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Friday, February 26, 2010

Hitler is unhappy with the Telecom dummkopfs

Have a little laugh at the expense of the Evil Empire a.k.a. Telecom NZ and watch this hilarious spoof!

Catching up with Australian incomes

According to statistics, per capita income in Australia is about a third higher than in NZ, compared to the early 1970s when the figures were about the same. Needless to say this has been a cause of political debate between the two main parties, not to mention the exodus of New Zealanders heading to Australia, about 35,000 a year. A significant part of this difference on paper is, of course, due to the movement of the $A /$NZ exchange rate in that time - in the 1970s the rate was close to 1 for 1, now it is more like 1.27 to 1.

The Governor of the Reserve Bank says that Australia's good fortune is due in large part to its mineral wealth which lies easily accessible in areas where no-one will complain if it is strip-mined. This is certainly the case. One major resource which Australia is short of, however, and New Zealand is not, is water. Add to that a hostile climate (and a lot of hostile fauna!) except in the coastal areas where the big cities are located, the overall low population density and a high bureaucratic cost structure (caused in no small part by the unnecessary existance of the States) and there are downsides to Australia too.

Basically, you don't get your cake and eat it too.

This doesn't mean, however, that New Zealand can't improve its productivity - it needs to. The Government needs to dismember Telecom as a matter of priority (see previous post) as well as remove much petty bureaucracy of central government, and lower GST back to 10% to match Australia, not increase it. The objective is not to work harder, but smarter.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

The slow death of the news

In their book, The Death and Life of Journalism in America, Robert W. McChesney and John Nichols point out the alarming facts about the crisis of American newspapers:

In a nutshell, media corporations, after running journalism into the ground, have determined that news gathering and reporting are not profit-making propositions. So they're jumping ship. The country's great regional dailies--the Chicago Tribune, the Los Angeles Times, the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the Philadelphia Inquirer--are in bankruptcy. Denver's Rocky Mountain News recently closed down, ending daily newspaper competition in that city. The owners of the San Francisco Chronicle, reportedly losing $1 million a week, are threatening to shutter the paper, leaving a major city without a major daily newspaper. Big dailies in Seattle (the Times), Chicago (the Sun-Times) and Newark (the Star-Ledger) are reportedly near the point of folding, and smaller dailies like the Baltimore Examiner have already closed. The 101-year-old Christian Science Monitor, in recent years an essential source of international news and analysis, is folding its daily print edition. The Seattle Post-Intelligencer is scuttling its print edition and downsizing from a news staff of 165 to about twenty for its online-only incarnation. Whole newspaper chains--such as Lee Enterprises, the owner of large and medium-size publications that for decades have defined debates in Montana, Iowa and Wisconsin--are struggling as the value of stock shares falls below the price of a single daily paper. And the New York Times needed an emergency injection of hundreds of millions of dollars by Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim in order to stay afloat.

This article (which includes a video) states that at least 10,000 of the 60,000 journalists in America in 2001 have lost their jobs and there is no evidence that any have re-employment on the Internet in 'digital newspapers'. Where is it all heading? The Propaganda State, they say.

It effectively repeats the gloomy analysis contained in the book Flat Earth News about the state of UK news media (see our post from 21 October last).

In New Zealand most newspapers and current affairs magazines are now owned by the two Australian media giants Fairfax and ACP, whose policies of severe cost-cutting have seen editorial standards plummet and coverage of current events and issues (to say nothing of arts and culture) curtailed.

Thus the book's analysis (and the authors' prescription for salvation) applies to a large extent here too.

What will happen to the evil empire?

From the NZ Herald of 12 January:- "The Commerce Commission's Fair Trading Manager Graham Gill said while Telecom had co-operated in the investigation, the commission was becoming increasingly concerned at the number of occasions on which Telecom has acted in breach of the Fair Trading Act. He said since 2003 Telecom had been the subject of Fair Trading Act convictions, settlements or warnings on at least eight occasions."

"The only morality they recognize is what will further their cause, meaning they reserve unto themselves the right to commit any crime, to lie, to cheat, in order to attain domination"
~ US President Ronald Reagan

Although Reagan was referring to the then Soviet Union in 1981, he could easily have been referring to present day Telecon aka Telecom NZ. With the clear outburst of pent-up anger this week from the public about this organisation's behaviour, it is the opportune time for the Government to step in and dismember it legislatively. As we have commented in previous posts, this organisation has for more than 20 years been a big bullying monopoly, willing to extract from its customers (read victims) anything it has felt like charging them. And when competition began appearing on the scene it did everything it could to put obstacles in their way to preserve its monopoly. Effectively, Telecom has been an enemy of the free market, not just by its attacking competitors, but by its deceitful advertising and the various extra charges tacked onto its customers/victims' bills in small print.

Worst of all, Telecon has retarded technical development in this country by getting rid of most of its engineers and technicians and by spending as little as it possibly can on infrastructure.

It is clear that it must be split up and any key monopolistic parts of its infrastructure be put back into public ownership.

Shed Jokes

From the joke of Telecon's XT to jokes of another kind - except that these ones are funny.

