor one from a strategic perspective.
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#47, Chill0
Getting those trillions of dollars out of Iraq would be a good start
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As a Brit living in the USA, I am bemused by the gullibility of my fellow Brits - at least those who cling to the vain hope that EITHER candidate is any different than Bush (both), Clinton, Reagan, Carter, Nixon and Johnson - they are selected and presented by the power elite who hide in the shadows - the international (central) banking and business cartel who have always made their greatest profits by funding both sides in wars (nowhere in particular, but if pipelines and oilfields can be seized or eased, so much the better). They own the media, which of course means that honest journalists are stifled, they use presidents as their mouthpieces and we get to pay their wages and watch them insinuate themselves into cosy, lucrative endeavours that feather their nests both during and long after their retirement. That is why JFK so condemned the 'secret societies' behind Washington's power. And look what they did to him. Obama will take us into as many illegal wars as Bush has done, removing our freedoms as he does so. Mark my words.
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Obama can make all the tax cuts and fund all the programs he wants, just as McCain can continue with Iraq forever (that was always the aim anyway) - after all, the federal Reserve will simply print the money, just as it has done for W's escapades and tax 'giveaways.' That is of course why the dollar is a worthless piece of paper - too much in circulation. Every dollar loaned by the 'Federal' Reserve Bank (Rockefeller, JP Morgan, Rothschild and Warburg) is done so 'with interest' - they are bankers, after all! So, wage war or pay for inflationary social programs...both are equally profitable to these bankers. What has been Obama's stance on Iran? Hmmm. More unjustifiable war down the road, methinks, with the media doing its usual parody of 'reportage' in which the indignation and ire of a pathetically ignorant British and American population are whipped up to provide support for action that will turn out - too late of course - to have been based on lies.
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It's not annoying. It's refreshing! But in my bones, as a Democrat, I know that somehow, someway, we'll still find a way to lose. It's not enough, apparently, that we've had a Constitution-wrecking eight years with George Bush. We still need another four with another president, small p, who delights in telling others about how he finished near the bottom of his college class. We need someone else who is mediocre who can make poor decisions and attack the wrong countries.
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senseandnonsense.
"It's not enough, apparently, that we've had a Constitution-wrecking eight years with George Bush. We still need another four with another president, small p, who delights in telling others about how he finished near the bottom of his college class. We need someone else who is mediocre who can make poor decisions and attack the wrong countries."
quote senseandnonsense .
I quote this directly after hi/her post because It is funny.Thankyou.
Goodisnimrod I am also suprised by the gullibility of those that believe that voting for Obama will make no difference and that they are all the same.That the same Media is trying to maybe stop this one before he reaches the white house.
I guarantee if Bush had not been where he was america would not be embroiled in quite the same wars we are in now.Maybe not even one.
as a Brit now living in the states
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Chillo the other side is If the economic structure is changed to being geared to the environmental solutions we need then there is much hope for the possibility of America being able to generate wealth as a pace to fill the coffers.
But not while we drill drill drill.
Change creates economies , not sustained sales of the same thing.With the exception of food of course.
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46, chancy.
Biden as a running mate shows Obama's lack of confidence? No matter who Obama chose there would be some way to criticize it. So if he chose a lightweight they would use that to show his inexperience.
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47, chillO
My solution is not to listen to any of it (or read any of it for that matter). When I was in highschool and there was an election for senior class president, one candidate promised a swimming pool.
There was no place to put a swimming pool.
That guy probably became a politician.
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#24
Gunsandreligion
I just have very little tolerance for people who say that they aren't interested in the election or that there are no issues from Obama. Its too important an election for that. Imo this is a make it or break it time. You and I ...We differ on what should be the approach..but I think we might agree that this is a serious time in the history of America
And you are right imo that it is Putin's aggression into eastern Europe that is strengthening McCain in the polls.
If the US were not over extended in Iraq or did not have the debt burden it has..then we would be stronger in opposing Russian aggression.
The fallacy imo is to think that military weaponry will protect the US and that a strong military is all that we need. Imo the nations that want to weaken the US will encourage the US to build up its military while the US economy is weakened by debt...
Russia would love to see McCain in the White House imo..McCain's election would result in a weak America. ( keep in mind that part of what destroyed the Soviet Union was the extreme build up of the military and the fighting in Afghanistan ...)
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goodisonnimrod
I agree with you that the control is really in the hands of the people with wealth. They manipulate people using the media.
But also within that framework there are some people who do wish to help the ordinary person and I think one of them might be Obama.
But we will will know more if he gets elected. He will be up against some powerful groups though.
Right now to get elected Obama has to tack to the middle and satisfy the powerful people. I think the powerful elite might be afraid they might have another FDR in the White House..but only time will tell.
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Thanks!
Barack, keep a very tight ship and he got it right...he told everyone to not to talk.
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Beth & G'nR,
Throughout the progress of the cold war, I gradually realised that the Russians had far more reason to be afraid of us than we did to fear them. The present situation is similar. As I recently linked
I second that!
Salaam, etc.
ed
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In reply to 46, chancythegardener:
In a sensible political process, Biden and Obama's roles would have been reversed.
Biden would make a better president than Obama. This is the weakness in the Democrats team, their virtuoso's are playing second fiddle.
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Ed
The Russians are very nationalistic.
It may be that nationalism is a great problem across nations and a source of trouble for world peace.
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Realfrigid
Obama made a Freudian slip when he introduced Biden and called him the next president rather than the next vice president.
I will just be happy... if the right wing loses power...
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A slip, maybe, but I don't see it as Freudian. Anyway, Biden may be the next President of the Senate.
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Cool one,
Two problems. 1.) This is totally hypothetical. 2.) I disagree.Biden seems to be an excellent choice as No.2, and possibly just a wee bit too much of a 'loose cannon' to be president. Obama's organisational and delegational skills are amply demonstrated by the 'tight ship' which gives it's name to this thread. He has kept a cool head in situations which might have tempted less temperate folk.
I think his response to the recent Russia/Georgia situation was precisely the right one. McCain's, on the other hand, no matter how popular, was exactly the wrong one.
Biden, acting on behalf of his President in some similar future situation, would be interesting to observe. I wonder who will be Secretary of State in the coming Obama administration...
Salaam, etc.
ed
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Mccain is just a lap dog to the bush policies on geogia more than anywhere.
Nothing to do with who is right there in(russia/georgia).
The USA is like a fish eagle. looks great and everyone thought cool what a symbol. well it turned out better or more accurate than they thought.
consider the fish eagle/bald eagle the way some biologists do. A scavanging thief. steeling catches from smaller birds.
great mobililty gets around anywhere and takes from anywhere.
Then you got the bear, not able to travel quite so easily maintaining it's territory and getting real pissed if you get near it or it's territory. Generally leave others alone , until the threat gets too close. then it gets angry.
Not suicidal crazy just rightously annoyed.
thats what we have here and neither if right , but the fish thieving eagle is not as popular as it was , now we all have seen it's nasty side.
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If you want to see bald eagles, the surest place is the local landfill site, where they come in around sundown to feast on seagulls who have spent the day eating garbage. A fine symbol for our country.
;-)#
ed
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The galley here doesn't look too bad and I don't think we'll get sea sick.
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bere, thank you for your comments earlier. It's funny how to parody is to use satire and to be parodied is to be subject to sarcasm. Still, what's in a name?
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seanspa, I have noticed that those who object to satire are the stodgy humorless ones who obviously don't get it. Wit seems to make them uncomfortable, possibly because they can't reply in kind. If there's one thing I'm really intolerant of, it's lack of a sense of humor. Good grief, this world is so messed up, what on earth would we do if we couldn't make fun of it? (I used another word with asterisks instead of "messed" but the profanity filter stopped me; apparently it can read between the asterisks, but once again confused obscenity with profanity.)
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I left a pictorial message for others to follow.
It seems satire is not something all are able to recognize. The Dick Cheney hearing story for example.... If you remember. I often use sarcasm, not to belittle anyone but as a form of humour. Occasionally it produces laughter!
seanspa - Knowing your particular brand of humour I was looking for a "twist" in your comment about Canadians crying, but couldn't find one!
I googled the potatoe story to learn the "Potatoe Kid" had his first child at 16 and by 24 had three children and was working at Wal-Mart. What a shame he did not use his 15 minutes of fame more wisely. Probably thought it was all he needed.
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I must apologise to TT once again. He does has a sense of humour. He has claimed that the idf should be trusted to give accurate casualty figure for the gaza incursion because they were there. He also says that the crew of the liberty should not be trusted to tell the truth because they were there (and therefore bitter). What a funny guy.
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timewaits, you have exposed me! Yes, let's talk about Jack Sparrow!
That's a fine galley, it'll do. It needs a nice long scrubbed wood table and a few chairs, a kettle for the tea, and for food we can just do takeaway. Would there be a fish and chips shop nearby, do you think?
Are all catamaran ferries hovercrafts? I took the catamaran from Bar Harbor to Nova Scotia a few years ago. Is that why it was so fast, because it was flying instead of sailing or steaming or whatever? If so, why did I get seasick?
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Oh dear, I think I'm going to have to give up entirely on that other thread. It has become tedious beyond tolerance, even more than usual. That McJ person, well. Is he talking about Thomas Paine when he says "Payne"? I could have sworn he said he was a teacher. Maybe he was The Bustle's teacher! Of a noble class, but can't spell. Oh sorry, am I being catty? Must be from thinking about The Cat (isn't that what they call that sick-making ferry?).
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timewaits -
The "Potatoe Kid" might have gone on to a stellar career if he hadn't been caught up in public humiliation with the "Quail."
Cunard mentions Twitter on the other thread (but now I really am finished with that one!) and that reminds me of this latest study, about Twitter. They are saying that most people use Twitter only once in their lifetimes. So are these people all dead now? If not, on what are the researchers basing their conclusions?
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bere - "Of a noble class, but can't spell." Oh dear!~that is very funny!
I can't read McJ's comments. He gives no indication of where a quote stops and his comments start, so have no idea if he does/doesn't, agrees/disagrees, etc. Very tedious as you say.
I googled the Bar Harbor/NS ferries and they do appear to be hovercrafts. As for seasickness I guess you took your eyes off the horizon.
seanspa - The police say eyewitnesses can be very unreliable! No word on bitter witnesses that I know of! One would think a victim would have some idea of what happened. At the very least a vague outline, along the lines of, "I was shot at"!!
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bere - A "twit" is restricted to 140 characters! So when David suggested to McJ his posts be twitter length - I burst out laughing!
Once in their lifetime does appear to indicate the person is dead. Must have been their dying wish - I want a Twitter account! Then... only had enough strength left to send one message before shuffling off this mortal coil!
Do you know anything about Twitter? The question is: What are you doing? Seems a strange thing for a dying person to be asking!
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77, timewaits - Sure enough I took my eyes off the horizon -- I was lying down inside being green.
I don't how anyone can expect others to understand their posts when they don't put quotes or otherwise set off the stuff they've pasted from other people's posts. Usually it looks as if they are arguing with themselves.
78 - That would explain it - if the people in the study were on their deathbeds when they were being studied as to their Twitter usage. Of course it doesn't explain why they would want to be using Twitter on their deathbeds. "im dying cum quik"
I only first heard of Twitter a few months ago. Now I'm afraid to use it (not that I want to) for fear that I'll drop dead after sending one message.
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bere - 6th game in the 7 game Stanley Cup finals tonight. Detroit is ahead in the series 3-2 games. If they win tonight in Pittsburgh, they win the cup. If not the series is tied 3-3 and returns to Detroit for the final game. Right now Pittsburgh is leading 2-1. detroit must be getting a little anxious, although he did say Pittsburgh would probably win "at home."
We just learned that my 91 yr old father-in-law who lives in Toronto (M's uncle who brought him up) has suffered a heart attack. He underwent angioplasty to unclog two arteries and apparently is recovering remarkable well for a man his age. Really not sure what to wish for for him as right now he is terribly confused. He is a proud and stoic Scotsman who does not want to be bedridden. The hospital is aware there are to be no heroics but often there are grey areas. I guess a trip to Toronto is in the cards.
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Timewaitsfornoman-
The good news is that the Wings are coming back to the Joe.
I was pretty sure the Penguins would win at home. Besides, Babcock wasn't wearing his McGill school tie tonight;-)
Had friends over to watch the game tonight. They were anxious. Aaron and I were betting whether they would tie and lose in OT. Our friends kept looking at us odd. (I lost the bet. I was going for the tie and lose in OT)
Fleury did an excellent job in goal for Pittsburg. Good, fast, hard game. Now that's hockey!
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Timewaitsfornoman-
I hope the stoic, proud Scotsman finds the path he seeks. My thoughts are with you, M, and your family.
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detroit - He wasn't?!! And a fine tie it is!
I suppose it can be looked at as good news. A Stanley Cup win is far sweeter at home, just as long as they win. Which of course they should!
I didn't watch any of the game just kept informed on the score. When is the big night? Got tickets? (I'm sure you would have told me!)
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timewaits, sorry to hear about your father-in-law. Those gray areas are difficult.
I'm off to bed now. Now that I have to drive my seizure-stricken friend everywhere, I can't be sleepy all the time (though I am anyway it seems, no matter how much sleep I get).
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Hello nice peeps,
Big birthday bash for my darling tonight. It was very sweet. Having come through this, inshallah, she and I both are stronger, and more resolved to live well.
I've decided I want to be like aquagal when I grow up.
Yours,
Pinko
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Timewaitsfornoman-
Friday night is the night. No tickets. Going to a house party where there are plenty of hockey geeks from both sides of the river. (At least that is the current plan) Will not be far from the Joe.
On to Stanley!!
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82 detroit - Thanks, the man just keeps going, and takes whatever is handed to him. It is quite unbelievable. His short term memory has been shot for quite some time so is unaware that his son has been paying his bills, taxes, etc. Even though he prepared for it via Power of Attorney, he would be devastated to learn he is not conducting his own affairs. He is even ok with his memory loss! Readily admits he does not remember.
As he is M's uncle and there is one son (M's cousin/quasi brother in To) the family dynamics are unusual. The cousin is younger, M has a better relationship with uncle, I get along fine with him as long as I do not exaggerate (Scotsmen don't like that!), cousin's wife not fond of uncle, etc. etc. etc. So we shall see where this leads us.
Another time I will tell you the story of the Aunt's death. I should write a book! Maybe I'll get bere to do it!
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chrono - Your wife is a Gemini? How delightful for you! My very best wishes to her (from a fellow? Gemini). We all should live like aqua.
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Pinko-
Happy birthday to your bride. Here's to many more.
Don't we all want to grow up to be like Many Changing Woman? I do miss her.
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detroit - I don't know that hockey fans should be referred to as "geeks." They do not fit my definition of the word, unless they are also into technology. But in that case they are computer geeks, not hockey ones. There are no geeks in hockey, you should know that!!
I must abed.
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Timewaitsfornoman-
If you won't accept "geeks", how about gurus?
At any rate, these people all know hockey. It will be fun watching the final game with them.
I should be off to bed, myself. Have an early start coming in the morning.
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Morning all - Another grey day, but at least it is not raining and sun is forecast for the afternoon.
detroit - It will only be fun if Detroit is winning/wins!! How about ardent fans?
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Not raining here either, but gray and cold. Hard to believe it's June.
I have just found out that I need to get one of my manuscripts re-formatted, design a cover, register the copyright, get an ISBN, blurbs and back cover info (photo? Egads!), etc., so as to have it all ready to be the first "practice" book for the new print-on-demand service at the bookstore. Must overcome the very strong urge to procrastinate, or run away and hide in a remote cave. All very scary. No one but me seems to have any doubt I can do this. Fools, all of them!
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morning time,
same weather here. Great day to get to work for me.
Sorry to keep going at Gary over there but he was needing it. The point being made was relevant to today and reality. something that was being missed and missdirection was as usual just being incuraged by a personal battle that allowed the truth to get lost. deliberately.
I will point out that many times I credit him with getting things right.(where he does) but not once will he even back down from defending legion in it's many forms, even when blatantly wrong).
Even when it is right in his face. OFF to other grounds without acknowledging any legitimacy t o the others views. Dishonest to the core is what I call that.
As you can see I have again been inconvenienced by the PTB because I was trying to post a totally within rules post.
4 times in a row. Am I taking the piss or being censored? How was it justifiable to exclude that post by the mods. I would ask questions of the system here as well as the topics discussed. It seems to me that honesty is the last thing acceptable on this blog some days.
I'm trying to find a link from Bere earlier so I will be back. to be less angry sounding.(BTW You realise my blood pressure probably does not rise much in these debates ,I note earlier people though it might be high. that was me not the blood.)
Chrono that is a good target to aim for.
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hey bere this service. . I walk in see the title and say "print it up please luv and I can go home with the book in Paper with a cover?
Sounds great.
All them books not having to be shipped.
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I got a book years ago real cheap. ( some strange land lady took stuff from my room when on holiday and "lost" them, so I went looking again. The book was "The jewellery of Rene Lalique".1987 A goldsmiths'company exhibition.vivienne becker.
So I went on line and on amazon they were asking.......$400.oo
My god I was ready to go track that bovine down and pretend she had mad cow. Lucky I found another copy for a mere $70.oo
Great Book . if you have it there in your shop. Hide it but not too well. the work of that man was amazing (not his glass ,that's pretty but yea yea).
Now if all books were re-printable it would be so great.It is annoying as a smith to have books that are no longer in print (most) that actually have decent information in them when there are so many writing their own books nowadays that have little clue as to the topic they are writing on.
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happy, I tried my link and it actually worked. I am so pleased with myself, since that's the first time I did a link. Now I just need to know how everyone else changes the http thing into those blue words to click on.
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93 lol Bere the doubt is what will make you get it right.
those that don't doubt their abilities at something new make mistakes more frequently than the cautious.
A trait I like in a smithy.
I'd rather be asked " Is this the right place to punch the hole" than try to fill the hole reduce the swelling and re punch the hole.
but then ,computers !
I'm with you. I'm off to the bat cave.good luck.
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93 bere - Great news! It does sound scary, but what is the point of writing if you are not willing to take the chance?
I will attempt to explain it, next post.
94 happy - He is never wrong. Must be a difficult man to live with.
Who is the "he" in your first Term Limit post, with all the quotes? Tosscar, I am presuming is you. Your post describing the UK system was very readable and informative. Our system is the same, no limits other than Supreme Court Justices must retire by age 75. Sounds reasonable to me. Who wants a doddering old fool, who does not realize it is time to retire, making important decisions?
Must be more to the "some strange land lady" story!!
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Timewaits,
Another few Portuguese words to help you when you come for a holiday.
Busy plastering, though because they don't have classical builders plaster [ plaster of paris sets just after it is mixed because of the temperature] the locals use a sand/cement mix. This is called "massa". Massa translates both as cement and pasta.["Pasta" translates as briefcase!]
Having now completed 2 walls with my cackhanded plasterers technique and what with the grass in the mix and the rough uneven surface, I thought "Nao faz mal" [who cares/ no problem] and am planning on painting it a cream colour with red/brown irregularities.
When you arrive and hear that you have got the Lasagne room you will understand.
Hope you home improvements are going better than mine.
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happy, yes, the print-on-demand thing will be able to pop out just about any book in print on what's called the Espress network, in trade paperback, for the same cost as any other paperback in the bookstore. You want a book, the store doesn't have it on the shelf, presto, they make you one while you wait. I haven't yet seen this in action but I'm told that's how it works. So on one side of the store someone will be whipping up your latte while on the other side someone else is whipping out your book.
What I'll be doing is working with the self-publishing authors. Do all the prep work, wave a magic wand and turn it into a PDF (that is how it works, isn't it?), whoosh into the p-o-d machine, out pops their book. Sort of. So we're going to practice on mine. If it all works out, in about three months everyone in the kitchen will be expected to cough up $14.95 and buy my book but only if you promise not to actually read it because it's embarrassing to have other people read my stuff.
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waterman, if the same word is used for both cement and pasta, it doesn't say much for Portuguese pasta. Is it usually inedible?
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bere, after you looking into how to self publish a few months back, who'd have thought that you could do it in your own bookstore?
Do we have to come to town to buy it?
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Hey all just to let you know ED is safe and well and enjoying life in the real world.
Time I am not sure who U14 refers to. Just to save you guessing I am still having fun in the new skin , though it does take some getting used to. So I have yet to create the backup legion version to this skin.
Who tosscar is , I'm not sure (to be honest that post went right over me).
But I like the cut of his jib when I do get it.
And yes all McJ is even harder to figure out what is him and what is a quote than Simon or me. Quite a miracle.
But has me suspicious.
tingly neck.
we'll see.
Bere don't be embarrassed. you're writings here leave no reason to assume you would embarrass yourself.
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Here's another quote supposedly by Churchill. Whoever said it may have had certain posters on here in mind.
"However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results."
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Back from my interesting and fun morning in court.
Timewaitsfornoman-
Ardent fan works every bit as well. None of us can afford the scalper prices for good tickets. We can probably still get nose bleed seats. So; if we can't go to the big ball we make your own gala affair.
14allandall41-lol
There are a series of books entitled Foxfire. I think you might find some interesting smithing information in the volume covering the making of long rifles and flintlocks. Check the link in wiki for more information. You might be able to find the specific volume through your local library.
Bere-
Come on! You can do it! Get published.
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bere54 # 102
Good I believe [the pasta], but we are a rice or potatoes [ note the e] family.
BTW Thanks for the link to Andre Aciman. Pity he was indirectly accused of plaguarism [spelling?] for his first novel. A fantasy writer, but still more than a grain of truth in his remarks. As I mentioned in a very earlier post, when standing in the lions den, you do not suggest it is dinner time. We all must give BHO time to accomplish what he can.
Potato- batata- Portuguese is a piece of cake [ bolo]
Here endeth the hustle and bustle.
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so I was wondering and wandering on the massa and it's origins to have such strange bedfellows. A thought was that like corn massa was a universal term for many products (corn is any grain crop, but has been restricted in it's use by most to just Maize.Farmers bin gettin the corn in for more time than maize ).
Maybe it refers to any mix of small even base material.
then saw there was a place in italy (I wiki'd the word) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massa
a marble production area.
So no help on the origins but I got to chase the chickens into the coop and chase the 3 legged monster out,he does like them mice).
So later all have fun and sleep well.(If you need some help go to the warped thread and read it)
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My goodness you guys have been busy while I have been labouring over the following post. Sure hope it helps!! Those who know how to link can ignore!!
<a href=""></a>
<a href="cut and paste link here">type blue words here</a>
Exactly as shown including the quotation marks and space between... <a(space)href=
Notice the <a>.....</a> The same as italics and bold. The difference being after the opening <a you type: (space)href="cut and paste"~~then the closing >~~ type your blue words and close with </a>
I have bookmarked Ed's instructions and cut and paste the first line above and then fill in between the " " and > <
.... "Link" >blue words<...
The system will now tell you if you are incorrect
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103, seanspa -
I think it's supposed to be available on line somewhere. But I'm not sure about this. Or you could just order it though me but then I'd be able to find out who you all are and your addresses and everything.
It has just occurred to me that no one will be able to order the book since you don't know who I am. This could be a problem.
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# 99 Alert! I did not mean all 75 year olds are doddering fools!! Just the ones who are! My apologies to all!
100 waterman - Put down your trowel! When I come I will bring my master plasterer sister (aka Lily Pond). She has much experience, is an artist, and spent many months in Spain so is familiar with the climate. She wouldn't mind, really she won't if it involves a stay in Portugal. Her Spanish is better than mine if that will be any help to us! She is also delightful but in a different way. People get a kick out of the two of us. You and Mrs. wma will enjoy having us around! She will do a sketch of your home, in watercolour if you like. I'll tell her to bring her paints.
For you - Two Canadians to parade around!! And we'll throw in some maple syrup! Anything else I/we can bring?
You have better watch it or I will be blogging you from the Lisboa airport....
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I'm glad to hear Ed is well, though ignoring us.
publius, why were you in court?
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timewaits, who needs ed? You'll start quoting wendell berry next!
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detroit - Did you mention why you were in court?
seanspa - I have "The Wit and Wisdom of Winston Churchill," so if you need a quote, don't hesitate to ask.
I wish someone w/could explain to me what result is being looked for. Perhaps it is the effect it is having on me. In that case, the strategy is succeeding! and can stop now.
bere - I did make a mistake in my linking post and immediately was told not only what the mistake was but where to find it. So just fool around with it.
happy - Thanks for the Ed report.
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109, timewaits -
Thanks. I have copied all that down. Now I'll have to find something I want to link to and then practice.
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bere, don't we just ask the boxcar?
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bere - Yes, a problem. An anonymous author!! However you look at it, if we are to order the book (which I am sure many of us would) we will find out your name. Otherwise, "I have a book to sell but you can't buy it!!"
The same as my suggestion to chrono to go to meet soon-to-be nephew-in-law Peter. "Hi I know someone whose name I don't know!!"
I can see you becoming world famous and we will be none the wiser. "bere - have you read this fabulous new author?" Well I guess at that point you will be willing to let us know.
Our only alternative will be to go to the bookstore and describe you. Think I might be elected as emissary!
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bere54 # 102
Just back from our evening meal.
Do not know whether my first posting came and went or what.
I really cannot think why my comment was referred. Perhaps the moderator does not like pasta or the fact that I mentioned we eat rice and potatoes[ with an e]. The pasta here I believe is good
I did mention that I liked your link to Andre Aciman, and mentioned that his first book almost ended in a plaguarism case. I did however remark that his thoughts held a reasonable grain of truth concerning Obama's silence. I then repeated an old thought of mine that 'when in the lions den you do not suggest it is dinner time'. I explained that maybe some expect Obama to get every thing done in an unacceptably short time frame.
Ending with potato in Portuguese is 'batata'. Saying the language was a piece of cake. cake in Portuguese is "bolo".
It is a funny world isn't it.
I will make a copy of this one and like Jack send it back again if it does not get through. What a crazy world we live in.
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113 seanspa - Oh! How could I have forgotten that?!! Have we not read every, single, solitary, word by now? I believe he is still alive. Probably writing more words, "as we speak"!
Had you ever heard of the man? I hadn't - but I sure have now! I have no intentions of quoting him, that's Ed's job.
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timewaits, the strategy quote made me think of a certain brief war in the 60s and how a certain poster is insisting that it was brilliant strategy. So how has it ended up?
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Here is a funny story from the local paper. But you don't have to bother to read the story. I just wanted to see if I could make the blue words. It seems to work in "preview." This is fun!
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
Timewaits,
Nice to know your sister likes painting.
Many years back I wondered if I had any talent for painting so I sat on the beach with a full beer, a beer can of seawater, drawing paper and a kiddy's aquarelle painting kit. Fun. Moved on to oils- difficult to bring the canvases home despite the seperation pins and put in the suitcase, and at the end tried acrylics.
Although after no time at all I realised I am talantless and better with a 4 inch brush, but it is a very relaxing hobby.
Jack- Thanks for the news about Ed. Might email him myself.
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My post disappearing is just too funny. I was speculating why wma has his pulled, as it were. Maybe I was right!
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waterman - I am not familiar with Aciman except for that one piece, which I found interesting because of recent arguments on other threads.
seanspa - I have not explored my area on the internet (well, why would I? I'm here) but it seems one can find out anything. Yes, you could ferret out my identify from the Boxcar. On the other hand, if I screw up their p-o-d business, they might disavow any knowledge of me.
timewaits - if I became world famous I would have to get a stunt double to pretend to be me and go around and do the author readings, so I still wouldn't be world famous but the stunt double would be. I managed to read in front of a bunch of people once but only because I'd had a couple of glasses of champagne first.
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Bere54 # 125
Had never heard of him myself. Your link got me to do a search on the internet about him, everything and nothing.
Came across a piece of very old knowledge, which I can better withhold until "it" inevitably comes up again to prevent arguments recurring. Like yourself I am enjoying the peace and quiet.
Congrats on the blue. As Ed suggested, one feels good- almost as if we now know what we are doing computerwise.
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waterman - I'm so glad someone got something from that link. It makes me feel as if I've actually contributed something useful. Now if I could just get started on what I'm really supposed to be doing ...
Sent an email to Daughter begging for help and she replied, "You are perfectly capable of doing this by yourself." Who does she think she is? My mother? Sheesh. Sharper than a serpent's tooth etc. etc. Was hoping she would rush to my side this weekend but instead she and boyfriend will be apartment hunting. Skewed priorities.
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121 bere - Congratulations! You did it! and very well done too.
123 waterman - My sister is very talented, she was born that way! She was accepted into the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design which is rather prestigious, but did not view it as an accomplishment. She was under the impression they accepted, "just about anyone!!"
Unfortunately she has not been able to support herself with her art work, so has done many jobs in the past. House painting and plastering included.
I like to paint and am very specialized. Don't know that I will say what it is I do. I'll tell you when I see you and send you a piece of my artwork when I return home. It sounds all mysterious, but I don't want the world to know!!
We really need a "break away blog" so we can chat amongst ourselves! Maybe I'll start one!
120 seanspa- Yes I understand and I think the answer is, "not well." I was thinking of the comments which I presume are trying to sway or change our thinking. But I'm having a hard time understanding which way. Says one thing but the effect on me is the other. If you can make any sense of that.
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Sorry. I had to pop out again to pick-up parts for my four-wheel vehicle that finally arrived.
An attorney I once used in child custody/visitation had called me yesterday to ask if I would do some paralegal work for her this morning on a case she had just taken that afternoon which was going to a hearing today. I agreed, because she is one of the few "good" lawyers I know. I was happy to do the work she needed.
Young man (not Aaron, in case anyone is wondering) up for violating some odd, local ordinance for fraud/swindle/confidence game. She needed someone to find the local ordinance and then do a lot of hand holding with accused, and his easily provoked father, while she did her work on the prosecutor.
We got the charges dropped and removed from the young man's record.
The attorney had remembered that I was going to be retiring about now and called to see if I was available. She stalled the proceedings while I got a copy of the ordinance for her to read. (Weird kind of thing used as a catch-all) She asked me to stay because, "I need somebody who is even crazier than I am to handle the father." We always did work well together.
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publius - Thank you for explaining that. It's rather odd to just say you went to court and not say why. Those of us with vivid imaginations could come up with all sorts of interesting scenarios, ending with you doing 12 years of hard labor in North Korea. I'm so relieved it's not that.
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Another indication of how bad things are here in Michigan. Attorneys are being layed-off. I have read about it a couple times in the papers.
"C" was recently layed-off from a firm she was hired into about a year ago. She's now practicing from her home without a support staff.
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More about hovercrafts for bere.
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bere, there's a classic posting on another thread. I'm sure that you will appreciate the irony.
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Very interesting report on NPR right now, about the disappearance, during the election season now, of the "morality" police in Iran. The French reporter, who has lived in Iran for ten years, says that since 2005 the morality police have been arresting young women for practically nothing - the wind blowing a scarf off someone's head, exposing her hair. This has been Ahmadinajad's doing and the reporter says most Iranians are very angry about it. Which is perhaps why these police have disappeared during the electioneering. I mention this because it is starkly different to the tales of the free, happy-go-lucky lives of Iranians some posters have been describing. But if this were mentioned on the other thread, it would be dismissed as propaganda.
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133, seanspa - If you are referring to #56, yes, the irony of that struck me immediately, and I'm very impressed by your response at #57. You are so bold! I knew nothing about the TV show but still did not think the poster was being condescending; I've always found it amusing.
I am unable to click on your hovercraft link in 132. It's weird. Don't know whether it's my computer or not; earlier today for a little while I wasn't able to click in the "comment" box, and it wasn't during that few seconds wait after posting either.
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Oh my god! Bustle has exhibited humility! Seanspa, you have broken her down! Take a bow!
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bere, I don't know what you mean.
My mistake on the hovercrafts, here's another attempt at the hovercraft link.
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137, seanspa - did I misunderstand your #133?
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bere, I'm trying to be discrete.
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135. At 01:05am on 11 Jun 2009, bere54 wrote:
"I knew nothing about the TV show"
If you google 'Are We Being Served' you'll find quite a few excerpts on YouTube.
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seanspa, oh sorry, I'm being dense. Which is nothing new!
And I'm so ignorant. Imagine those hovercraft being around all these years and my thinking it was science fiction. The lawnmower looks cool. I wonder why that type isn't used here.
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140, squirrel - Thanks. I've been watching a bit, and it turns out I have seen it before. Many years ago it ran on public television in Washington, D.C. Very funny!
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141. At 01:50am on 11 Jun 2009, bere54 wrote:
The big ones that crossed the Channel were a bit weird; more like sitting in a plane, but I suppose about twice or more as wide as a Jumbo jet. Only crossed a couple of times that way, I've always preferred the boat. (P&O ones, not Stena and definitely not SeaFrance because the P&O boats seemed more like real boats somehow.
(And they gave me a free full English breakfast once with double helpings when I was a kid crossing in a gale and I was the only one in the cafe looking hungry apart from the crew. I think they were impressed. Or more likely taking bets on how long it would be before I went a funny colour and keeled over . . .Took me four trips to the counter to collect it all though to avoid it all spilling off the tray.) The hovercraft were very noisy. But very fast. No time for food either. (Got fed lots of free polo mints in that gale though. By the cabin crew. Possibly with an evil motive in mind, I suspected later when I found out no-one had ever heard of munching polos as a prophylactic against seasickness. But I was young and innocent then.)
Miss the sea crossing though, desperately; it's much easier to go through the Chunnel now going to Paris or Brussels.
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141. At 01:50am on 11 Jun 2009, bere54 wrote:
'The lawnmower looks cool. I wonder why that type isn't used here.'
They are. Cool, I mean. I was surprised. 'Not Invented Here' syndrome maybe.
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squirrel - What are polo mints? And what would be the evil motive of the cabin crew in handing them out?
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145. At 03:07am on 11 Jun 2009, bere54 wrote:
'squirrel - What are polo mints? And what would be the evil motive of the cabin crew in handing them out?'
A peppermint sweet, but round with a hole in the middle. Rather sickly if eaten in quantity (but generally very addictive to young boys, especially ones like me who always preferred to crunch them instead of sucking them as you're supposed to) ashore, or in a flat calm, let alone a gale at sea. Even one of the cabin crew was seasick on that trip, and I was only one of two passengers who weren't, I'm relieved to say. (The other sitting next to me, thank god.) I think I got through about three packets of them and two packets of crisps. ( I seem to remember a Mars Bar, too, but I think I saved that for when I got ashore to go with the coffee on the station platform. All a kind of normal teen boy's meal, really :-) ) Much speculation among kids about where the bit they made the hole out of goes.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polo_(mint)
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I see that the nutter who killed someone at the holocaust museum is being linked with my town here in Idaho. He supposedly spent 4 days here 5 years ago. The link seems to be an organisation called aryan nation, which used to be based just a couple of miles from me, although before my time. They were run out of town well before the guy visited, so the link seems tenuous.
Quite how such people can think themselves supreme is something that I have never understood.
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
147, seanspa -
Vermont Public Radio is treating the nutter like a local story because he used to live in Lebanon, NH -- about 20 years ago! I heard the reference to Idaho but didn't realize it's so near you. It seems like everyone wants to be "close" to a news story, even if it's a dreadful story.
squirrelist -
Polo mints sound very similar to peppermint lifesavers. I never liked them because they were sort of chalky, or what I imagined chalk would feel like if I rolled it around in my mouth, which I never did.
148, 149 - Another incarnation?
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141 Bere:
Flying lawnmowers (not allowed to mention the brand, even though it was in the BBC clip) are sold here, or they were. Not sure they were particularly successful. Gas lawnmowers have generally dominated the market here. Perhaps average yard size is larger than in thew UK? As yards get larger, the cord becomes more and more inconvenient, and a gas lawnmower generally has greater power, and a better ability to cut in the ditch or uneven ground.
---
And, on a greener note, somewhat more than 15 years ago a neighbour threw out an old push mower in a big spring cleanout before selling his house. It must have been buried in the back shed for decades. It wasn't like one of the cheap ones they sell nowadays, that aren't really good for anything. No, this was an old heavy one, made in England before the war(?). Good solid reel, frame, and wheel sets. Lovely smooth internal gearing.
The wooden handle was broken, the roller had split, and one of the roller guide castings had cracked. Anyhow, the neighbour thought it was junk, but I thought differently. Glued the handle and roller back together, had the guide casting welded at a machine shop for C$ 20. Had the reel sharpened.
Does it ever cut! It's as easy to push as a gas mower, and not as heavy. It is almost silent (it sounds like shears - As for noise, don't even mention leaf blowers; we talk about global warning but can't even ban leaf blowers - what's wrong with a rake?) and doesn't use oil, fuel or electricity. Of course, you have to keep it sharp. I've had it for over 15 years. One of the best tools I've ever used. Wouldn't part with it for $ 1000. Good luck trying to find another one like it, though.
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141. Bere
On hovercraft, catamarans, and hydrofoils
They're really good on flat calm seas. The idea is to minimize draft (i.e., the amount of hull that is below the waterline, and therefore the amount of water that must be plowed aside as the vessel moves). By reducing draft you reduce drag, and so enable the vessel to move faster.
The thing is, though, if you have rough water these vessels will give an uncomfortable ride precisely because they see all the roughness, and don't have a great big heavy submerged hull to attenuate i.e., moderate, the motion. There is a big catamaran that runs from North Sydney to Port Aux Basques that has been nicknamed the "Vomit Comet" for this reason - it may skip over the top, but it smacks down onto every successive crest - whack, whack, whack. Cuts the trip time in half, but you don't want to be there in heavy weather.
Hovercraft should give a more cushioned ride, but above a certain sea state, it's bad all the same, and you can flip them if you're not careful (a problem in the past).
Canada was for a time a leader in hydrofoil technology - the idea was to use it for light coastal patrol vessels. Well, maybe on rivers, and maybe in the Indonesian archipelago. The North Atlantic in Winter is something else. The foils and their struts kept cracking.
There was an inventor who once suggested (more than 20 years ago) putting stubby wings on these kinds of craft - because the air under the wings at even moderate speeds would provide a damping cushion. Apparently it worked really well in trials, and gave a gentle, smooth ride at 40 - 60 mph. It was quieter because the inventor used an in-board engine and a marine prop, rather than aircraft propellers. It never went into commercial production. Not sure why.
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Roots radics the top selector. Great news on the HOB NOBS taking over the Balkans. Now I can move back to Plovdev.
Shame they cannot break into the US market
And no bere I am still me.
147 Sean with you there. 88 years old wasn't he.
I have to say the news report the spokes person said "incident" I almost choked on that. How about racist Murder, which would be more appropriate. (though shock etc not really having a go at her just saying this is a case of where media training forgets reality.)
How he got there with a long rifle is confusing to me but being English I have a problem with letting people walk around town with a bloody great big rifle (ok not as big as it could be but still , big).
From the other bits on him he seemed sick and twisted and yet still allowed a GUN. for a long time.Oh that freedom.
so can anyone explain how my name (jacksforge) when searched comes up with the bbc blog post (of an older skin) being quoted under strange products.
"24 Galvanized Tin Window Box :: gardenlightd.ath.cx
Anyone remember jacksforge who was a tin knocker wanabee? #24 maybe there have been some complaints about moving in and odds and ends around the building ...
gardenlightd.ath.cx/24-galvanized-tin-window-box.htm - Similar"
and
Bird Of Paradise Kettle Grill Coversmall chineserockgarden ...
And jacksforge' answer is.because his pet would have to remain in quarrantine for six months upon his return to the paradise of Britain. ...
chineserockgarden.thruhere.net/bird-of-paradise-kettle-grill-coversmall.htm - Similar
any of you techs out there able to help.
just seems strange that they are generally comments to or by someone in particular.
Not mentioning names.
On the mower I'm not sure but does the 220 vs 110 thing make a difference to the power?
Nutty nutter them polo's. Here we have the "british" Altoids. in a tin. I eat them sickly and sweet but strong. but no as strong as an extra strong mint.
I laugh though at the name altoids.
Not familiar with that brand in the UK(though a callard and bowser). seems like a medical complaint to me.
Interested. the mower thing .
I did "land scaping" here in Oregon the yards are not much bigger (certainly not big enough to exclude the electric mowers cause f cord length but I think the power is the issue.(need a dryer circuit to power them.)
We did have one owner we went to that provided their own battery mower that solved the power problem (for a while). The Hover mowers can handle long grass and strange terrain better than any with wheels.
I think the biggest problem is the old fashioned attitudes to products not made here (as sean jokes).
Plus the "where's the gas" mentality.
People worried about getting electrocuted (despite the existence of them handy power cut devices .)
Glad to see you using a real tool.
(something that makes things easier)
as opposed to the glugger mowers. And on leaf blowing.
Now I again had to when "landscaping" but the Idea that I was meant to go out all SUMMER and blow the sidewalks clear of dirt was both wasteful and hazardous to others health. yet they do it all the time. truly amazing to me.
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Interested on mowing I'm on for banning the lawn really. Community BAH mowers should be housed and looked after in residential areas to keep the grass trimmed. (Or a push is like you say you can find one that works nowadays) The average BAH mower consumes more grass pollen than it drops behind it. Keeping the noses of many free to not run.
Well it's a theory anyway.
Here if allowed by the mods is a really old sounding ad for the hover mower.
(sounds hilarious to me)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7RcjT2LYUE
note the terrain handling.
personally If powered I like the electric mowers cause you don't have top go through the yank to get it going.
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On leaf blowers: They should be banned!! Noisy, smelly things.
And right this moment I am listening to two weed whackers outside my windows. Summer is very noisy these days.
That hover mower in the ad is being used in the middle of nowhere with no visible cord. How is it powered? Gasoline? If it works anywhere near how the ad claimed, I don't know why it never became very popular here.
About 8 years ago I bought a new push mower and discovered it worked nothing like the one I cut the grass with when I was a kid. Very disappointing. How come "new and improved" always means "nowhere near as good as it used to be"?
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InterestedForeigner-
Hail to the friction-powered lawn mower! I've been using one for about as long as you. Found it at a flea market. An old Yardman. This one is self-sharpening. Needed new bushings in the roller. I turned a pair of them out of bronze on my lathe. The only other expense I've had since I bought it.
Youngsters think it is a strange and wonderful machine. My neighbors think it looks like too much work. It really doesn't take much more effort than pushing a gas-powered mower and does as good a job.
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155 we gave up with the "push" mower we got and ripped the horrible stuff out. but still get disturbed by the local business that has it's yard work done at a time so as to not inconvenience the patients.
I E when we are not at work either.
Yippe the nice relaxing noise , so soothing.;)
The one in the ad was made for the US market(they do have gas powered ones in the UK)
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Anyway the galleries open so I'm going to measure some pieces.;)
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I have been invited to a gathering on Sunday which will be attended by Howard Dean, whom I would like to talk to about health care reform, but it's going to be a bunch of river conservation people and all the talk will be about watersheds and stuff so it would probably be rude for me to try to change the subject. I think I won't go. Not that I have anything against river conservation but I would be out of place. I bet most people don't know that Howard Dean is river nut.
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bere54
On the hover mower front the gas driven mower fell out of fashion partly because of the fragility of the engine.
The english FLYing MOwer has now a Japanese engine from a large japanese auto / motorbike / marine firm and googling them should get you there.
Great machines. Apart from not electricuting yourself by mowing the loose hanging cable, they are set to mulch the cuttings, acting as a dressing for the lawn. It is recommended that the first and last cut of the season is raked up to prevent spreading weeds and encouraging moss. Apart from that its easy-peasy,[nothing to collect and cart away to the compost heap] as long as you do not mind walking in an ever decreasing circle for the direction of the cut to mulch the previous cuttings that are left lying on the grass.
Interestedforeigner.
Sounds like you have found yourself a quality classic there. I remember them from years gone by servicing bowling greens, golf greens and the like. AS you and others mention, the smell of cut grass is not improved walking behind and inhaling all the exhaust fumes.
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bere, new and improved means buy another one next year.
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153 & 154. Happy:
That is quite impressive. I wonder why they didn't catch on? Are they noisy?
Don't think the 220/50Hz v 120 60Hz single phase issue ought to make a difference, they're single phase electric motors, after all. 3 phase would be just a tad dangerous, non? Sort of like a runaway frisbee with a floating buzz saw tucked inside.
In your link, the demonstrator is doing a beautiful careful job on a manicured golf course, with a gas powered machine, "only" 37 lbs for a 3 1/2 hp machine. I'm wondering what that twist and swing motion does to your spine on a sloped surface.
In this link the guy is in a tiny, overgrown yard:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9OOqCv6uWc&feature=related
The way he's throwing it around, almost like a bush hog, really does demonstrate versatility better than the far more slick advertising - and it is electric, too.
You have to wonder though, if the guys who made the video maybe had a bit too much brown pop at lunch? Bit scary, actually - blissfully energetic, gay abandon with sharp high speed rotating equipment. Might want to wear those steel toed boots, and keep the cat inside. (Any cat with have a lick of sense would be hiding in the garage rafters anyway as soon as you turn it on, anyhow).
Abuse voids warranty?
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156. Publius
That's just it, eh? People throw these things out, and they have beautiful big old castings, really robust. So the only place you find them is in flea markets or at the dump. Instead the stores sell these sheet-metal stampings that won't hold an edge, with frames that are too flimsy to stay true.
Waterman:
Have you ever noticed that the smell of cut grass from a really sharp reel mover is sweet, like fresh carrots, whereas the smell of cut grass from a bash and push rotary gas mower is bitter - the duller the blade, the more bitter the smell?
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seanspa # 161,
Occasionally it does seem that America comes under a bit of stick about its general manufacturing industry.
I admit to being a lover of articles from Japan, Holland Germany France etc regarding cars, DVDs,Stereo,TV, tractors. Hifi,washing machines, medical equipment, hand held lawnmowers etc but I do have a small place in my heart for the great American Briggs and Stratton.
Buying something that is cheap invariably means that you end up paying the world in repairs and service costs.Hence my love of good European and Asian products.
Top of the range sit-upon mowers however are a different kettle of fish. And B+S is excellent. But it has also, for those who forget, an automobile history.
I can only hope with the cost of a gallon of gas and the demise of the American auto industry you will look back on a valuable heritage and return to the days of trouble free motoring. Not sure what the price would be today but for that sporty roadster look, nothing can beat it. Economical and with a choice of colours of red, red or red, the dream of the open road can again enter your lives. Enzo Ferrari- eat your heart out.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Briggs_%26_Stratton_Flyer
For those wishing the GT version I believe upholstery is available at limited cost
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Interestedforeigner # 163
To be honest it is many a day that I have smelled the perfect aroma of a just cut English / American Lawn. Your obviously talking old style cylinder mowers, the garden Rolls Royce of yesteryear.
My 'lawns' here, consist mainly of gramma grass which is almost an upright plant that through over sprouting falls over to produce a thick interwoven green mattress. Doing my best to add a bit of Bermuda, but this tends to turn more brown when the days get colder.
Still it makes for a reasonable playing surface when I practice golf chipping and short iron play. Perhaps I must buy a good grass carpet if I want to really enjoy putting, and a true lawn look. Not fair to waste a mass of water, despite it coming from the borehole just to maintain a bit of old England I feel.
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Does anyone besides me think the two newest threads are kind of boring? At least they haven't degenerated into WWII or the Middle East yet, so I guess one should be grateful for boring. But surely Justin could come up with something exciting and controversial that doesn't involve the above-mentioned topics.
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166. At 10:28pm on 11 Jun 2009, bere54 wrote:
"Does anyone besides me think the two newest threads are kind of boring? At least they haven't degenerated into WWII or the Middle East yet"
There was one attempt, but it appears it was successfully headed off. The revolt against the Roman appears to be gathering strength. (Dark side and UKWales looking very strong!)
I think you're right otherwise. Frankly, I really can't get a grip on what either of those posts are about. As far as I'm concerned they might as well be in plain Greek. Neither really correlate to British practice or experience, despite a handful of valiant attempts to make a couple of apples look like oranges.
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167, squirrelist -
Speaking of the Roman, what was that D-E-R-V-T-I-V-E at the tail end of a post? I don't usually read his comments but that caught my eye so I read the comment but it made no sense. Was he trying to say "derivative"? Or is this an acronym? Very odd.
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Spent the day trying to catch up on work with limited success!! Now must focus on the upcoming wedding, to be held in Knowlton on Saturday.
Speaking of hovercrafts, one like this passes on the other side of the river from our summer home on a regular basis. It is extremely loud even across miles of water.
I have no idea what the D message meant either.
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168. At 01:51am on 12 Jun 2009, bere54 wrote:
167, squirrelist -
Speaking of the Roman, what was that D-E-R-V-T-I-V-E
He was suggesting he was a bundle of dodgy prejudices parcelled up to look as though they were worth something until everybody realised they were just poisonous.
I think.
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Speaking of ukwales - what is he doing in Tuscany sending us poetry?!! Do we look like the kind of people who are interested in his good fortune?! For the North American contingent, getting to Italy is not as easy as jumping on a train - (albeit a long ride, but nonetheless!). "Nipping over to Italy" is not part of our repertoire.
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timewaits -
Yes, that "nipping over to Italy" is sort of a "nyah nyah" kind of thing, but I'm glad he's enjoying himself. It's only fair someone gets to go to Italy. And then there was the previous incarnation of squirrelist nipping over to the south of France. I've been invited to nip down to Boston to visit Daughter. Boston. Oh joy.
Re: that hovercraft - is there anything that is not on youtube?
Ahem. My invitation to the wedding to meet the Scottish in-laws seems to have been lost in the mail.
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bere - If you remember, you are suppose to be "just driving by." I sent a map.
Boston is a nice city, not one I go to very often. Perhaps in the UK they are envious that you get to "nip there!" (Doubtful, but maybe!)
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timewaits - I do not like Boston. The first time I went down there it was kind of exciting, being in the big city and all. But it's not any place I would want to go back to (and I've been there 3 or 4 times now), except that Daughter lives there. I told her I thought I should not visit until after she moves to a new apartment at the end of August, and she got upset. She really wants me to visit! I feel loved!
I had forgot about "just driving by." Hmmm. I guess the wedding will be easy to find since I know the name of the groom. Now, if all your sisters will be there, how would I know which aunt of the bride is you? Hey, I could wear my black dress Levi's and a white shirt and mingle with the caterers.
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bere - You could try that. Sould be interesting - line up the four sisters and have you guess!! Of course it will be made easier by the fact that the other three will think you're nuts!! "Who is this woman? What is she talking about?"
Just by watching the interaction, you will be able to work it out. Process of elimination.
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wow this skin is just not doing it for me.
anyway. interested That idea for a 3 phase mower was great.
External resin reinforced toes for me (never did trust them steel toe caps). that guy looks like he was ready to get sent to the hospital. that is a dangerous way to mow.
(I'm not sure but I think they may use one at windsor castle to mow the bailey .saw some show a while back. either way the guy there had a rope to lower and raise the mower up the bank )
There are yet other alternatives to the mower.
guinea pigs in a pen(small fertiliser pellets;)
or http://www.halfbakery.com/idea/Solar_20Powered_20Sheep#1183029128
http://www.friendlyrobotics.com/
http://www.halfbakery.com/idea/Urban_20Shepherd#1096876744
I'd take the last job but would have to be armed to protect my sheep if working in New jersey,and I'm not into them guns.
bere that was just Matt spelling wrong when frustrated (me I'm just illiterate) one of them plain english problems got to him.;)
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcqauC49Xmc
Whats in a name?
Nothing to do?. Listen to famous singers on Utube,who have passed away? Or dive into the net and see what emerges? I decided to put on my dearstalker, replace the cigarette with a calabash pipe and investigate a la Sherlock. Elementary you think? Maybe many here have more info than me on this subject and my findings will be regarded as an alimentary search, but even so, for those not in the know, this is the chain of events.
Sign in name 1, received this communique from the BBC
Dear ** ********
Thank you for your comments to the BBC blogs and your testing of the comment system.
While we genuinely appreciate the research you're doing on the new templates, the posts are causing a significant amount of technical disruption and we have been forced to close your account temporarily.
Can you please reply to this email to confirm that you will stop testing the templates so that we are able to reinstate your account?
Many thanks.
Regards
BBC Central Communities Team
Sign in name 2. Dissapeared 12th May, probably because of further crashes that occurred to the BBC blog system.
Could this absence possibly now include not just a sign in name ban but a total refusal of acceptance of further postings from his fixed IP address.
Then I found this on the same blog as the email mentioned above-Sunday, " 7 June 2009
Scotland doesn't exist"
Today, I read comments about the dissappearance of the "preview" box possibilities, and although it has returned it gives my heart that added boost. Is the Scarlet Pimpernel of blogging still out there? The Don Quixote of all causes still jousting the faceless bureaucrats of the system?. The invisible man, who with the click of his new technical toy has swallopwed up Scotland and made it dissappear off the map?
Sign in name 3- "The Man Who Broke The Blogs of the BBC", aka Hesiodos , aka Ed Iglehart. Where are you?
For a further insight into the previous happenings check this. http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/bbcinternet/2009/03/new_look_for_bbc_blogs.html
Or this http://forfar-loon.blogspot.com/
In fact he is HERE. http://www.geograph.org.uk/profile/36748?expand=1
Perhaps we and the BBC just have to shake Ed, his camera and his computer and Scotland and the whole world will return to normal.
Ed. If you should happen to read this I hope your sentence will be commuted soon, and let out on parole you can return, back to the fold.
BTW The photos are exceptionally good.
wma
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waterman -
Very impressive detection. I thought Ed had stopped fiddling with the blog; it hadn't occurred to me he was still doing it on other parts of the BBC blog. Would it be possible, do you think, to get up a blog-wide petition for his reinstatement?
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Re: that hovercraft - is there anything that is not on youtube?
I'm not sure I never tried to confirm I was over 18;)
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As for ED much as I miss the man I would say that encouraging people back to here is not very nice thing to do;)
Kitchen excluded.
He did say he was enjoying a busy summer and in the highlands that's not going on forever is it. though from the look of his photo's it may do.
However if he is watching (I doubt it) I would say, "get us a photo of the smithy man."
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Morning tunes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjKntJECn80&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWBrb7VYVF0
Version two.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCHyStLZ1Tw&feature=related
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Morning all - Beautiful day here. I am muito ocupado (waterman - am I ocupada?) with all I must do pre-wedding. An hour and a half drive involved so must... plan ahead! Not easy for me! Dawdle, dawdle, procrastinate, etc. When all is said and done, does it really matter if my whatsit matches my whosit? I think not! But I make the effort to show I care.
waterman - Obrigada for the music. I am a big Jim Croce fan, such sad songs.
Happy - ditto for the music. "No chat politics!" I leave that to you. Not sure about Solomon and his woman though!!
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timewaits # 182,
Not to sure about that myself though I do believe spoken by a man it is "Sou [ {I} Am] muito ocupado and for a lady "Sou muita ocupada"
Best of luck with the whatsits and whosits. Am sure you and everybody will look a dream.
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waterman - Obrigata, did not think to change muito/a. In French, I am never sure if a table or chair is masculine or feminine, nor who decided!! English being my first, well pretty much only language, I always considered it easy to learn (if I can learn it!), until the day in conversation said, "...are our own." Made me stop and rethink. (Maybe those three words come across differently with your British/Dutch/Portuguese accent - but in Canadian English, are a mouthful.)
My "outfit" should be a success as I was aided by my fashion conscious niece for the last family wedding and I have her approval to wear it again. Plus my two sons will tell me if my shoe choice is un/acceptable!! "Uhmmmm... not those!"
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14allandall41 # 180
No attempt to step on any toes or to steal anybodies thunder.
Perhaps you have experiences of both sides of the equation- Our delightful police force [ the mods] and the cyber criminals around [ the rockers?] Us, average citizens exhibiting one sign-in name have no experiences of that other mysterious underworld that exists.
Knowing that hardened criminals have extreme difficulty in rejoining society after having served their stretch because of the doubts of the general public that they have been rehabilitated, I was just attempting to let it be known that he would receive a warm welcome when he returns, - at least from me. He is both a trusty and a trustee in my eyes.
Viewing his open-prison photos that I posted for all to see I too believe it will be more highlands and lowlands in the sun, than the highlife and lowlife on the blog.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bP5lymQugXI
Everything in it's time.
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Timewaits # 184
The "muito / muita" bit is also spoken as though there is an 'n' in the middle. Moo in too- moo in ta
Just to complicate things further you also have 2 verbs for 'to be'- estar and ser- one is for fixed things and one for variable / flexible things.
You must think of a similar excuse like mine that whatever language I try to speak or learn now- everything comes out as double-dutch! That is of course if it is not deliberate double entendre.
Re diplomacy on the shoe front I know exactly what you mean!
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Lol water I was not worried about you taking a drink from the same well. The water is fresh and life giving.
Just to say that I'm not sure that the Mods are the probs.(well in this case). Just the general desire to be blogging. I'm sure he would know he were welcome and a message to say so is always nice when the walls are too far away to see.
I can say that as one of the serious two time offenders (still cannot figure that one out) that the hardest part of rehabilitation is trying to remember to sign in under the right skin.
I do believe that I saw that Gary did crack a funny. And will take it in the good humour it was hopefully intended, telling people I was Happylaze,indeed.
I was remarking about the idea of a petition. much as I would like it I can see Ed on the hill framing a shot and some chappie from the BBC turns up saying' Dear chap it seems the masses have gathered together a list of supporters names and intend to draft you back into the blog are you going to come quietly or am I going to have to start threatening your wendle berry collection"
These new Rockers here are great
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HN9Ll4xsEIY&feature=related
I like his selector
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvLuuHhWDWc
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lol Water I think there was too much reggae for the mods over there.------>
Bere you sly sly fox I like your avatar.( I did read the comment;)
thats a free compliment
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if indeed it is u
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188, 189 14allhappy -
Uh oh, what is it I am supposed to have done? What comment? What avatar?
I have been doing what I am supposed to be doing all morning and am frustrated to hell over Word for Mac 2008. Cannot figure out how to do headers. Cannot change indent. Cannot change page number size. Must figure out how to merge documents. This is not intuitive! If anybody out there has a Mac and can give me advice I would be ever so grateful.
And now it turns out I will being going to the Howard Dean river thing. My seizure-prone friend, at whose house the do is, had another seizure yesterday evening and her husband thinks she needs a handler on Sunday in case she has a seizure, so he won't be distracted from his river nut guests. And he says it can't be a Republican! So I am drafted.
timewaits, I wish you luck in the shoe decision. I don't suppose you have green chuckies.
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14allandall41
Good friend. Some of us have still got the music inside us AND dreams about the future. There are never enough tomorrows for the like minded, where for others the past and their humming of eventual funeral requiems is their present glimpse of 'life'.
Loved the Wendell Berry comment.
bere, Apologies for the late reply but Jack said it all. At the moment let sleeping dogs lie. - Not that I fear that a talented old dog like Ed will ever curl up in his box and go away.
Summer here. Awesome warm weather. Hope you are enjoying a little of it too.
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Okay, finally changed page number size (but had to go back and change paragraph following page number back to normal size since Word changed that along with the page number size). Managed to do a header. Still can't change indent. Still can't get different header on facing pages. Why is this so difficult? Oh, help.
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Bere-
Welcome to BillyWorld. You will find that MicroSoft is not an innovator, just a bad copycat. I think the "Help" pages have some tutorials. There are also third-party turorials on-line and at the big-box bookstores. (Probably should find then in your local library, also) I still miss composing in a real publishing software on a Mac.
Well. Off to the showers. Big hockey night tonight.
GO WINGS!!!
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LOL bere you have done nothing wrong .don't worry about the avatar . I am glad that was your response. I thought I 'd recognised something that I had not.
Good luck with the riparian entertainment ,as the bucket lady would call it .
Tell him to get pot legalised while you're there.
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lol on microslosh
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publius - I hope your Wings win. I once got a manual from the library when I had an older version of Word for Mac and it was not the least bit helpful. It was one of those Dummies guides and made me wonder if I am below dummy on the intelligence scale. Most discouraging. I am giving up for this evening and will tackle tasks again tomorrow. How on earth am I going to do this for other people (for money!) if I can't do it for myself? If I'm feeling brave tomorrow, I'll try the on-line help. If I can even find it. The two people I know who use Macs know even less than I do, and the local Mac guru has had the nerve to have a new grandchild and has run off to Brooklyn to be with it.
14allhappy - I wish you would tell me who you thought was me. I don't know how to change my nom de blog, but then I haven't tried.
I doubt I'll even be able to tackle Howard on health care, much less pot legalization. But it has occurred to me that I will get to touch the hand (I'm assuming he'll shake hands on introduction) that at some point has touched the hand of Obama! Oooh!
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Hey bere, just borrow a spliff and when you're near him light up like it was the most natural thing in the world and offer him a puff.
14allhappy I like that.
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14allhappy (glad you like it - just can't give up the happy) -
Afraid I don't know anyone to borrow a spliff from. Son is not here. Could always ask Howard if he has one. That might be amusing. "Hey Howie, Dude, got any . . .?"
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Well off to a swore swaree suaree soiree ,
wow should have used plain english.
Hope When I return I get to read what so offended the mods there Bere.
Hope it wasn't something I said.
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14allhappy -
Wow. Cannot figure out why that post disappeared. All I said was I don't know anyone to borrow one [used same word you did] from because Son is not here, and that maybe I could ask Howard for one.
It's really creepy when innocuous posts are pulled the moment they're posted.
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LOL bere I was thinking that was somewhere near the mark.
They are strange.
I notice they did not have the decency to pull the rather sexist a remark against someone you're not so into.
Strange mods indeed.
Gotta go to a Party so Later.
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detroit - In the country; so sorry! It must have been hard to watch.
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timewaits - Do you mean his Wings lost?
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Timewaitsfornoman-
It was painful. The better team definately won the Cup. Aaron stopped watching after the first two minutes of the third period.
The party ended early.
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publius, so sorry. Can you not have a good party if the team loses?
I happen to know that the Washington Redskins lost the Superbowl on January 22, 1984, and everyone we knew was drunk and miserable. Except my husband and me. A few hours later in the wee hours of the 23rd our daughter was born, at home with a midwife, and we had had to call in a 17-year-old neighbor to assist with our two-year-old during the birth because all the people who had said they would come and help were drunk and couldn't drive. I guess they didn't know I would go into labor that night.
I don't remember who won the game; but since we lived in Washington at the time the Redskins' losing was a major tragedy for a lot people we knew.
Just thought maybe I could cheer you up a little with this amusing (to me, anyway!) anecdote.
I wonder if you can guess how I know that PBS in D.C. ran all six hours of "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" on the night of March 21, 1981?
Good night.
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I've taken to looking at the other thread: just for ukwales' verses and Dark Side's 'Valhallagrams'. Nice to see someone has taken up the spirit of the old 'squirrelposts'.
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And I see Bere's bete noire (no accents 4 fear of being cast into outer darkness or the Hebrides 4 fiddling with the Beeb's nice new bloggy thing) is constantly on about posts being 'too long'.
Publisher to Deity:
"Look, this book of yours is a bit long, you know. Nobody's ever going to read anything that size. And you of all people -- er, gods, I mean -- should be thinking of the trees. Can't you just get it all into 144 characters, and then we can txt it instead? We can get somebody to do that 4 u in Word."
"On second thoughts, maybe not until MicroBilly can get the Word manual down to 144 characters as well . . ."
"U c wot I mean? No1 can read that either."
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Re: Ed
if you check out ed's postings on various blog sites, you would notice he works for the bbc, or at least chat's with them on the beach
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207, squirrelist -
When my (now dead) agent read my second manuscript, he said it was "too long" and that I should cut a hundred pages. I was quite surprised, because I don't write lots of flowery filler, I just tell a story. To cut a hundred pages I would have had to do it by cutting sentences here and there. Very upset, I whined to a writer friend. She said, "Change the font size." This amazed me; surely the agent would notice that, I said. Try it, she said. So I went down one font size, the ms. was 75 pages shorter, and the agent was very pleased! He said it was tighter, easier to read. Of course, that one didn't sell either, but none of the rejections complained that it was "too long." Good lesson, that.
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Bere-
Thanks for the cheering words; and the birthing story.
It probably would have helped if we were drunk. Although any number of barley pops were consumed during the game, we were all too sober. (Not a big drinking crowd) The disappointment at the poor performance of our team cast a pall over the festivities. Everybody just sat around in a daze after the game. We had expected our Wings to put in a much better showing of themselves.
Youth triumphed over age. Our older players lost their legs. The toll to their bodies from taking, and giving out, so many hard hits through the play-off series showed itself. Fleury, the goaltender for Pittsburg, did a superb job in the net. He was a wall. As I stated last night, the better team won. Pittsburg played an excellent game.
You have cheered me with the story of your daughter's birth. Very amusing. Also the six hours of TTSS on PBS at the birth of your son. Especially with you not being a big fan of television. It reminded me of sitting in a maturnity waiting room during the wee hours of January 5-6, 1988.
I had checked P into the hospital before parking the car. I was directed to the waiting room on the ward when I came to join her. The only other person in the room was a 16 year old girl. (Her mother was in having a baby) She was watching a Jerry Springer-type show where a bunch of women were dressed in leather corsets, panties, garter belts, and hose. I have no idea what the topic of discussion was. The scene put me into a bemused, surreal state.
After some uncounted minutes I was called to the room to join P. About an hour later we became the proud parents of a strapping, baby boy.
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Timewaitsfornoman-
I'm sure you are busy with wedding preparations at this time, but I wanted to thank you for your thoughts on the Wings lose.
You are sure to hear about the booing from the Detroit fans during the presentation of the Stanley Cup to Pittsburg. The sour grapes were for Bettman, and Bettman only, not the new champions. That will tell you how we feel about the commissioner in this town. We are not bad sports. We were defeated by a better team.
Cheers did go up for Pittsburg when Crosby took the cup, and continued as the champions took turns trading off the cup for their victory laps.
Hope you have beautiful weather like we had yesterday. It's clouded over and cooler here this morning. Enjoy the wedding.
Best wishes to the bride and groom.
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208 soundclash.
Ed does not work for the BBC.
Unfortunately for the BBC;)
But yes he does talk to them because he likes to share.
209 Very big lol there Bere.
Pub better luck next time for the wings.. My boots fell apart ,I think that was an omen.')
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Nuttyi'm with you on the Valhallagrams. good stuff there.
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Soundclash I have to say hi and welcome to this kitchen.
by way of introductions
I'm not jacksforge or happylaze though they are both me, a blacksmith in oregon(though that might have become apparent.)
moved here from the UK when gore bush were still fighting it out.
brought up catholic and remaining firmly agnostic.
Male and caucasian
I'm only asking cause it helps here to have an idea of the people one is talking with. Being a friendly kitchen(though watch out for nasty types popping in to fart) I was just asking out of curiosity.
I like the sounds BTW.
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publius -
I much prefer memories of TTSS than women in leather corsets and garter belts. The midwives had sternly told me to go to bed early every night so as to be rested for labor, but Son was ten days late and I thought what the hell because I really enjoyed TTSS the first time around. PBS ran all six episodes for fundraising and it went on until midnight. An hour later the waters broke, wouldn't you know, but Son didn't make his appearance until 2:30 p.m. Oy, what a day that was. Daughter was much more considerate; she came along only four hours after the midwife took a knitting-needle sort of thing out of her bag and said "Let's get this show on the road, shall we?"
I think you ought to get on your sickle and come for a hike in Groton State Forest. I've been wanting to do that but have no hiking partner. Everybody I know seems to be too decrepit for long hikes. The husbands aren't, but I was informed by someone long ago that single women are not permitted to go hiking with other women's husbands. Is this a law?
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Is this a law?
Yes but lucky for you the cops can't read, so gowon.
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14allhappy, I can't go now, I'm too busy polishing my apple.
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214 happy123456789
I think I'm a brown caucasian wannabe reggae dj
+
here's some more Keith Hudson aka the "Dark Prince of Reggae"
No Skinup
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FCw7qTP7pk
Nuh Skin Up Dub.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaID1Pnsums
Flesh Of My Skin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc5l7oNeBC0&feature=related
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Bere-
As much as I would love a hike in the forest with you I'm not able to do so right now. I'm wearing my war paint on the other thread. It's even keeping me from mowing my lawn:-)
There is a "green" law about single women hiking alone with a married man. It supercedes all other laws and cannot, of itself, be prosecuted. It's called jealousy. The compliment to you is that you are a "looker". You have the wives on their guard.
Or maybe you're an even bigger flirt than I am:-0
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217 Lol bere, but this is what I mean i suspect that Marbles does read these but no comments. I find it entertaining. I'll polish your apple if you like.;)
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publius -
I have never consciously flirted (comments to Sambeard don't count!) but a male friend (married) once told me I ought to wear a T-shirt that said "I'm not flirting, I'm just being friendly." There have been misunderstandings when my friendliness has been misconstrued. This happened here a couple of years ago when an unmarried male friend was quite taken aback, and annoyed, to discover I was not the least bit interested in him as other than a friend. I never acted towards him any differently than I do towards my female friends but his ego chose to think otherwise. I keep forgetting to be reserved around male persons, married or not. Three times over the years I have been accused by married women of trying to steal their husbands, while all the time I was wondering what on earth these women saw in those husbands to have married them!
I am finding your war paint on the other thread very interesting, so am content to wait for the hike. I was just reminded again this morning of wanting to explore Groton State Forest because I overheard some tourists making plans and buying maps. It made me kind of sad.
218, Soundclash -
I'm enjoying your music. I was not familiar with Keith Hudson. Thanks.
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How long will my enemies shine?
Joe Higgs - Songs that my enemy sings
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdOL0zp856M&feature=related
Joe Higgs - World Is Spinning Around
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pZQRfm-_ZQ&feature=related
The Abyssinians - Let My Days Be Long
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ewofjZ9FIc&feature=related
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221. At 8:55pm on 13 Jun 2009, bere54 wrote:
"218, Soundclash -
I'm enjoying your music. I was not familiar with Keith Hudson. Thanks."
+
Greetings Bere
Sometimes you just wanna lean back and nod your head Dread
Or maybe you wanna jus step it, walk and skank, but watch out for the BASS
Are you sure that you're not happy in disguise (or maybe you are under his influence)?
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14allhappy -
Once again a comment of mine has been completely misunderstood by one of the pedantic ones who once again thinks I need a civics and history lesson. Since my comment was directed to you perhaps you'll understand what I meant. I was talking about fairness, a silly concept to some I suppose.
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Hello all,
Busy week, then went for a loooong ride today down some of the back-roadiest back roads in the backwaters of West Quebec. Next time I will take the camera. Saw some very, very beautiful old farmhouses and barns.
Lots and lots of swallowtail butterflies, too.
[Unsuitable/Broken URL removed by Moderator] This tune is for Publius, in war paint.
Yours,
Pinko
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Try that link again.
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224 fairness whats that. I forgot, been in the states too long I suppose.
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Quiet here in the kitchen. Guess everyone is out and about having fun. I'm about to head off to hobnob with Howard Dean. Hope it doesn't turn out to be an ordeal. There might be a speech about watersheds, egads. At least the food should be good.
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
Hello all-
It's been a gorgeous day here in Michigan.
Thanks for the music, Pinko. Looks like my attempt at explaining the concept of "visions" went completely amiss. White eyes see things differently. There is not likely to ever be a resolution as long as the white man thinks they know more about the red man than the red man does.
The issues at Akwesasne remind me of another part of the world.
Bere-
Hope you had a good time with Howard Dean and the river people:-)
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publius -
Thank you, but no, I did not have a good time with Howard Dean and the river people. I won't go into the details because it would be too boring. The only non-boring part was a dog fight, and that was upsetting. My friends' black lab got bitten around her eye. I don't think people should be letting their dogs wander loose around other people's houses where there are dogs. Howard Dean didn't bring a dog, but he did bring a young female intern, or rather she drove him. Apparently Howard doesn't drive; I never knew that. He's lost all that weight he gained while running for the nomination. I spent most of the time, until the dog fight, talking with the intern because we were the only two who really didn't fit in. Besides her, I was the youngest person there. Forty or fifty geezer Connecticut River aficionados.
The food came from a caterer and wasn't very good. There was no beer, only lemonade and iced tea. 'Nuff said.
But the weather was lovely.
I have no patience with some of those on the other thread. I understood your "visions" thing.
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Bere-
Were the iced tea and lemonade any good? It seems with the commercial products being so popular the art of making good lemonade is becoming lost. Had iced tea at a restaurant a couple weeks ago that tasted like thinned mud. How can one ruin iced tea?
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publius -
I didn't taste the iced tea; it was very dark, looked more like coffee. The lemonade was pink and watered down. My friend's husband usually makes their lemonade the real way but couldn't possibly make enough for fifty people, so that came from the caterer too. The egg salad sandwiches had no salt. I suppose caterers cater to those with high blood pressure and cholesterol problems and the rest of us are out of luck. I was forced to bring home leftovers and I plan to add salt and pepper. I don't know if the chicken, turkey, and ham sandwiches had any pizazz as I didn't eat those.
I hope timewaits comes back to the kitchen soon; I want to hear details of the wedding. I hope they didn't have disasters like the wedding my son worked at last weekend where there were fireworks and one of the fireworks-shooting things fell over and was shooting fireworks into the tent and people in gowns and tuxedos were screaming and diving under tables. (Son's current incarnation is catering captain in NYC, which provides almost as many interesting stories as the circus and the tall ship and the gay bar in New Orleans did.)
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Bere-
It's been my experience that fireworks all too often end up in the hands of irresponsible. I hope nobody was burnt.
Your son seems to be having fun with life. Good for him.
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publius -
According to Son, it was a professional fireworks company. But somebody obviously screwed up. No one was seriously hurt. Apparently a man got hit in the face but Son said he was plied with drink and didn't complain. This was a wedding costing in the hundreds of thousands, so you'd think it would have been handled better. Son made lots of money.
He's been wandering around doing different things for ten years now, and I always hope he'll find something and some place he likes enough to settle down. He didn't want debt so didn't go to college. At first it was fun; I'm not sure it still is. Sometimes he worries he should have taken the road more travelled. Or marched to the same drummer. Or whatever. I worry about him. He has the family illness (depression).
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Bere-
The road more traveled holds as many disappointments and achievements. I think I had found a good balance. I, more or less, took the road more traveled to earn my living; while consistantly traveling the road less traveled to enjoy my personal life. I'm not disappointed by either.
One of our climbing partners hit 40 a year ago. He has traveled the western hemisphere climbing rock. He took many different jobs to support himself. Most often a bartender. D was feeling a bit moross one evening and we talked at length about the changes that seem to take place around the age of 40. Basically it boiled down to the fact that he loved his life, had many more plans of rocks to climb, but was having problems with how other viewed him. I told him that if he loved what he did, forget about the perception of other. He seemed to feel better about things after we talked that night and the next day.
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230. At 00:18am on 15 Jun 2009, publiusdetroit wrote:
Hello all-
Looks like my attempt at explaining the concept of "visions" went completely amiss.
I don't think any of them grasped it. I'm not surprised. Much easier to fall back on a few racial stereotypes a handful of prejudices and generalisations. As most of them appear to be doing on that thread. Rather unsavoury altogether I thought. Limited spiritual experience (and/or reading about it, and/or insight) I reckon. It got me thinking though, so thanks from me anyway.
(Dammit. Fortunately I proofread this -- I'd gone and written "drinking" the first time instead of "thinking". Shows you how insidious generalisations can be, doesn't it?
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publius -
Thanks for your insights. Sometimes we do let our self-esteem be brought down because of how others see us. The one validation my son has right now is that all his friends who did go to college are no better off, no happier, and have heavy debt from college. But so many people judge others by whether they have a college "education" rather than what they know and what they can do. My son has a passion for history and knows far more history than his college-educated peers.
squirrelist -
I have also found a lot of those comments to be unsavory. Particularly the ones about alcoholism. I'm glad publius didn't drive you to drink. I know little about native culture and would not presume to lecture others about it.
Have you read Charles Frazier's (Cold Mountain) second novel (for which he received an $8 million advance!)? Shoot, I can't remember the title and my son's got the book. But it's about the native people of North Carolina. Frazier spent about 8 years researching it.
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Squirrelist-
Those with limited spiritual experience would have a very difficult time understanding the importance of spirituality in the life of the red man.
The 'visions' concept is often difficult for those with spirituality to grasp. I'm glad it has you thinking. It is an interesting mental playground.
The hybredized, commercial tobacco of today is much different (I dare say probably made addictive) from the native wild tobacco. It was not used constantly as is used today. One gets a 'heady' euphoria that may facilitate the vision state. Alcohol works the same way and is addictive, no matter what skin one wears. A euphoric state is attractive when one's means have been taken away from them. A lack of food by the over-harvesting of game had a more dynamic effect on the red people that is another of the factors leading to alcoholism.
I catagorize three basic kinds of drunks. Funny, mean, and stupid. My red Grandfather and his children are stupid drunks. Put enough whiskey into them, they become stupid, mean drunks.
My red Grandfather did not drink every day. He would even go weeks without a drink; then get stupid drunk. Sometimes it was a one night bender. Sometimes (not often) he would go on as much as a week-long spree.
My father has many tales of going out with his father-in-law and had one rousing good time until the Old Man decided to provoke a fight, just for the hell of it. When I came to legal drinking age it became my role to "back up the Old Man" when he wanted to go out to get drunk and rowdy.
I have to confess. It was fun! Grandfather could handle himself in a fight amazingly well; even in his 70's.
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Hi folks, I got a message about URL links failing.
This is just a little sound test to check if the the valve amp has warmed up
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4L4w6SIdto
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVO2K58NkHE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cKcCI1Mklo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdqZDoRRPts
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTA8__shevs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SKW1fa3Uis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4_xG0MO14I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9DzffTg5xI
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Morning All -
In the country, still the complicated keyboard, but I'll try!
Wedding - huge success! Outside, beautiful day\evening and for all you non religious types, this is the ceremony for you. Performed by my niece (older sister of the bride), no mention of God and legal! My older sister, a poet, wrote (at the request of M the bride) a wonderful poem. All admitted it was a great ceremony.
bere - You should get a kick out of this - I asked Lily Pond sister what she was going to wear, she said she had a "green dress." Uh Oh! What about the outfit from older niece's wedding? No, no she didn't want to wear that! She turned up looking like she had been pulled through a bush backwards wearing a long knit dress. Son R's girlfriend discreetly said to him, "Uhmmm I think your aunt's dress is inside out." And it was! Oh dear! I believe she changed in the car as of course did not want to wear a dress any longer than necessary.
I was pleased that many people I had not seen in years (the last wedding?) told me I looked good. That was nice.
Naturally P, being a musician, has many musician friends so there was some great music! All performed, it was wonderful, they are very talented. No fireworks! Lots of drinking though! Oh boy! Happy drunks but incoherent!
detroit - Re: booing - Not to worry - In the clip I posted from the Hab's last Stanley Cup, boos clearly heard, and they won at home! All directed at Bettman. I think Charbonneau was the Captain and in the clip he is seen trying to wrestle the cup out of Bettman's hands!
Have found, if I stare at the keyboard instead of the screen, I make more progress! Post still a little "iffy!"
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publiusdetroit # 239
Enjoyed your recent offerings on the blog.
I include below a few links to pieces concerning other indigenous peoples whose road through life draws a parallel with your experiences in America.
Perhaps deciding to remove myself from the accepted ratrace and get back to nature, I too will be regarded by many as suffering a mental "walkabout" myself but who cares.
Mans cruelty to fellow man knows no bounds, and I can only relate the disorientation of any folk who are at one with the land, the sea, the creatures we share this planet with, even the air that surrounds us, with my own claustrophobia -yet for them, a situation a million times worse.
You cannot build anything be it a country or day to day economy by removing the identity, foundations and life of those who preceded us.
http://www.janesoceania.com/australia_aboriginal_whitesettlers/index1.htm
http://www.eng.umu.se/E3ht03/Frida/
http://www.didjshop.com/AboriginalCulture_ExploitationForEconomicPurposes.html#1_1
http://globalclimatechangeaction.org/ScarcityMentality
Darwinism, Creationism or Dreamtime. It appears that finding the balance in all thoughts and actions or reactions will make us or mar us. Some who appear to just concentrate on the bad aspects and individuals of any group are just pulling the wool over their own eyes.
Always glad to read your balanced responses, because an archer mean!
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Bere-
Went looking on-line for the Fraser novel. Thirteen Moons: A Novel is the title you are trying to remember.
Timewaitsfornoman-
Nice to hear the wedding was enjoyable and the weather was fine. I hope somebody let Lily Pond Sister know she was wearing her dress with the tags showing.
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Watermanaquarius-
Thanks for the links. The Scarcity Mentality link (last on the list) explains the aboriginal mindset well. Also helps explain some of the dynamics taking place at Akwesasne where a people have become divided. Some not wanting to give up community of the old ways; others assimilating the worst vices of the conquerors.
The red man had very parallel Abundance concepts. Why hoard possesions when Grandmother Earth provided everthing? Grandmother Earth is viewed as a living being. A very generous living being who feeds her children in abundance, and gives gifts to the children. Tearing her flesh to get minerals is akin to tearing into your mother's breast to take her heart. Dumping waste into her streams, like deficating into her mouth then wondering why the milk of her breasts makes one sick. Stripping her covering of forests is to destroy her endless larder. Why would a people do such absurd things?
Alas; the white man came and called us uncivilized and ignorant as they slowly murdered Grandmother Earth to fulfill their strange, self-destructive 'End Time' prophecies. Too many of them still want the red man to become as they are and will not relent until there is only their destructive, lustfull will, and their gods.
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timewaits - The wedding sounds delightful. I love it that there was no mention of gods or, presumably, gods' offspring. And your sister's dress! Sounds like a woman I would get along well with! I could have lent her my green chuckies to go with her green dress.
The daughter of some friends had a big outdoor wedding on their farm a couple of years ago and the couple chose a local Episcopal minister, and my friends, atheist and agnostic, were startled, as was I, that the name "Jesus" was prominent throughout the service. It seemed as if the ceremony was more about him than about the couple. My friends have known the minister "socially" for decades and he'd never seemed particularly religious!
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publius -
Thanks for looking up the book title. I have a terrible memory for titles. Frazier is not, as far as I know, of native blood and some people object to books being written by people who don't inhabit the skin, though the main character is white, but he is scrupulous about his research.
A woman I know here recently published a young adult novel about a eugenics program practiced on the Abenaki in Vermont in the 1930's. I hear the book is excellent (I have not read it because it has gruesome parts and I just can't read that kind of stuff anymore) but the author has received a lot of nasty comments on her blog from certain people because she has dared to write a book about the Abenaki when she is white. They feel that only native peoples should be allowed to write about native peoples. But no one has, at least not about this particular thing. This author also did extensive research.
If you're interested, it's called The Darkness Under the Water, by Beth Kanell.
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Morning Kitchen.. I have to say I have a hard time when the origional inhabitants are given crap by newcomers(oh and All US Not natives are newcomers).Anywhere in the world.
bere (groups of old stuffy ,wait , I know that feeling... As the Dip Brat I used to find the staff and drivers way more interesting than most of the visitors.
lol " it was a professional fireworks company."
Well I'm the sort that doubts those that call them selves professionals. I always assumed that if it is their business then of course they are professional.
That makes no comment on the quality of work.;)
Pub I gotta laugh. I posted on the other thread and just read your comment here 244.
though not native of anywhere myself I gotta say I have tried the walkabout and the starvation for days thing.( money was the issue) and being a self taught crazy I smoked up some while I was getting hungry.
I full on , tripped my nuts off ,,,, as they say (opps squirrels in the room, don't say nuts).
More than once.
(mods tripping on lack of food is not encouraging any illegal activity )
But I am as unspiritual as they get so I just had fun.
(well sort of)(might have helped if I had not been eating little in the days running up to them interesting times.
Time, Glad fun was had by all.But how does one get a dress inside out?
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On weddings. I met my sweet at one. A typical Eugene style wedding.
Every one in tie dyes and hippy cloths ( batik for me).
There were prayers to some aspect of just about every religion possible from the winds on.
Bands were welded as in the days of old,
( FAI blacksmiths used to perform the ceremony of wedding peoples)
strange but great day.
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245 bere - He's a minister! That's what they do!
My niece applied for and received government permission/forms allowing her to "Officiate." She is very clever and witty and did a fabulous job. She was thrilled when she got to the part, "With the power invested in me..." The ceremony really was charming.
P's four year old niece, with much concentration, scattering rose petals in their path, very cute.
P and his friends, most from Toronto, are performers not garage musicians so put on a great "show."
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" never seemed particularly religious!"
bere , come now he was a "minister".
with a religion.;) kinda clue isn't it?
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timewaits & happy -
Yes, he was a minister, but because he always acted like a normal person I guess they didn't expect it to be so religious! I've now been to three Episcopal weddings and the first two didn't have all that Jesus stuff in them. But I'm not sure why the bridal couple didn't get some non-religious person to perform the ceremony, as I don't think either of them have set foot inside a church for many many years.
But what was funny was that my friends had never seen this guy doing his "minister" thing as they had never been to his church and so apparently forgot that he is actually a religious person. They just saw him as an old friend. And I think they thought that he would know that no one was religious and would therefore tone it down. Obviously he thought otherwise!
I don't think the bride and groom cared because they were both in tears throughout the ceremony and could barely get their lines out. First time I ever saw a groom cry. Quite sweet, actually.
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Bere-
I have little trouble with a white author writing about red ways if they first understand that there are two seperate philosophies involved. I have pointed out previously that Henry Schoolcraft documented the northern Great Lakes tribes with great admiration and understanding. Another white author, Johann Georg Kohl, documented the Ojibway in 1855, Kitch-Gami: Life Amoung The Lake Superior Ojibway with respect and admiration. The efforts of these authors, and many more are priceless. These are the only record we have of many tribes who were erased from the earth. Even an author like Zane Gray was quite aware of red culture and wrote of it rather well in his western novels.
Too many authors seem to use the distorted "Penny Novel" types of publications from the 1800's as their references to red culture. Or the heavily biased reports from government Indian Agents and missionaries who had an agenda to change the red man into a white man. (Or worse) The kind of stuff that made the Hollywood oaters. Or their own white culture gets in the way when they are trying to understand something as complex as 'visions' and the spirit world.
On the other hand; it was difficult for the red man to understand the concepts of the white Christians. The red man only had one god, the Creator. The Christians have three. God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit; and they themselves have a real tough time understanding and explaining the last one of their three-in-one gods. Early red converts just changed things around until it fit into their world view.
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publius -
Just had a nice chat with a phone company lady, about the calls for my icky neighbor. If I want to spend $5.57 a pop I can press star something and get the calls traced. The latest ones (four in the last week) have all been recordings and the phone company lady said if I listen long enough to get a phone number I can then report that number to the police for phone harassment. Since the recordings say "If this is a wrong number, just hang up" and I keep doing so and it keeps calling, I would call that harassment. I know it's the same place each time because the recording mispronounces her name the same way each time. So I'll opt for the option that won't cost me money.
But now I know I'm not the only one this happens to; the nice phone lady said she gets a recorded call every single day on her cell phone, using up her minutes, asking for the same guy, who is not her. And there's nothing she can do to make it stop.
Maybe this is one of the small things I should stop sweating about.
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publiusdetroit # 252.
Your remark about government Indian agents reminds me about an occurrence concerning my brother who spent 25 years assisting Australian Aborigines in their rights and requirements.
Every culture, job or profession has it's good and bad elements but my brother, in his then capacity as representative for the Department of Aboriginal Affairs- Northern Territory was one of the good guys.
No job too big or small in securing the most beneficial result for the community, he was taken into their hearts and in his free time was invited to every local happening. Just a result perhaps of nobody thinking in black or white and all shades in between, but realising that an individuals true colour is what shines from his heart.
Invited on a fishing trip and with the days fishing over, it was time to return the beached boat to the water. My 6foot 5inch brother in water up to his chest was assisting the group with water up to their necks when they began to recount a true tale of a 4 - 5 metre salt water crocodile that had been seen in the vicinity.
In no time at all, he suddenly understood the calmness exhibited by his fellow fishermen, realising they felt at one with the water, they were in fact just part of the water and all the creatures swimming in it.
Worrying that his European white skin would be perhaps too much of a temptation for any crocodile to resist, he tells humorous stories involving instantaneous shape shifting qua size colour form etc so as to swallow his fears, blending in to resemble just another form of the local guys, eventually to return to the safety of dry land.
When in Rome do as the Romans do? Mind over matter? Go with the flow? Learn to bend instead of breaking? Or just a tall story?..
Perhaps the latter. I might have his length wrong. He could be only 6 foot 4inches.
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Our summer has taken a turn for the worse. At the weekend it was reported that a 14 yr old girl had suffered serious injuries in a jet ski accident. Today we learnt that she has died, and that the boys knew her from the summer day camp they attended last year. Our thoughts are with her parents.
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seanspa, that's so sad. A terrible start to your boys' summer. I do not like those jet skis. Her poor parents.
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Watermanaquarius-
Great story! Sounds as if your brother is one of the good agents. Henry Schoolcraft was also one of the good Indian Agents and worked for native interests all his life. Even long after leaving the Indian Agency.
Courage means very much to native people. It may be even more prized than loyalty.
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seanspa -
I liked your comment #6 on the new thread. It's odd that some people seem to be completely blind to the fact that an awful lot of Iranians seem to think the vote counting was not legitimate. I'm commenting on it here because I don't want to get into it with the intolerant ones over there. But maybe someone will point out to Richard that the almost immediate announcement of the results before there was time for the votes to have been counted is highly suspicious to a lot of people, not just Americans. He sounds like a propagandist for Ahmadenajad. And I'm not kidding about that.
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bere, we have a number of posters who blindly support particular governments, and tolerate no criticism. It can make them look rather foolish with their head in the sand approach. You have to wonder why they do it!
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No more of Babylon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjXPhdc7rpc&feature=PlayList&p=FAE4801EE658CF0B&index=16&playnext=7&playnext_from=PL
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publiusdetroit # 257
Thank you for the kind remark about my brother, and courage.
I believe he was also pleased that he was wearing his brown corduroy shorts at the time as well.
Ex boy scouts are always prepared for everything.
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Morning all - Another beautiful day.
seanspa - Sorry to hear of the terrible tragedy. Life is so fragile. I know a couple (not seen in years) who lost two children through two separate accidents. I don't know how they survived. A 12 yr old daughter whom we knew well, killed in a car accident (I was borderline in shock when told) and a 3 yr old son, born after, who was not a replacement child mother made clear, who drowned. When that tragedy occurred my brain could not compute what I was being told.
Not to dwell on death but... we were at a funeral parlour last night for one of M's uncles-in-law. That part of his family was not expecting him to turn up so were thrilled to see him. Even though he knew he would be, it was nice for him to be so warmly welcomed.
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Sweet Chariot
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VR5Kr0Rm3T4&feature=PlayList&p=FAE4801EE658CF0B&index=19&playnext=10&playnext_from=PL
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The weather is beautiful here but I can't call it a beautiful morning. Heard Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebalius on NPR. She stated that a single-payer health care system is not going to happen in this country, and then laughed as she went on to say that single-payer proponents are furious. Ha ha. So amusing.
Does anyone notice that Obama is talking about universal coverage? Not universal health care. Big difference. His aim seems to be that everyone will pay for insurance, that will then refuse to pay the medical bills, as they do so often now for those who are "covered."
Sweeping reform? No. More profits for the insurance industry and shareholders? Yes. That seems to be the point. Watch the government plan go down the toilet before a bill ever reaches Obama for his signature.
They like the Massachusetts system. More people have insurance there now; fewer people are getting actual health care. Politicians are ignoring the second part of that.
What a joke. No wonder Sebalius laughs.
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Tafari is the Captain of my Ship
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2QdRFpGPAM&feature=related
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Listening to another NPR program right now. One of the guests is a Dr. Wellman (sp?), retired Harvard professor, former editor of the New England Journal of Medicine. He has mentioned the polls I've heard about that indicate that a majority of physicians (despite the position of the AMA leadership) and a majority of the American public want a single-payer universal health care system. He calls the insurance companies "parasitic middlemen." Says health care should be a social service, not a for-profit business, and that the insurance companies contribute nothing of value to society.
Why are people like Dr. Wellman (and the majority of the public) being ignored (or ridiculed) by the Administration and Congress? Money money money money money . . . . . Not the money health care would cost, the money the politicians are making off the current system.
Sorry for the harangue. Better go out for a walk.
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bere - I'm really sorry to hear that, although from what I have been hearing recently, not surprised.
I don't know what to say other than my usual; the country is too big!! That's my take.
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Good morning to all-
Sun is shining, birds are singing.
Seanspa-
I've given the lose of your sons' friend much thought. The untimely death of one so young is always heartening. My tender thoughts are with her family; and with yours.
Young people see themselves immortal and take poorly calculated risks. One of the more difficult tasks as a parent is to teach risk accessment to a youngster, especially when high-speed toys like jet-skis, snowmobiles, dirt bikes, etc. come into play. I used rock climbing as a means to teach Aaron good risk assessment skills; then trained, trained, trained, and trained him in rock climbing skills before we ever hit a real rock face. Same thing with firearm safety. First stop, firearms and hunting safety classes. Then more personal training handling an unloaded weapon with only him and I in the area. Then several hours of shooting training at a well-controlled range. Finally, field training with loaded weapon on his first hunt.
Too many parents provide only rudimentary training, if any, to youngsters prior to letting them out on jet-skis and the like. A sure formula for trouble.
High-speed toys have a mystical call for reckless behavior, no matter how old the child. Even an old man like me has to fight back the temptation to do reckless things on my motorcycle when my inner-child says, "That would be soo coool!". Fortunately, my outer-old man says, "That would be sooo stupid!", and wins the decision.
I had used the untimely, accidental deaths of a couple of Aaron's acquaintances to sit down and examine with him what things went wrong to cause the accident and what things could have been done to prevent it occuring. Adding that youth is not an armor shield. Death comes even to the young.
It has worked...so far...
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detroit - But sometimes things just happen! Although I do know what you are talking about. Risks taken in youth - when I think back.... yikes!!
I was hit by a car when I was 17. I was not being irresponsible, it was a series of events that led to being hit by an old man on a dark, wet, November evening. The thought flashed through my mind, "This is a joke but it is going to hurt like hell," before blacking out (I don't recall the impact). I came to, lying on the road looking up into the grill of his car. Another two, three feet and I would be dead!
Remarkably, only slightly injured. What a night that was! Many stories, one being it led to marrying M!!
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Timewaitsfornoman-
Now you leave us dangling. Was M the old man behind the wheel?:-) Did M come to your aid like a knight in rain-shined armor? Was he the dashing young insurance adjuster who settled your claim? Maybe M was working his way through college as a city desk reporter and came to hospital to interview you? I got it! I got it! M was the handsome, young intern who treated you at the hospital!
As you can see; when you leave a blank space in a story like that, I get to fill in the blank;-)
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Bere
As usual when crap is said by politicians of the dems phoned the "donation line" where they will take comments.
Told them that If the lady doesn't believe it possible then sack her.
Nay sayers don't find the answers.
If she thinks it funny ... sack her.
The docs are getting worried they will have to scale back their summer house s from 80000 Sqft to 60000 Sqft.
Like there's a guy running British airways that was asking staff to give up wages, he 's leading by example. he's giving up a month of his salary . 61,000 pounds.
WhaT?
And they rich wonder why people like me talk revolution the whole time.
12 times a good salary and he thinks he's giving something up.
Many are getting way overpaid (GM EXecutives eg) ,Doctors are often right up there. (not the ones that took the oath seriously but the others.
NPR northwest passage had a story last night with a lady that wandered around for 5 days trying to get her prescription filled.
good show last night
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=105417097
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happy - I agree with you re: bootstraps. As far as I am concerned, "If I, they, you, he can do it, anyone can," is a no go.
Don't recall if I mentioned this; I was a Church Secretary!! for several years and had all kinds pass through my office looking for help. (I was well loved because I am kind and compassionate - in case that has not come through in my posts!!) Some hardly had bootstraps to pull up!! So many contributing factors and some of the situations these people would find themselves in would boggle my mind.
Canada has many social services but they were still not enough to help some with their lives of quiet desperation. Literally I would be face to face with someone (under different circumstances) I would cross the street to avoid. I quickly learnt they are all people and I had a relationship with each and every one.
Of interest to you - one was Jamaican, Winston and he was always telling me how he wanted to go "walking with me in St. Elizabeth"!! Or if not that, to go to his place!!!! so he could make me curried goat. (I do love curried goat, but had to pass on the invite, tempting though it was!)
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14allandall41-
Too bad she didn't live in Detroit. We have so many drug outlets competing for business they are available 24/7 and even have drive-by service. None of them even require a prescription.
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Thanks time. I laugh at those that don;'t take luck into account.
I was looking for an Anvil for 3years. second hand cheap. had to buy brand new for top price becasue the old anvils kept arriving at others shops who already had multiple anvils.
"well you'll use it" as they give it to a guy with 10 anvils (you can only work on so many at a time.ONE)
luck was not with me and I did get my anvil. but others had luck a piece of land they can run a smithy on and some tools given by locals.
I may not have the tools but at least my bootstrap pulling of learning properly how to forge has given me access to others shops. but I cannot get much further without that land and some luck.
Still I'll enjoy a bowl and not worry. Cause I do know I still have way more luck than all those abused in childhood and left to society.
Or whatever the reason is.
PS have you seen the film I linked. Lars and..
It was funny I thought 'i'm not sure if I want to watch this one. but boy it was a laugh.
The reaction of the church(in the film) is great.and not what you would think it would be.
Anyway I'm going to go take advantage of the luck and loan of a strap and go work at a friends shop today so. later all.
Sean I am sorry about the death of your sons friends.
I'll say little more because I always hated jet skies and motor boats.
(though sailing can be dangerous as well)
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detroit - "No" to all of the above. Good guesses though. There was a knight but he was the Police Officer (he carried!! me from the ambulance to emergency - that got the nurses hopping!!) and an insurance agent, neither M. No reporter.
M's story; I knew him through a group of friends. He was at a "bar frequenting" stage in his life and while I was bedridden he would go out of his way (to the bar) to stop in and visit me. I asked him years later, Why? as we did not know each other well. Now that was a perfect opportunity for him to sing my praises, admit his adoration, but instead said, "I don't know"!! But for whatever reason, he did and when a friend had a New Year's Eve party, I invited him to attend. At the party, he put his hand on my knee, with lit cigarette and prompting burnt a huge hole in my brand new Christmas stockings!! (They were Hanes and cost $3.00!! a pair - unheard of! Best stocking I ever had, wore them once! for half an evening), but I still married him.
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happy - Some is no/luck and some poor choices made in the past they are still paying for (not necessarily with money). Not everyone has the intelligence to figure out what should be done. One woman with two young children had a husband in jail for unpaid parking tickets!! (it must have been really bad, or a lie, as we don't usually jail people for that!). I just wanted to throw up my hands, Why?
I could tell so many stories about how they attempted to change their situation and it all came to naught (except cost them money they could ill afford, putting them even further behind). Some people are easily beaten, some have low self esteem and some in the US dare to get sick and find themselves bankrupt, it goes on and on.
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Timewaitsfornoman-
I'm glad to hear you didn't let a little thing like $3.00 stockings stand in the way of love:-)
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timewaits -
That's a good story, even if M didn't sing your praises. Takes my mind off health stuff and ISBNs. So I'll continue with the story of my big romance, and expect others on here to do the same!
Met Z briefly when I was 16, at a synagogue youth group convention. He was 22, group leader, my best friend had a crush on him, I had a crush on a guy named Stan, who was my group leader.
Two years later met Z again in Jerusalem, reintroduced by another friend (J) who'd known him all her life. Z didn't remember me. He'd just arrived back in Jerusalem, I was about to go home. Z said if I was ever back in Jerusalem he would take me out to dinner.
A bit over a year later, ran into Z again at another youth convention; I was a group leader, he was there in no official capacity. Had moved back here, disillusioned with Israel. I reminded him of his offer of dinner. He said, "Uh, yeah, if you're ever in D.C." (He didn't remember!) I said, "I'm going back to D.C. to stay with friend J for a few days after the convention." He said, "Call me." That night he told a story at the campfire (his specialty). I fell in love. Called him. Went to Greek restaurant with belly dancers. Then back to college (summer classes).
Two weeks later dropped out of that college, moved to D.C. and into his apartment (at his invitation), transferred to another college. I was 19, he was 25. Four years later got married (Z's idea because we needed stuff). The end.
(Stan married a kibbutznik and became a banana farmer.)
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detroit - "Little?" They cost $3.00!! And when I think of the care I was going to take of those stocking!! Come to think of it, he didn't replace them! I must ask him about that.
But, I'm a forgiving person, most of the time!
R's girlfriend asked about our wedding (at my niece's) and M admits he remembers virtually nothing and he means it! About the only thing he does remember is that Daisy deBolt attended (a friend of a friend) and that she was wearing rubber boots!! Ahhhh...memories!
We do have some great photos. M went out the day before to purchase a blue blazer; it needed some alteration. Told the sales clerk there was no time as the wedding was the next day. The sales clerk could not believe he had left it so late - but he had! So he wore the blazer as is and we have a series of photos taken at the reception of him putting his arms around the four sisters and all the price tags/labels still attached. Oh dear, we are all rocking with laughter!
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Sean is now 14 and a half. Old enough to drive, or at least to learn how to drive. Now that is scary. Is this the start of letting go? And do you suddenly find religion and the need to pray?
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seanspa - 14 1/2! I don't remember my sons driving at that age! Maybe 15 1/2, license at 16. I'll have to ask them. Sounds young to me, but as I might have mentioned, my memory is going!! It was ten years ago.
He sounds like a responsible young man, as my son R is, and that is all you can hope for. Son G, not so responsible and I was dreading him getting his license. He then surprised us by not being that interested and was perhaps 18-19 before he got around to it. Then racked up untold parking tickets so is now not allowed to drive our vehicle! And since he does not have a car, no worries there!
P.S. You never really let go! You just do the best you can, wish them luck and hope for the best. If you want to throw in a prayer, you can do that too.
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seanspa - a kid can get a learner's permit at 14 and a half in Idaho? That is scary. Can you make him wait?
You know what I did? When each of my kids got their learner's permit (at 15), I hired a young man who was not only a very good driver but a very good teacher, and he made sure they knew how to drive well before they ever took driver training. Partly this was because I wanted them to learn to drive a 5-speed (my car) before they learned automatic, but also because I didn't have much faith in the driver's ed teachers at the school. My goal was to have them really learn how to drive, and drive safely, not just to pass a class. Also, my goal was not to make myself insane by trying to teach them myself. Making damned sure they're good drivers is much better than finding religion!
If I hadn't been a single mom I might have made them wait to drive. Things are a little complicated when there's only one parent and no public transportation.
Oh - something I learned from a John Irving novel but was never taught in driver's ed: When waiting to make a left turn, don't ever turn the wheels to the left; if a car rearends you, you'll be pushed over into oncoming traffic.
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bere - A big fan - A Widow For One Year, one of his best books, I think. Although hard to top A Prayer for Owen Meaney. But I thought The Fourth Hand was gibberish!
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They really can start driver's ed at 14.5 here. So many hours clocked up, pass a test, and then a permit for 6 months, keep a clean record in that time and then they're off. OK, some limitation around number of teenagers allowed in the car and driving at night.
Although you need to be 17 to get a license in the UK, I got my first one at 16. Admittedly this was in nigeria. My dad asked the licensing guy if I could get one, he asked for 4 new tires for his car, and that was that. I then got to learn driving up and down a runway. Only one flight a day, so I had it pretty much to myself.
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I was eighteen when I got my license. My father taught me. We lived in a house well back from, and facing down the road. The driveway curved into the garage. So the first thing I had to master was backing out of the garage, around the curve, and down to the road. I learnt how to drive backwards and as a result I'm a very good "backer-upper." No trouble parallel parking.
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In matters of love, I must resort to doggerel. Forgive me.
My wife I met
While conjugating verbs, and
while noun declensions
addled my brain.
In Russian, of course.
Her skills in all these things
were vastly superior to my gormless
enthusiasm, which had, god knows why,
propelled me into this world of the genetive,
the dative, the nominative, the accusative ...
Lost as I could be,
she patiently explained the differences between gerund
and participle phrases
(like I cared),
but did not flinch
when my leg
touched hers
under the classroom table.
She was all of nineteen. I was 21.
Yours,
Pinko
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Seanspa-
Get ready. Your first parental test is coming soon.
"Dad can I have the keys to the car?"
Now you get to find out how good of a job you have been doing in the raising of your child. If you have done well, thus far, Sean will be a responsible young man who is able to make good decisions. Make the rules simple and few. My two rules for Aaron:
1) If you drink, DO NOT DRIVE. NEVER! I will be very happy to come get you if you do end up drinking while at a party, or whatever.
2) Before you leave, tell me the general place you are heading to and what time you will be home. If the time you said you will be home is nearing and you cannot make it in time without speeding and/or reckless driving, call me let me know when you will be able to make it home.
I explained to him that if those rules were broken there would be more rules added; and I hate making up more rules.
Aaron never broke the rules. We enjoyed those years most parents dread. He made good choices. It was still hard to watch him drive off. That's one of those things that make you take a big gulp and say to yourself, "I guess I'll see if he has been listening all these years."
While he was driving with a learners permit I was happy to let him do all the driving. I corrected some bad habits before they became embedded too deep. Tailgating is one of those habits young drives develop early.
Good luck, pa!
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chrono, that was lovely! Russian? Really? I studied Spanish, German, and Hebrew with no problem (all at the same time during my high school years) but was completely stymied by Russian and dropped it after about two weeks in my first semester of college. So discouraging. Such a blow to my self-esteem.
And now of course I remember very little of any language, even English! My vocabulary, along with my brain cells, slips out through my ears at night while I'm sleeping.
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chrono - That was lovely and very sweet. And said a lot in a few words.
If you managed to plough (could we as Canadians not say plow? This spell check does not like it.), through all of the above you would have read that my older sister is a poet and a rather good one. Unfortunately she has little happiness in her life so they are of the desperation, love lost, regret variety. Which I find hard to accept all because she did not "pull herself up by her bootstraps"!! in the love department! But instead writes poetry.
I don't know if they are still on sale, but if you go to Quebec look for Moosehead beer. A case comes with an attractive train engineer type cap. Give the beer to your friends as M does! Then when you come to my place, after taking off your helmet you can put it on. In that way, I will know which one of the many "bonnies" arriving with be yours!! I'll do the same. What do you think?
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All International is the same..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDjmCbw21Xw&feature=PlayList&p=FAE4801EE658CF0B&index=23&playnext=14&playnext_from=PL
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The father of a friend of mine spoke 14!! languages (some dialects he was quick to point out - Oh well in that case....). The last he mastered was English!
Very tragic story. 40 years ago, he started to lose his memory/mind. This was pre-Alzheimer days so there were no facilities to help. They just kept sending him home for his wife to look after him. She could not handle watching this happen to her 50 something, brilliant husband so attempted to kill him!! That brought help PDQ!! To add to the tragedy, the authorities were convinced she true aim was to kill her husband so would not allow her to see him for over a year. He died soon after. I was staggered when he told me the story!
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timewaits, is your poet sister one of those women who have really terrible judgment when it comes to men? I have a dear friend like that, and I have been baffled for over thirty years now over the men she chooses to join up with. She is alone now, but not for not trying. She was doing internet "dating" (and how can you be dating someone you've never seen??) and once accidentally sent me an email meant for some guy and it was truly dreadful. I stopped reading and deleted it as soon as I realized it wasn't meant for me but at first I thought she was insane, sending me such drivel!
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291, timewaits - That is sad. I have a friend now whose husband (also brilliant, composer and music professor at Columbia U.) developed dementia in his 50s (they say it's different from Alzheimer's) but no one knew what was wrong for a long time; or rather no one would face it until his students rebelled. I think he flunked them all for no reason or something. Maybe he ripped up their exams. Anyway, it was the students who made everyone face facts. His wife thought he was having a mid-life crisis. He's just turned 65 and lives in a "facility." My friend brings him up to their house here in the summers and I've met him. Very pleasant man. Very tall, good-looking. Stands in a corner like a stork and smiles occasionally. Never speaks. He's like a child and can strike out when annoyed because he can't express himself. Got kicked out of one facility because he hit an old man who peed in his bed (I would have hit the old man too!). The new place has more supervision.
My friend is very resilient, calls me when she needs to holler and whine. I understand because my husband had dementia towards the end too.
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bere - No my poet sister has been with the wrong man for over 30 years! She is the one whose husband was killed in the tragic accident. She married someone "completely different" hoping that would keep him alive, as husband number one was accidentally but rashly the architect of his own death. She knew it was a mistake from day one but when questioned said, "I don't want to be looking for a third husband." How's that for staying in an unhappy marriage? She finds herself with an overweight, fairly successful business man who likes to grope young girls!! Including his wife's niece, the bride at her own wedding!! At one point she came over the M and me saying she was hiding out from him! OMG! pathetic!
Sister Two goes through men like water. Is single at the moment and says she will stay that way (we'll see) after leaving serious relationship five!! Only married one of them. She is the mother-of-the-bride.
Lily pond you know. She is currently on her fourth serious relationship and what a collection of men they have been!! My favourite (12 years) was number three, but we're not allowed to talk about him.
I really don't understand as my parents had a good marriage.
Reading that must have been painful, I would have been so embarrassed and gone through all kinds of "mind sweeping" exercises. Delete, delete from memory!
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Lassies -- thank you for being kind.
bere -- Russian it was. It was 1983. Reagan wanted war -- learning Russian seemed a perfectly logical response. I wanted to save the world.
timewaits -- I don't know. Railroad hats ... hmm ... it would be unmistakable. Where are all these other bonnies coming from?
Yours,
Pinko
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293 bere - That sounds very similar, but as I said because this happened 40 years ago there were no facilities. The family was told he did not belong in a psychiatric hospital so kept sending him home. She was at her wits' end. I have to give her credit, she did find help for her husband, albeit through rather drastic measures. And paid a heavy price by not being allowed to see him. At least she wasn't arrested!
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I dunno why that got referred. Maybe it'll show up tomorrow.
timewaits -- your sisters sound like they were the inspiration for at least a dozen Leonard Cohen songs.
And as I said above -- the hats -- c'mon, I'll be wearing black leather. Doesn't go.
Yours,
Pinko
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294, timewaits - So what are you, some kind of misfit, being married to the same good man all these years? Your sisters must think you're strange! My sister has been married four times, and now is living again with her third husband, though they haven't remarried. Her first, second, and fourth husbands were pretty ghastly. The only thing wrong with the third one is he's boring (at least that's what she says). At least I've only ever had one husband. But some people think that's strange, considering he died almost twenty years ago.
It was painful, reading that email. It was about four years ago and I still shudder when I remember it. All weird stream of consciousness about goats and horses and wildflowers and doing something in the woodpile. Gross. And no salutation, which is why I didn't know immediately it wasn't for me.
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
chrono, some schoolmarm must be on duty tonight and she's rapping your knuckles, naughty boy.
I'm falling asleep over Robertson Davies but I don't think it's his fault.
Zzzzzzzzz
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the mods seem to have taken a sudden dislike to my tinyurls.
I was trying to link to this Len tune which the sister stories put me in mind of.
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Mods -- tinyurl requires no software on the opening end. It is simply a way of avoiding the rogue line breaks that the beeb blogware inserts into long urls.
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All weird stream of consciousness about goats and horses and wildflowers and doing something in the woodpile.
Ouch! Splinters!
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wiki-dub -- pum pum indeed! Bad, bad dub man.
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chrono - And they seem to have taken a dislike to the CBC!! I don't know, don't like the competition? And I put a lot of work into it too! Maybe it will turn up later. Perhaps it was the talk of black leather - but it was innocent, I was only stating a fact! Or the hat, Leonard Cohen, Swiss Hut on Sherbrooke, "Canadian Music Lives Here?"
I agree about the woodpile! I make a point of not reading stuff not addressed to me. Too weird! I don't want to know. Especially if found in my sons' rooms. Then I really don't want to know! Girls these days!!
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Late Nite Blues
(Nice Time)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsGFVZvrmg8&feature=related
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Good afternoon, or morning dependant upon your position around the globe.
Sun on my skin and a pleasant surprise greeted me today here out in the sticks.- We are getting a road! After many years of a mud and sand track, the local council have given the go-ahead to surfacing it with gravel and tarmacadam.
Apart from the inevitable potholes present in attempting to post balanced answers, at least I do not have to worry about them on the highway.
Enjoyed the postings about silk or nylon stockings. Good that some of you are following the theme of the blog.
Have a great day.
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Dub Stories - Aba Shanti I - Dubplate
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9tJUT1XKL8
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waterman, congratulations on your road. The theme of the blog? Do you mean we all sound as if we are tight?
chrono, yikes, too early in the morning for Leonard! I'll try again later.
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309, Wiki-Dub -
That reminded me of Reggae Fest that used to be an annual thing here in Vermont, except there were no gray ponytails and tie-dye. Couldn't see anyone's feet in the video so don't know if they were wearing Birkenstocks.
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bere54
Running- Runs and holes.
Tight[s]- stockings, nylons.
Never a mention of Brahms and Lizst though you do appear to be getting the thread in it. Besides with Wiki-Dub socking it to us aren't Birkenstocks excess to requirements.
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Bere,
We are Dancing on a rainbow
sending peace and love to you
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3a6fYD6fFaA
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waterman - bom dia/boa tarde. Another beautiful day here.
A road!! Well aren't you the lucky one! Trying to imagine the inconveniences, of which I'm sure there will be many! and picturing you and Mrs wma driving over hill and dale through the road work only to come upon the road crew having a sesta.(?) But... I'm sure you will rise above it in true waterman fashion!
My father became very fond of the mid morning cafe solo and brandy tradition at Bar Cordobes. Can't get to where you want to go? Stop and have a brandy! When in Spain/Portugal.....
The time he called the operator asking to be connected to a business in another city. She asked for the phone number. He explained he did not know and that was why he was calling her. She said she didn't know either! Oh dear! Somehow they worked it out. I think he suggested in his best Spanish that she call the operator in that city and ask her!! Oh the foreigners and their new-fangled ideas!
Enjoy the day!
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Good morning to all-
Watermanaquarius-
We purchased our farm from an old couple who only drove into town once a month. Even less in the winter. The road had become a two-track and would likely have grown over completely if not for the daily visit from the rural-route mailman. Between the autumn rains, the snow melts, and the spring showers, our road became an axle deep quagmire from the weight of the heavy school bus churning the mud twice a day. The local road commission ignored countless pleas for a grader to be dispatched. My father and I took on the task of fixing the road.
We had to dig ditches by hand to drain the water, since heavy farm tractors would only become stuck. Once we got it drained we could use our farm equipment to make further improvements. It was cold, wet, muddy, back-breaking labor. Our section of the road became the smoothest, best drained, and best maintained of all the surrounding roads which lead to another problem. We lost our solitude. Traffic immediately increased because we had the best road.
As the old saw states; be careful for what you wish.
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It is road construction season here in Vermont. (We have three seasons here -- Winter, Mud, and Road Work.) Often a road is closed off for some kind of work, only they don't tell you this and you can drive miles down a road only to find a section closed and then you have to turn around and drive all the way back and try to find a different route to where you need to go. For some reason it's never occurred to the road people to put a "Road Closed To Thru Traffic" sign at the beginning of the road or at the point of a turnoff.
Also, I wonder how come no one has invented a really durable road paint. One that will last more than one winter. All the crosswalks and other road markings disappear over the winter and then the road crew spends most of the summer repainting everything, finishing just in time for the first snowfall in the Fall. Okay, that's a slight exaggeration but not much. It's done every year but usually they finish by August.
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Timewaits # 314,
Pleased to hear you are enjoying good weather as well.
In many repects being a "poorer" member of the European community our membership has paid dividends since your father was here. Infrastructure benefits of new motorways, hospitals and a telephone service being some of many.
Yes, siesta, lunch time does occur from 12 midday until 2.pm, but to check the roadmakers do it right, and relieve them from dehydration, I feel it only fair to make my own beer breaks a workers rest moment for all. Besides I can practice the language. The Maciera [Portuguese brandy} and coffee they choose themselves during the lunch or after work.
The 'Lasagne Room' is coming on a treat and am painting and fitting the doors, awaiting the new window. It will however be a little small for you and M when you come, though for your sister it will be ideal.
Just say when.
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publiusdetroit # 315
Apart from a couple of tractors and associated gear, we are lucky that just the 3 local families situated a kilometre away use it.
Any benefit can include some drawbacks, but not expecting any 32 wheelers to make the visit. Perhaps fitting the new improved double glazing will have both climate and accoustic benefits together.
Isn't it great to just hear the birds singing and.............nothing.
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Morning all and well I'm off soon(smell it already) but what a pleasant thread
the Music was excellent an d the chat congenial.
Chrono I was wondering if you were the person that was living in Mongolia. . Do you remember someone was ?
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Watermanaquarius-
...and at night, the legato of ten thousand chirping crickets carried by a soft breeze through sofly rustling curtains.
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Another birthday today, this time M's. I took my mother's advice and married a younger man (by three weeks!).
His requests: To have a BBQ on the deck overlooking the St. Lawrence and a strawberry shortcake. I am sure both can be arranged. My sons will help and G will whip the cream. If nothing else, on that I can depend.
detroit - I was thinking of traffic increasing on waterman's new road. When we first bought our farm it was on a section of road that went from paved to gravel. A good road but very dusty (Roll up the windows!) - obviously the people living on our section had not voted properly! After several years it was paved. We were very appreciative.
Oh waterman! - You are so sweet! Do not say I did not warn you, you might have some Canadians on your doorstep - but in the cooler weather. Don't know about M joining us, he is not good with staying with people. Has something to do with his upbringing and being dragged from visiting boisterous drunk Irishmen to hymn singing tea-totalling Presbyterian family members.
When we were in San Francisco I said, "Look the exit to your aunt's town, do you want to visit?" "No." And we didn't!
But I'll ask. You and Mrs wma will enjoy his company also, he is well liked.
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bere on roadworks. They are bad everywhere but here in the states the people setting them up take it to new heights of stupidity when it comes to signing the diversions.
the classic "well you don't want to start here thing"
I have been totally dumbfounded (and I rarely am short of words) at the TOO late to be any good positioning of signs be they temporary or permanent here in the states.
I crested a hill yesterday to find a guy in a truck with the "road works "sign announcing the treecutting just ahead."
The Marron was again to re state it Over the crest of the hill.
Somewhere where If I Had broken down I would have immediately gone Back over the hill to set up a warning that there is a car stopped just over the brow. Not visible.
But there was the driver with all the big flashing warning signs Just out of sight.
Class I wonder if he got hit.
On the diversions when they put the sign up saying closed go back to ... and that place is so far that cars run out of gas trying to get back there.??????? Causing More tail backs...
But then much as I hated The UK this place seems to me to be the total opposite of a thinking society.
Glad to see that it is not just Oregon that has maroon road workers.
(it's all that standing in the sun that does it)
Oh and while I'm at it . have they heard of "temporary traffic lights" the blight of the country side in the UK but way more efficient than "flaggers ahead".
And they don't die if someone makes a mistake.
But well America is like a great Union workforce . forever trying to find jobs that are not needed to waste money on so that the real job can be ignored.
Why waste money on people to fix roads when you can give them all a lollypop stick and have them stand by the side of the road all day pretending to be an automated system that the first world uses.
Opps there's me ruining the tone again.
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On the tiny Url it used to be the only time I saw they was in the few times where an aspect of legion linked something.
I thought the tiny referred to the brains of the posters.
opps. again
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Do people in other places have to deal with coin drops? This is a fundraising thing here but looks to me like begging on the public highways. Some organization goes out on a road where the speed limit is 50 mph and sets up a road block where they stand with a bucket and you're supposed to stop and put money in the bucket. They set up a warning sign down the road but these usually blow over and you come around a curve at 50 mph (because you've slowed down from 60) and there's a line of stopped cars. I never put any money in the bucket because I think the whole thing should be outlawed. It's amazing no one's been killed by these fundraising activities.
I've lived in many states and never experienced this until I moved to Vermont. So maybe it's just a Vermont thing.
At least with the road work they put up lots of signs so there's usually at least one that hasn't blown over. But often you come upon one sign after another warning of road work ahead and you never come to the road work. What's with this? A new kind of speed control?
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happy - I think here we are afflicted in the opposite direction. Such advance warning and merged lanes that you drive for what seems like miles before getting to the actual work. Why did we have to merge so early?
Driving down to the country for the wedding the traffic in the opposite direction was in one slow moving lane for miles - literally, passing - nothing! Wished I had some sort of signal - "Bail now, take the exit!! Miles of bumper to bumper ahead!"
And yes, we all know how you suffer through poorly placed road signage! But what are friends for? You amused me though, I don't know what you thought living in the States was going to be like! You should have taken my advice (before you met me!) and lived in Canada. Then you could have taken a lot of short trips to get a feel for the place. Easing in gently! Like cold water!
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Water, on the other thread and keeping the garbage in the open so all can see.
Like I say, it smells and encourages others to do the same . pretty soon you are in Naples.
When the trash is kept hidden and thrown out as it comes to the front it does not pile up.
But where there is one bit of trash others start throwing more to keep it company.
And soon enough you end up buried in it.
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324 Coin drops
Illegal road blocks. If protesters against the danger of road blocks being set up like this took to the streets they would be prosecuted for stopping traffic. (reclaim the streets get in trouble all the time).
Tell them to vote sensibly and americans would not ahve to do such stupidly dangerous things.
Plus it is illegal.
I bet even in Vermont it is illegal.
Go look at the rules on stopping on the highway.Blocking traffic. and next time just keep your hand on the horn and don't let go.
They are a danger and dangers are the only excuse for the horn .(oh sam there's a lure)
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Michigan has two seasons; winter and orange-barrel.
One thing can be said for Michigan. We mark roadwork very well and use lots of well-placed signage on detours. The problem with all that good signage is that the state will do major work on parallel or intersecting road systems at the same time. Instead of working on one system while using the parallel/intersecting system as the detour, traffic gets routed onto a maze of inadequate streets...and then a water main breaks, or a utility company needs access to underground work...
The good news is that with all the unemployed, there are fewer and smaller traffic jams during what was once, the mis-named, "rush hour".
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It's roadwork and painting season here also.
Not only do they have flaggers everywhere, but our local highway is being resurfaced. At every intersection (maybe 15 in all) they positioned a person to stand in the central reservation to, well, just stand there. All day. Doing absolutely nothing. Your tax dollars at work.
We only have one coin-drop weekend, run by the local firefighters. At least they have the sense to keep to lights, 4-way stops and 25 mph limits.
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Timewaits # 321
If I should believe your remark and confirm that Mrs Wma is sweet too you would probably get the idea of a molasses family living off the beaten track. Though exhibiting the colour spectrum ranging from a weatherbeaten suntanned white skin to a silky light brown velvetty? skin[ the Mrs being Chinese] she brings nothing sour to the relationship.
Many congratulations on M's birthday- Gemini. Found this-
You are bright, articulate and a little bit pushy. You are disciplined, hard-working, family-oriented and a good friend.
Look forward to meeting M.. We will hide my brandy bottles lying around, lock away the him, hymn and her books and he should feel at home.
Please be sure to wear Mountie hats at Lisbon airport. I would hate to take the wrong family home.
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I really must get ready for the birthday dinner but in the meantime... We only have collections downtown at stop lights and it is usually the firemen, so we have no problem contributing. I think being a good looking man is a job requirement!
Driving along the ocean in southern California there are large overhead signs warning caution and a pictogram of a family, holding hands and running. Man, woman in a skirt, child in skirt, pigtails flying. What are these? Why would these people be running across an eight lane highway? I thought maybe they were putting their lives on the line and collecting oysters or clams on the beach. Seemed a bit much, but what do I know? Then it dawned on me..... they are illegal immigrants, dropped off on the shore and running inland! Wow! we don't have anything like that here. They come on ships, in containers from Eastern Europe. The dock workers deal with them.
We also noticed the "work ahead" signs in the US... no work... "end of construction." Maybe they are "thinking" about doing some work, planning ahead or anticipating happy's arrival! (Just to bother him.)
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329, seanspa - Isn't it sad that the firefighters are reduced to standing in the road begging coins from drivers for their funding? Here mostly it's the Boy Scouts, baseball leagues, and other such organizations. I think any group can do it as long as they get a permit.
I don't mind contributing to needy groups as long as they're not in the road. Once I was in Montpelier and there were three small children on the sidewalk playing their violins, cases open on the ground, with a sign that said "Please help send us to music camp." I dumped some bills into the well-filled cases. I hope they made it to camp.
331, timewaits - In New Mexico, in the grass medians of the Interstate highways, there were signs saying "DO NOT PLAY IN MEDIAN." I've always wondered who on earth would even think of playing between lanes of 80 mph traffic.
"The dock workers deal with them." That was very funny!
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
bere, to be fair, the firefighters here raise money for charity rather than for themselves. Around here they call it 'Fill the Boot', and I believe that something similar is done around the country.
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seanspa, oh, I thought maybe the firefighters were trying to buy a new fire engine or something else necessary. That's okay then, but I still don't think they should be doing it in the road.
It's interesting that my comment #333 was removed. It made reference to #125 on the Dilemma thread about revealing the identity of certain bloggers. I was kidding but I guess the mods were not amused.
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335. At 9:03pm on 17 Jun 2009, bere54:
Help! Somebody. I'm running out of rhymes, and UKWales is getting hard to keep up with. Can you do pomes? UKW seems to have hit on quite a good tactic.
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Apparently my #333 was encouraging illegal activity. It had to do with effecting the delivery of pizzas to someone. Who knew that was illegal? Still, it was a joke!
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Hi squirrel! It's always so nice to see you in the kitchen. I'm afraid I can't do rhymes, or pomes of any sort. I have a friend who can carry on whole conversations in rhyme and I'm agog at this talent. You'll have to carry on the contest without my assistance. You're doing very well, as Young Mr. Grace would say. (I will be happy to assist you with consuming the post-contest libations.)
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337. At 10:25pm on 17 Jun 2009, bere54 wrote:
"Apparently my #333 was encouraging illegal activity. It had to do with effecting the delivery of pizzas to someone. Who knew that was illegal?"
It's that time of night. Maybe they put the posts through Babblefish and it came out as something different in Azerbaijani or something? I've sometimes thought that would explain it.
(They canned a couple of my posts on a Beeb music messageboard last year, because they "contained words in a foreign language." Of course they did. They were musical terms. In Italian. What else? I pointed out that posts about music were going to look pretty dam stupid if we were all going to have to translate words like 'rallentando' or even 'scherzo' into English every time . . .)
On second thoughts, come to think of it, home-delivered pizzas should be illegal. Horrid things. I hate them. (Must be the Italian half of me coming to the fore.)
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340. At 00:32am on 18 Jun 2009, bere54
I've heard a few things about the US Postal Service, but until now I never knew it was illegal to put a pizza in the post . .
(I think someone is playing games. Who did you upset over on the dark side?)
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Squirrel -
Well. What's a safe topic this evening, I wonder? It is a little scary what the moderators consider unsuitable, seeing as how some people's advocating the complete destruction of other countries doesn't seem to bother them.
How's the weather over your way? Weather is usually a pretty innocuous subject.
Since you got through with Babblefish, I'll repeat my question: Is the Babblefish the one that's inserted in the ear?
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342. At 01:11am on 18 Jun 2009, bere54 wrote:
How's the weather over your way? Weather is usually a pretty innocuous subject.
Since you got through with Babblefish, I'll repeat my question: Is the Babblefish the one that's inserted in the ear?
Yep. I didn't use the proprietary name for the translation software, just the colloquial one, thinking the mods might can it.
The weather. Huh. Warm-ish, sunny spells, clouds. Had one of those conversations yesterday that always trap me. West Indian guy in hardware shop: "Too hot, isn't it." Friend: "Yes, isn't it." (She was born in Lebanon.) Me, not thinking, looking at them as though they're Eskimos or something: "I'm cold." Both turn and look at me as though I'm an alien.
(Temperature about 21c. -- Sorry, can't do Fahrenheit. Southern France, last week, mostly 25 except when it rained. Result: France, happy Squirrel. London: miserable Squirrel.)
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Oh, poor Squirrel! I had to go look at my thermometer, which has C and F -- 21(C) translates to about 70(F). Not cold, but not hot either. Would think West Indians and Lebanese would find that chilly. They must be acclimated to London.
When I moved to Vermont from Virginia ten years ago I would laugh at the locals who thought they were dying when it hit 80(F), about 27(C). Then winter came. Experienced -10(F) for the first time in my life. Thought I was dying. Locals laughed at me. If they are to be believed, they all walked ten miles in the snow to school when it was -40.
Now I'm acclimated and think I'm dying when it hits 80, but think nothing of walking around town when it's -10 (with all appropriate layers, insulated boots, etc.). But I still won't traipse around in a short-sleeved shirt and shorts when it's 50, as many here do, under the impression that it's balmy weather.
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Good morning all,
Said I liked fireworks, and inadvertantly lit the blue touchpaper. Did not consider that offering a word of support for a threatened species so many would jump on the bandwagon and put it in reverse. Not content with running over the victim once, the next driver would back up and repeat the process. I think I now understand why another flightless species- the Dodo dissappeared.in the past. [Portuguese translation is doido / doudo spoken as doo-doo.] Doing my best not to step in it today.
Not an expert, but my limited experience with handling a Chinese Cracker reminds me that playing with any firework can be potentially dangerous. Did appreciate the few Sparklers that appeared, though whether they are enough to diminish the expected barrage exhibited by the Roman Candle, I have my doubts.
Moving on to the innocuous, the promise of a high has left me in low spirits today. June 21st this year is the summer solstice which heralds the start of our summer. Always a wet finger in the air prediction but to be fair the BBC weather site has been getting it remarkably correct. Going to be a hot one for the next few days.
Wishing you all a great day. Just not hoping you have to suffer 40.C as well..
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Bere:
You were looking for a new topic. Saw in the news that the police chief of Mogadishu had been murdered. Thought to myself, "Something about that is bizarrely comical." Police chief of Mogadishu? Sort of like being charm school instructor in an abatoir. There are Police in Mogadishu? How can the Police possibly function in that environment? Like being sherriff in Dodge in the days of the old West?
And it made me wonder about bizarre jobs, jobs that are sort of a contradiction in terms.
Oh, and by the way, there are some really good video and audio essays on this site. Started by clicking on the LBJ story this morning, and it led to one after another, after another.
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Interestedforeigner -
Loved your "Planet of the Apes" comment on the other thread.
Bizarre jobs? Well, I heard something on NPR this morning about a job that should not be bizarre but apparently is. The Veterans Administration has a 1 million backlog in claims. The reason for this? It takes two years, they claim, to train new claims processors. Why on earth, one wonders. Do they have to teach the trainees to read? Or is it that they need to teach them hundreds or thousands of petty reasons for denying claims? Or perhaps claims processors for the VA must have security clearances, for some bizarre reason. Is it too much to expect that the NPR reporter could have delved a little further and provided more information? NPR reporters could use more training, I think.
waterman -
The fuse you lit provided me at least with a great deal of entertainment. Some victims just beg to be run over, again and again.
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IF "How can the Police possibly function in that environment?"
With a lot more bravery than the cops here in the states.
Water I have to say the circus roll over ride seems to be having some effect.
If only to flatten the bump.
Soon you will be able to sell tickets, I suspect the line would get long enough though that your road might get more travelled for a peck at MATT.
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Morning All - In the country - Must get a different keyboard!! I'm a lot of talk, little action in that department. Have the most wonderful monitor so can see all my mistakes crisply and cleanly! but... why can't I have everything?
bere - I heard, several months ago, that VA claim forms were "inadvertently" being shredded! Thousands of them! Being the conspiracy theorist that I am, did not for a moment believe it was accidental. But, the Vets were assured, it would be dealt with asap. Doubt any of them thought that meant 2 years! Or maybe they did, poor souls.
waterman - No need to hide the brandy bottles when M visits (which is doubtful - you're not running a white slave trade there are you? Wasting your time with M and me, can't imagine we would fetch much! Presuming you are not), need only promise not to get into drunken family squabbles (that occasionally involve the police!) or bursting into hymn sing around the piano. He's had his fill of that! Growing up, I had neither. Although the men in my mother's family all have/had beautiful voices and have been known to burst into song but alcohol was not a prerequisite.
For this "quick witted" Gemini, typing at this speed is torture! I confess! Whatever it is, I did it!
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IF The guy going out with the drip can setting fires to put fires out.
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.gehotshots.org/indian_fire/indians_fires_pictures/Helicopter_Drip_Torch.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.gehotshots.org/indian_fire/indian_fires.html&usg=__mdLYZ301n7eLaBBZZeKaky86SEY=&h=513&w=500&sz=42&hl=en&start=6&um=1&tbnid=GRZyf0H-s32Y6M:&tbnh=131&tbnw=128&prev=/images%3Fq%3Ddrip%2Btorch%2Bon%2Bthe%2Bfireline%26ndsp%3D20%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-GB:official%26hs%3D16I%26sa%3DG%26um%3D1%26newwindow%3D1
Sorry I heard tiny URLs were out of favour
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timewaits - I hope the birthday dinner went well. Now that you mention it, I do remember hearing about the "accidental" shredding of the veterans' claim forms. Maybe that's part of the two-year training - learning how to use the shredder efficiently. Really, I wonder if there is any country more eager to send soldiers to war and less willing to take care of them when they come home than this one.
I have a theory about the subject of the rhymes on the other thread. At first, back when I was still reading those, I thought they were the work of more than one person because the posts vary in levels of rationality and coherency, sometimes they're full of spelling and other mistakes, other times not. But I have changed my mind. I'm now convinced it's Dick Cheney, and the variation in posts is connected with the amount of alcohol consumed. What I can't decide is whether the alcohol makes the post more or less coherent. Really, who else but Dick Cheney could hold such views (which I discern from reading replies to the comments)? The New Jersey bit is an attempt at disguise.
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351 Bere.
May I present "LEGION" the devils accomplice.
Note, Dick is one person.
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bere - Dinner was a success, thank you. As for looking after vets, I don't know, but if there is, it is third world. Mary Garv had a very good post; other countries take to the streets, but for whatever reason Americans do not do that. I used to find that surprising, for all the talk of Freedom. Now I expect/presume they will not. Look at France, they spend more time on the streets than off.
Why offer up the information of living in New Jersey? Smokescreen! Responding and commenting in rhyme; good, bad or otherwise does seem to be doing the trick. I am more of the opinion that the person(s) is non-American trying to encourage anti-American feelings. The KGB has been suggested; perhaps we are dealing with a well looked after Afghan War Vet living in luxury in a Dacha on the Black Sea. Forget Dick Cheney and New Jersey!!
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Time.. on the origins of legion. -could just as easy be the UK.
But agreed NJ like history in France is probably so loosely related to the truth (like went to france and saw a hospital type deluded) .
If a forn entity , It's not working. So they would change tactic.
Or are they?
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Good afternoon / evening all
Strange comments on the blog
Bere - Begging to be run over again and again?.... Hope seanspa will include the instructions when his son starts driving lessons. He can begin with unfriendly traffic wardens and work his way up.
14all has the same idea I see, that undesirables should be used as "sleeping policemen"-[ Speed bumps], and I should sell tickets for the next flattening event. Authority seems to be getting you down OneFor. Good idea. If you cant join them, beat em and flatten em. The Americans and Canadians will never understand some of us attending a UK Approved School education, where they just went to a College.
No Timewaits, we are not white slave traders in the summer months. When roaming free in the garden before eventual transportation across to North Africa, most of them pick up a tan. Winter its different and we do get much better prices as you rightly imagined. It really is a sort of Colditz Castle here.so dont forget to bring tea, coffee and the like to barter with the other prisoners, and to bribe the guards of course. No problem if M can not come. We get a better price for women too so I hope sister will be joining you, and if you can persuade Bere to accompany you, so much the better. This could turn out to be a bumper year for us, during an economic down turn
What would a day on the blog be without a host of conspiracy theories circulating in the kitchen.
Regards Bill.
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waterman - Bill? You don't look like a Bill. I would be delighted to accompany timewaits to Portugal and roam around your garden before being shipped to North Africa as a tan slave. It sounds much more appealing that trying to learn formatting on MS Word and squashing manuscripts into pdf's. Not to mention purchasing blocks of ISBNs. Sorry, I've just had a long discussion about all this and I'm feeling harassed by technology. So being sold into tan slavery could be heavenly in comparison.
Seanspa's son (Sean in fact) had better wait until he graduates from his provisional license before he undertakes the running over of unfriendly traffic wardens, as I believe any infractions result in losing the license until age 18.
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bere # 356,
With the news from David yesterday about the secrecy of bloggers and respondents to every thread being compromised I thought it time to start laying a false trail.
I don't look like a Bill? You are quite correct, my name is not Bill, but reminded that Bill Stickers was always prosecuted felt it a good ploy to begin with in leading the snoopers down the wrong path.
Sorry to hear you are having so much strife with the clever stuff. Never had time to go down the MS Word road myself. Always stuck with wordpad for idiots or used Open Office when it had to look smart.
ISBNs sounds intriguing.- Hush Hush clandestine stuff eh. Perhaps you should start laying a false trail yourself. I would suggest Ruth. It's simple, slightly more than a half truth, and no-one would accept another Mata-Hari with the world having the problems with foreign names it does today.
Yours sincerily William.
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WaterWilliam - Can't do Ruth, as it's a name I have always particularly disliked for no rational reason whatsoever so feel I could not credibly carry it off even as a false trail. Who or what is Bill Stickers? Is this another of the many things I ought to know but don't? (A couple of years ago had to ask my daughter who Jessica Simpson is, and it would make me feel so much better if it turns out you don't know, as Daughter seemed to think I was the only person in the world who didn't know!) ISBNs are those bar code numbers on the backs of books. I wish it were too hush-hush for me to have to deal with. One thing I have learned: it stands for International Standard Book Number.
timewaits - I have been reading health care stuff on the NY Times and believe the only way we'll have a chance of getting what we want and need is if we take to the streets, but as you say Americans don't usually do this. If I take to the streets by myself people will just think I'm a bag lady. How do they get started in France? Or Iran for that matter? What makes this happen? Maybe Americans are just too fat and lazy. (I'm lazy most of the time but not fat.) We need huge demonstrations but I haven't the foggiest idea how to get it going.
Regards, Jane Austen
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bere & waterman - Wait a minute!! - what exactly are tan slaves expected to do?! bere may go if she likes (although I advise against it) but I want to see a job description before agreeing to anything. I will have no fear as wma (always thought they were also your initials - William Mark Anthony?) will hang on to me as long as my bribing/bartering supplies of maple syrup and cigarettes hold out! With proper planning it will coincide nicely with my plane ticket home!
Nothing foreign about my name (except to a foreigner!). The French think it is delightful but only because they pronounce it differently! "I would love to be called Cordelia. It's such a perfectly elegant name." Any takers on who said that? (I forgot my Georgette Heyer at home and reading material is limited here.) I would not in fact love to be called Cordelia! For the time being, timewaits will do.
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Jane # 359
Bill S, is a very old joke.Hope this will explain some things better.
http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/bill-stickers-is-innocent.html
Afraid there is very little Sense and Sensibility that results this end. I blame it on my own minimal RAM and a mental chipped set.
Yours Billy
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362, Billy - Oh, thanks, that was very funny! I like the "Bill Stickers is Innocent" response. Timewaits is right; must have a job description of "tan slavery" before buying plane ticket. Sometimes I react too hastily.
Goodness, it pours and pours here. Mrs. Harris agrees, the weather is atrocious.
Yours, Sairey Gamp
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361. Timewaits
Anne of Green Gables?
Might be wrong, but in any case, one of the finest children's books ever written.
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Fascinating to see that the blog has now spawned a poetry contest. Guns wrote a pretty good limerick just now on the other thread.
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366, IF -
I agree, that was a particularly good limerick. Wish I could do that. It's much more pleasant to read poetry, even bad poetry, than some of those posts.
I never thought of Anne Shirley, but I bet you're right. It sounds like something she would say.
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367. At 01:01am on 19 Jun 2009, bere54:
Whaddya mean, "bad poetry"?
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Squirrel, oh dear, I didn't mean your poetry, or even any in particular in that contest. I just meant even if it was bad it would be better than certain nasty posts! I misspoke! And anyway, I know nothing about poetry and am not a judge!
Have you ever heard of a book of limericks either written or compiled by an Irishman called Hector McDonnell (brother of some Lord Antrim), who is an artist? I haven't seen the book but have heard it's very entertaining. Hector is a good friend of a good friend.
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Interested - Now why does it not surprise me that you would know. Or was it you "knew where to look?"
"If Cordelia isn't your name, what is?" "Anne Shirley,"
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Hi guys and gals . thursday blacksmithing was ruined by a young republican who didn't know he was. Going on about peopel pulling bootstraps. strange thing was I was tempted to pull some around his neck;) So remembered a piece I heard on NPR today about hate talk etc.
kinda goes with what I think so I'll link it for you all to have a go at if you like.
Basic jist Hate speak ruins democracy.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=105531867
Nice to meet you billy. you old goat
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I meant "goad "
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Bere i think you'll find that the people of america are scared s###!$$$ of the Gov. Wiht good reason. The eternal sir Humphry dumpy the filth keep em that way.
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Time waits # 361, bere54 # 364,
Against institution rules you request an explanation of Tan slavery.
The local asylum here follows a long regime of physical abuse. Geneva rules are forgotten to obtain a confession, and strict prison garb isn't obligatory, to reach the end result. Medical supervision is the key. Keep them fit and punish them more. I list below the attrocities involved during a typical day, the most are based around using Heat treatment..
Whipping - That milk shake or smoothie for breakfast. Slapping - the cream and moisturiser on to rejuvinate broken bodies to withstand further sun exposure. [No inmates here are allowed to avoid this and even the flakes don't object] .
Trustees without supervision participate in unforced cliff marches suffering breath-taking views. Here avoiding potshots may be necessary. Many are too quick on the shutter.
Hitting the beach.- Daily chain gang sand castle construction. Waterboarding for those that object. Shady characters are accepted, though they leave themselves open to being offered the chair. Even those fishing for answers get the rod.
The jailers insist on obtaining that blown up feeling hoping force feeding can be avoided.
Breaking / smashing - ice to ensure the gazpacho soup is cold enough. Squeezing- lemon juice over the fish and prawns. Knocking out- a dressing for the above. Roasting or barbecuing your skewered flesh on the rack, unless the detainee is getting the steak. [Everybody receives a grilling now and again] No knives and forks at the plate means Bamboo shoots under the nails. Some who take the chicken route experience breaking bones. Water abuse is accepted, and most end up wining.
All in all, a hell on earth. You are probably correct in having second thoughts. We too are now seeing problems in re-integrating these offenders back into normal society.
Will Power.
Cell 3, East-West Correction Institute.
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14allandall41 # 371 , 372.
Goad or goat- No skin off my back. After Dutch and continental Bock-beer the latter is probably closer to the truth. Water in name but not necessarily in nature.
Re the goading- your just kidding eh? Trying to buck the trend as normal.
Must now get down to real work before the teetotallers have a goat us.They will also dread this. You too? I must bottle it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIXFxulbGjI
Billy [Canned]
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370. Timewaits
No, I was working from memory.
The "Cordelia" comment is one of several in the book that are about loneliness. Profound loneliness.
People think of Anne of Green Gables as a little girls' book. That is a shame. It is one of the few books I have read aloud to children more than once.
We often hear talk about children not receiving proper moral grounding, and, in America, there is a constant push to have prayer in the schools, to be born again, and so on.
And then I think about books like Anne, like Huck Finn, like Mockingbird. Like Le Petit Prince. There is tremendous morality in these texts and others like them. Huck Finn is a powerful, towering work. Petit Prince is one of the most beautiful books ever written (in my opinion, at least).
I cite them because they are relatively short, accessible works. Cf. - Les Miserables: great book, but at 1000 pages not that many schools are going to plug their way through it, let alone in French.
The thing about it is to read, and to read, and to read. A well read child is a well read child, almost without regard to what they actually read, provided that they read broadly. If they read a lot, and read broadly, they can hardly avoid being moral. It's that issue about drinking deeply from the well.
I don't believe in having public educational institutions run by religious entities. But at the same time I feel that a child growing up ought to have a fair bit of knowledge (note that - knowledge, not dogma) about religion, and in our culture about Christianity in particular, because our language, our history and our literature are riddled with religious imagery and allegory, much of it Christian or Judeo-Christian. It's sort of like trying to get the full meaning out of the Illiad and the Odyssey without making any study of the Pantheism of the ancient Greeks. Unlocking the morality, the inner cultural meaning, of those lessons is sometimes a lot easier if you understand the allegories.
I am, and have been, a scientist all my life. A while ago a child asked me a question that amounted to asking what he should study at school, and why.
The answer was that he should study the sciences to get a job and to appreciate the wonders of the natural world; and that he should study history, literature, languages, music and sport to be a human being.
There is an enormous value in a broad liberal education, a value that has gone out of fashion.
Anne of Green Gables is part of that.
It is a very, very fine book.
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waterman - Well that all sounds very nice while becoming a "tan slave." I am more concerned about what is required whilst in North Africa. (Whilst - not a word we use very often here or at all.)
My parents returned home for the summer, thereby avoiding the hot Spanish weather, to spend it instead in muggy Montreal. They also returned for Christmas, except for the year my father stayed for nine consecutive months to obtain his residencia. It took a lot longer and was more expensive than I imagine it is for your family to visit. No quick flying trips to Spain. 24 hours (including time change) door to door.
Happy - Are you familiar with Malcolm Gladwell and his thoughts on Luck?
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375, waterman -
That's the sort of abuse I could happily live with, even if there's a chance of eventually being sent to North Africa. Right now it's about 55(F) here, gray and windy, so any place that offers warmth and sun sounds yummy.
377, IF
One of the greatest pleasures, for all of us, of my children's young years was reading all the old children's classics out loud to them. I had never read "Anne of Green Gables" until I read it to them. And not just children's books; we had progressed to "Jane Eyre" and "The Old Curiosity Shop" when they were in their early teens (by then we were taking turns reading) before reading out loud faded away from our daily lives. The pleasure returned when my daughter read the first four Harry Potter books out loud to me before she went away to college. The one classic that was not a hit was "Swiss Family Robinson." My kids, aged 6 and 9 at time, were shocked and disgusted at how the Robinsons rushed off to fetch their guns every time they discovered an exotic creature. A different kind of lesson!
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Interested - Anne is thought of as a children's book, but as I reread I am struck by how sophisticated it is. As mentioned, I am in the country so am reading what is at hand (have completed The Incredible Journey and still got teary-eyed at the end even though I knew Bodger would survive!). Given a selection of books, my first choice would not have been Anne of Green Gables, so am pleased the decision was made for me.
I come from a "Common Knowledge" family. Teachers would tell me how impressed they were by my sons'. My niece was once asked by her classmates how she knew so many things and she responded, "I thought everyone did."!! My mother would always win at Trivial Pursuit (against very strong opponents), unless undone by the sports questions. I cannot say my knowledge of science is extensive but since it is my husband's area of expertise - I just ask him!! Living with three men is the reason behind my hockey knowledge - did you see the Awards Ceremony last night? Jean Belliveau - hard to find a finer human being! I've stopped him on the street!
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Timewaits & Bere
Organising these package tours to include a swim to North Africa does not come easy. We lied in the brochure about "the slave trade" just to make our customers feel they were doing something naughty and risque.. Just think- Letters of transit, water under the bridge, hills of beans, gin joints and today Morroco, as an MNNA gets USA government surplus supplies of chuckies. Everything for the demanding North American tourist, and moor.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J07MoCdar2E
Here's looking at you kids.
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Well this seems like an interesting conversation.
What a lovely river runs through.. Now I see an old friend of yours was "edited" had a star attached and was sent to the gulag again.
Timewaitsfornoman but then man can't wait forever.
Ban the victims from complaining and allow the hate speech to flourish.
The public in detroit are the only friend those persecuted have.
Some times the collateral damage and the true warriors are the ones easiest forgotten.
While people defend the rights of monsters the innocent get culled
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still rather hear the hate than the anti hate
Give me a break
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all the blue in the sky has now turned to grey
yes it's rain all night on a sunday night
and my house ain't got no light oh no
yes it's rain all night and inside my room there ain't no bed
and I got sleep on a door on the floor
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbWXKNWRrbg
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Who could be happy today. The BBC is screaming censorship to Iran while it tries it's best to beat it at it's own game here on this blog. Who was censored. who was banned. and who wasn't. Thanks Friends. that conversation a while back was relevant and important. who gets the freedom to speak. and how does someone get banned when there are no offensiv postings. and why is censorship restricted to the one. while all get away with it.
?
Ask Your BBC these questions people. I can't
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Oh waterman! You have a moor too? Can I run across it with Heathcliff? The best of all worlds! Thanks for the memories, but I wouldn't want to experience the gin joint now; the outfits would all be different (heavy tourists in shorts). Ah, the styles of the 40's. And mostly slim women who wore them well. Men in real hats without baseball logos. I should have been born in a black-and-white movie.
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Apparently bloggers once banned because they dare to confront the racists. are banned for ever and people can chase them away.
Bit like Gitmo on the BBC. No right to reply to accusations. no right accuse accusers.
Just ship em out and see how long they last.
Giving the forces that gather as one the chance to effectively censor debate.
But the BBC couldn't be played could IT?
Still those that disappear to the hills so regularly will one day give up returning to find the village burned out. they will give other venues a chance.
So those that were defended so well by so many can carry on hating and spreading vile piles.
Again What is the result of getting one angry.
The other one gets banned. every time. strange. but then there is no defence once the gitmo effect takes hold.
Forgotten in a cell.
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Thor was in a noisy mood upon his waking. Long, reverbrating peels of rolling thunder arrived with the dawn. It does not seem as if we can have four days in a row without rain throughout this spring. More often, it seems, we cannot have two days of sunshine running together.
InterestedForeigner-
"The thing about it is to read, and to read, and to read..." Almost the very words I have taught to my son. The first school his mother enrolled him into was a "Christian" school that placed a heavy emphasis on reading, so a child could read the bible. It amused me that the school had taken a page from the Koran.
Unfortunately, the school was weak in every other field of study. It took some cunning to convince P to find a better school for Aaron. I think the Creationalist "science" was the key factor in moving her to make a better choice. P is a nurse, so true science was important to her.
I also read aloud to Aaron. The Wind in the Willows (a favorite), Little House on the Prairie, Anne of Green Gables, were all good reading. As years progressed there was lots of Twain and Jules Verne (my favorites) and the poetry of Whitman, Poe, Kipling, Shakespeare, et. al.
The strategy worked. Aaron is still a hungry reader, and a very good writer. We still bring a book to read aloud while backpacking. A very thoughtful part of preparation for a trip. It's often pulled out at rest stops along the way, and read by a candle at night. Another good time is when we are on a long, day-sail. The whole crew enjoys a good reading.
Timewaitsfornoman-
I had already picked out "Anne" for you. Not any great detective work there. The name just seemed to fit you. And yes; Anne of Green Gables did come to mind because of her wittiness.
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Report from the Gulag.
Hello. you do not know me. I am in the cell next to a friend of yours. He says to send his regards as he is gagged at the moment.
The water torture is fine but putting gherkins on his food is out of order ,he says.
wait I have problems hearing him. I think he said "screw em they'd rather just hear hate speech"
sorry He does seem to think someone is something unprintable .
Maybe one day he will poke through and speak direct.
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387 Wha'ppen Real
Equal Rights Style
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQKR44UuSlg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQKR44UuSlg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwFLJX-1QT0
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He says he wants a JURY trial
He doesn't trust them gitmo lawyers.
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He says "The strange happenings should be investigated.I didn't even say anything offensive. I'll post all the comments I had struck in my defence"
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387, therealpersecuted -
To be fair, the one who seems to be permanently banned was banned for fiddling with the format of the blog, not for his opinions. But now it does seem that 14allhappy in his many incarnations might have worn out the patience (if one can call it that) of the blog's Supreme Leader.
14allhappyjack -
Are you deliberately baiting the Supreme Leader? You do none of us a favor by getting yourself banned.
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SILENCE HIM.
He says he must have done something right to get so much regular attention.
last night(he says) he mentioned gherkinism. a hatred of all things forn. and wonders if that was enough to get the gulag again.
doesn't he know the only wayt write is to write nothing. make no comment. that is the only way to exercise"Free speech."
Did any check the NPR link.. oh well it won't effect you
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Or is therealpersecuted happy pretending to be sad? Doesn't sound like it, but all is confusing.
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publius - pleased to see you back. You went missing for a bit there, I guess taking advantage of your two days of sunshine.
I've just remembered that when I lived on a commune some of us would lie around in front of the fire in the evenings, one person giving back rubs while we took turns reading out loud from L'Engle's "Wrinkle in Time" series. I was living there while having a break from my POSSLQ (though that acronym hadn't been invented yet). Then I returned and married the man who didn't like being read to. Oh well, one can't have everything.
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Bere He was not banned for that winding up (what a comment about hanging from the rafters) He was banned back before you joined the conversation and apparently that ban lasts forever.
As long as you are not a door matt in which case they give you the keys to the house.
Do you not think it strange. None of it?
All for will not be back. they are even going back and deleteing postings and change the name to unrecognisable.
all of this seems to be censorship.
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395 Bere if someone was banned and told not to come back even under another name.
But you can assume that he deserved it. Just as many assumed the uigers deserved years in Gitmo. But they didn't and he doesn't.
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Any posting could be my last. you know how it is in the gulag they just take you out when they see you as inconvenient.
Like my friend in the cell next door the silence will last.
But who cares who suffers . Who cares there is no trial. who cares there is no right to reply.
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14allhappyjack -
Are you deliberately baiting the Supreme Leader
Always assume the worst of those who love and give room to those that hate.
Who is the Supreme leader.
This is not Iran.. I thought.
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394, Mortimer Snerd - I did check out the NPR link, but I already know all about that sort of thing and have for a long time. I grew up among people like that. But what can one do? They are out there, always have been, but became more vocal with official imprimatur during the Bush years and now feel even more powerful because of some's fears of the Man of Color.
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And you guys wonder why america is going down the tubes.?
Why the people never protest?
Think about it.
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therealpersecuted -
I thought the earlier talk about the banned one was about Ed (and I don't think he deserved it either). Sorry for the misunderstanding, but if you're talking about someone before I joined the blog, I don't know who it is. It can't be happy because he came back.
This is getting kind of creepy. I noticed that postings were disappearing and others have strange names that I didn't notice being there yesterday. I thought it was my memory deceiving me.
By "Supreme Leader" I meant whoever is in charge of deciding who gets banned on the blog. I don't know what was in the removed posts, so thought maybe "he" was testing to see how far he could go and went too far.
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I'm writing this separately in case it gets removed.
I really don't understand why certain people are allowed to continuously post comments advocating the annihilation of other countries or entire peoples and yet their comments sail through moderation, apparently don't constitute hate speech, and the posters are not banned, while those who argue with them are banned.
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me throw me corn outdoors me don't cause a fuss
to those who want to pick it up it's your business
oh yeah yeah yeah yeah
whether you are black or you are white it is you
it is you it is you it is you it is you I'm talking to
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g77kOcDF9TU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxrCpEfb6iA
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And the other night when I humorously suggested a mild form of retaliation against a certain poster, my comment was not posted, and when I referred to it again in more oblique terms, that comment was also pulled and I was told I was engaging in "spam"!! And yet hate was spewing forth on the other thread.
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Bere-
You are right about my disappearance. Needed to "make hay while the sunshines" (mow the lawn and do yardwork). All the flora is growing at rain-forest speed with the all-too-frequent rain and the mild temps.
I don't think we know this new member who has popped into the kitchen party. It might not be good for the newby to be associated, by our speculations, with some former party-goer.
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404 Bere
He said thanks.
And wanted me to tell you all that his name was changed because the name " 14allandall41" somehow breaks the rules .
And they say persecution is only for us criminals
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
406 here in the gulag we call that "bias". Not you the way the Mod seem to like some so much and yet ONE they hate so much.This One being my cell mate.
I hear he is good at the metallurgical arts so we have a chance. to hang ourselves.
we can bend the bar down far enough to get a rope on it.
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therealpersecuted
Are you suggesting that Justin's BBC America blog is being pressured by American Media and it's government or country interests and activists around the world in removing contributors they disagree with from the blog? You would then be entering into the realms of thinking that they regard you and many others here as undercover 5th columnists, despite your visible presence. It might be just possible, but I doubt it..
Perhaps a tendency to write too much of direct truths without camouflaging them in a flowery mantle of deceit negates any possibility of claiming any 5th amendment rights. It would appear that immediately laying your hand of aces and kings on the table during the play does not always win, when the game is being fixed by an outside party.
Waking early morning to read the postings written on what is for me the midnight shift, shows at times definite repositioning of the goal posts, often remarked upon by many.
Maybe minimalistic thinking is required. Where others obviously have written baseless accusations here under the influence of a quart, you should follow their example just for today.
Absent yourself for the moment. Take a fifth to bed, smoke a bong. All will look better in the morning I hope. I look forward to reading your postings tomorrow under this or any other sign in name that appears.
See that GnR has spilled the beans.If I can not get you here I will see you there
wma
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Bere fighting spam on your own is hard. I've been told by my happy cell mate.
Still Summer solstice party coming up so why bother. .
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Gulag cell 14 says There's a story in this. The Blogs most persecuted . (unjust punishment ) the doormatts need to be beaten every once and a while to keep them clean.
I'm in 13. unlucky for some.
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
407, publius - Yes, I agree we don't know this new person. It's always nice to welcome new people into the kitchen. But I would suggest that if the new people want to stay, they are going to have to struggle to work within the bizarre censorship (says I, who still don't understand it) since the owners of the blog have the right to do whatever they want. Still, I was a bit creeped out at the removal of my posts the other night, and the reasons they gave for it.
Not that I wish more rain on you, but I miss you when you're not in the kitchen. Seanspa seems to have disappeared too. I guess he's got better things to do now that his kids are out of school.
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Therelpersecuted.
I do not know what is going on or down,& have not all ways got the drift on some of your posts.But in case you get locked out,I will never for get your kind word to me when I shared my life & got mocked by MA.
Have you ever seen that picture of Isambard Kingdom Brunel the victorian Iron master,standing by thoes massive chains,top hat & smoking a cigar.
Thats how in my mind I see you,only your not smoking a cigar!!!.
Take care,
Regards...
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Waterman can't sign in to comment on the beans.
As for cell 14 occupant. he says" that his name was removed because it "broke rules" How is 14allandall41 anything but OK.That shows some bias.
Also how is linking the song Vampires and mentioning hanging from the rafters (in a batty manner) offensive?
Could be taken as "hang him" but it is obvious that is not the case even to me . And I think cell14 is really crazy.
Oh and he says how come he is alone in there.
I suggest nothing about him being pressured by the media.
The BBC blogs are run from london.
cell 14 would say that the"legion has a control that is quite amazing sometimes.
But I will say this. He looks fed up with being accused of being the wrong doer. BY ALL
I must be Iranian
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He says"but if you want you can carry on thinking it was him .
that the many headed monster is still OK and no harm. BTW
Cheers mate"
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look here children.. it's going to get rougher
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTxFJsc1gms
watch this sound
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-d8nmvB6eE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1-kL7jvBf8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwM4gV4THQk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q__CnlyhMXE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzGm-sSmr-k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzTtUovvGmU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wf0PfT1F2_4
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http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=105531867
Just incase youall missed it again.
Still I've got rocks to crush so see you if I make it back in one piece.
14 says "tell them to all go to hell"
He seemed to be OK until the words of "support" came through.
Still he has just been skinned alive so he has reason
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" Work within bizzare censorship"
How does
Well well . and again . you wonder why america does not react like the rest of the world.
Cheers for you support.
---------------------------------------------------------
Thank you for contributing to a BBC Blog. Unfortunately we've had to remove your content below
This is because we have reason to believe that you are - or are posting on behalf of - a user that has previously been banned from one or more BBC messageboards and community sites.
You are not permitted to return with another account once banned.
Please note the terms to which you agreed when you registered on the BBC messageboards: "If you post or send offensive or inappropriate content anywhere on or to bbc.co.uk Communities or otherwise engage in any disruptive behaviour on bbc.co.uk, and the BBC considers such behaviour to be serious and/or repeated, the BBC may use whatever information that is available to it about you to stop any further such infringements. This may include informing relevant third parties such as your employer, school or email provider about the infringement/s.
All with No right to appeal.
Now you know
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Just how on earth do the bbc know who anyone's employer is? Well they obviously know some, as they seem to take orders from them!
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happy/jack c/o the Gulag - I would think someone is complaining and bringing it to the mods attention. It appears to be an effective way of silencing posters. Perhaps the same must be done with the hate mongers. "complain about this comment"
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seanspa (#424) "Just how on earth do the bbc know who anyone's employer is?"
That's just boilerplate; it doesn't mean that they know it in all cases. It means that if they trace spam to a server at a company, they may register a complaint with that company.
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423 -
So are you saying (pardon me for being stupid) that cell 14 was banned because somebody else on the blog found the content of the posts inappropriate, disruptive, and offensive and complained? Do they not investigate at all before they ban someone? That bit about informing employers/schools sounds as if it's meant for really really bad stuff that I'm afraid to mention for fear of breaking house rules. Please tell cell 14 that there's no need for him to get all snarky with me. I'm just trying to understand what's going on. It's not just 14all that's disappeared; it's the reggae incarnations too. All names changed as far back as I scrolled on this thread.
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therealpersecuted - I have done the "Contact Us" thing and lodged a protest on behalf of cell 14. I hope it doesn't get me banned. I guess we know who did the ratting, if that's what it was. The sour smell is wafting over into the kitchen.
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watermanaquarius (#411) " ... any possibility of claiming any 5th amendment rights."
The fifth amendment is the right to remain silent. Would that this right were exercized more often!
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
Seanspa-
It is not all too difficult to back trace your ISP. Anyone with this skill can find out the name of your employer, or the school you are attending if you are blogging from work or school.
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
Go seek It seems you too are bitten by the snake that got my cell mate.
Sorry to hear it.
Bere He said "thank you"and sheepishly added sorry.
You can understand the frustration when he was tying to behave,but to no avail. always restricted for some past"crime" like a political prisoner the real world plays out on the internet.
Sometimes I wonder if our voyeuristic friend ) does it. he always seems so gleeful.
I heard the guy in the next room mutter "what a dweeb"
can't figure out who he was talking about but it may have been someone ill
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425 Cell 14 says he tried that but there must have been a lack of support.
Though he does say it is strange that the others supporters are so numerous .
that's mathematics for you.
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This gulag has it's own boss man. I could only hope the Mods got in touch with him. He phoned the BBC in Washington to complain. Got told "phone england,HAHA"
We don't deal with it here.
Guess where it comes from now?
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425, timewaits - I tried once complaining about a hate-filled post from a certain person and was informed that it broke no rules so was not removed. It's very hard to understand what the real rules are, since they seem to vary from day to day and from one time of day to another.
On another subject, oy, I've been sitting here not going for a haddock sandwich at the diner because I told Son he should call if he gets really bored on his long train ride from NYC to Virginia, and now I've remembered I've got a cell phone and he almost always calls me on that anyway. Where is my brain? Okay, haddock sandwich, here I come.
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The mods should note that the prisoner in cell14 says he was never any of them reggae posters and he liked their music. maybe the mods thought they were the same. so they banned him on suspicion of being someone.
Seems a might totalitarian to me.
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All that effort over little old
jacksforge
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438. At 8:43pm on 19 Jun 2009, therealpersecuted wrote:
All that effort over little old jacksforge
Appalling. the former squirrel party spokeshuman walked out 'cos he got nowhere with the mods over inferences and implications by MATT that as a pro sub-editor the lawyers would never have allowed him to pass for publication. In that i(real, not pseudonymous) incarnation, he's now inclined to do what he didn't before, which is go right up to the Governors.
(The mods actually canned every post of his that told people how to make a formal complaint to the guys who matter, not just the automated 'oh never mind' stuff you get otherwise, a few months ago. No point in repeating it here.)
He was thinking of setting up a 'kitchen message board', though the only free software he knows is a bit clunky. If things get impossible, he'll post something on GnR's blog. Over the weekend I'll post a useful little DNS link that'd help . . .
(Suuirrel tail thrashing about, teeth chattering . . .Very, very angry.)
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439, squirrel -
I was going to post something on GnR's blog and all I accomplished was somehow changing my email password, and when I changed it back it wouldn't let me use the old one, claiming it was too short. I don't understand this blogging sign-up stuff but apparently I need to use my google account for blogs such as GnR's, and it wanted me to use my email user name which I didn't think was a good idea (trying to change that apparently is what changed my password).
Waterman has an excellent comment at #4 on the newest thread. I'm not sure what he means about his log being sanitized. Are they going back in time and deleting old comments from old threads?
Waterman, when you return tomorrow I hope you will explain that.
This non-squirrel is also angry, and confused.
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Squirrelist-
It may hearten you to know that the squirrel (Ajidamoo) is brother to the bear, and it was the squirrel who convinced the bear to have the Creator bring light into the world.
So now the squirrel may bring light to the Beeb and restore the Trickster Coyote?
Good luck, Ajidamoo.
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Looking at Guns' blog, I linked to my own feeble effort, last posted to in November. The title of that last post? BBC Blog moderators suck! As true today as it ever was.
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Aqua is going to be very upset if she comes back from Africa and finds her coyote gone, through no fault of his own.
Squirrel, if you really do know how to get to the top, maybe you could try again letting us know. Or I suppose one could resort to other measures. Such as asking for assistance with one's gmail account. That's all for right now. Let me know and then stay tuned.
The haddock sandwich was very tasty, in case anyone's interested.
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Bere, I too have complained.
As for the other blog, I think that a user name is displayed in any post rather than your email address. I just posted on Guns blog and had the same thought as you initially. I went to blogspot.com and logged in there. I then went back to the blog and I saw my username displayed, not my email address (as I was already logged in). Hope this helps.
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It's funny what you can find on the internet.
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You're Not
Good!
Bad Mind
Grudgeful!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qi13P_-cRrI
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More nostalgia!
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seanspa, I went back to GnR's blog and left you a message. Somehow I was logged in with the proper screen name. Must have done it while I was fiddling around, but still don't understand how it affected my password on my gmail account. Still nothing there from happyjack. Maybe the cellmate missed the post where you had the link. You might want to post it again in the kitchen, although therealpersecuted has either taken a break or been banned also.
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Bere, you mean this link?
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seanspa, re the other blog, are you telling me you're a Republican? That is too shocking. If you are, you've hidden it well.
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