In 1998 Jim Hopkins' book Blokes and Sheds was published, featuring pictures of blokes, i.e. men, at work on their hobbies inside sheds, usually involving carpentry, metal-working and machinery. Now Random House NZ has published a book of Chris Slane's cartoons on the same theme. They are a mix of pencil sketches and colour drawings (acrylic we think). If you have a partner who spends a lot of time in a shed making things, he's sure to appreciate this book! Available in our online shop.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Reynolds holds a press conference to explain

"Och aye, the Board of Telecon, oops I mean Telecom, invited me to be the new public face of the company. They figured that with my good looks and Scotch accent that I would soothe the poor suckers, oops I mean customers, who pay Telecom heaps for service that Telecom doesn't deliver. And for that they said they would pay me $7 million a year. That's more than double what the CEO of France Telecom gets! I thought these Board members were on another planet, but only a looney would turn that down? So I got a first class seat on the plane to Nioo Zeeland you know. Soon I'll have enough money for my own lavish castle and estate in Scotland, and I'm really looking forward to it. Satisfied?"

Telecom's XT crashes yet again

So here is a solution for them - have a network of third world telemarketers sitting on poles relaying people's messages.

Monday, February 22, 2010

British lighthouses in old postcards

Postcard collections from 100 years ago (when postcards were used as e-mail is today before telephones became widespread) have been appearing in book form regularly over the last few years and this new book is devoted to the topic of British lighthouses. As is usual, the cards came in a variety of b/w, sepia toned and colored (as distinct from colour) versions. Although a small number of people expect old photos to look like they were taken yesterday, and can't understand why they don't, the 'olde-worlde' charm of vintage postcards is what gives them their appeal. Most of these lighthouses still exist today, although some have had ugly helicopter landing pads added to their tops. There are interesting stories attached to some of them.

We like lighthouses wherever they are, and have a large number of models in our offices. In 1989 we co-published New Zealand Lighthouses and plan to bring out an updated e-book edition of it later this year. There are also two NZ lighthouse films as bonus features on our New Zealand Maritime Memories DVD.

For the retroporn fan

One of the more interesting new additions to German publisher Taschen's book catalogue is this special mini-size box set of compiler Dian Hanson's selection from the Swedish Private magazine during the 1970s. The magazine was established in 1965 and steered for the next 25 years by Stockholmer Berth Milton (1926-2005), called the father of modern hard-core pornography. The first seven issues featured girls displaying their parts (even that was daring at the time), but issue 8 in 1967 heralded a spread of a copulating couple, introduced by an editorial with 3 gruesome scenes from the then current Vietnam war, asking what was obscene - war violence on the nightly TV news or lovemaking? Competitors soon appeared, particularly the Theander Brothers of Denmark with their Color Climax Corporation, and modern porn was in full steam.

Never content, Berth Milton continued to push the envelope and although he stayed mainstream (unlike the Theanders who had no qualms about catering for every perversion), as the seventies progressed Private became less exotic and more debauched. In 1990 his son Berth Milton Junior took control, and sensing that Swedes were not that comfortable with the reputation they had, moved the operation to Barcelona.

In Patricia Bartlett land, of course, it was all banned until the 1990s, so Private and the like were largely unknown. This little set of five books in a box is a nicely produced and presented selection of Dian Hanson's choosing from the original transparencies, swapping some photos that weren't used for some that were, and - given the subject - reasonably tasteful. Apparently the original magazines from the time now change hands on the Internet for significant sums. For those who were denied it all at the time, here is a solid sampling of that era's licentiousness.

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Railways in popular literature

The latest issue of the London Review of Books has a page listing a few of the many books which have used trains as a setting for adventures of different kinds.

In the UK and Europe where trains, both long and short distance, have been an integral part of life for a century and a half, this is no surprise. Charles Dickens' classic ghostly short story The Signalman is well known as are the railway settings of several Agatha Christie and Georges Simenon detective novels, while Emile Zola's Rougon-Macquart cycle has been adapted for the screen several times, most famously in La Bete Humaine from 1938. Other books the LRB lists are Closely Observed Trains, turned into an Oscar winning Czech film in 1966, while non-fiction includes Death Ride from Fenchurch Street and other Victorian Railway Murders by Arthur and Mary Sellwood, books about real haunted trains, and travelogues by the likes of Ian Marchant, Matthew Engel and of course, the notorious Paul Theroux. Closer to home there is Australian Colin Taylor, whose Traincatcher was published by us in 1996.

As these popular (as distinct from technical-historical) books tend to be stocked by big 'mainstream' bookshops, we tend not to compete with the same stock, although we carry some of them.

Friday, February 19, 2010

Westpac too miserly to install branch sprinkler system

Westpac, like the other Australian-owned banks, makes hundreds of millions of dollars in profits a year, but (no surprise) can't be bothered spending a little money on fire safety.

An early morning fire at Coastland’s Westpac Bank in Paraparaumu on Wednesday has been catastrophic for both the bank and surrounding businesses.

The fire, which fire-fighters believe was caused by an electrical fault, has obliterated the public downstairs area in Westpac and caused extensive heat and soot damage upstairs.

Next door, the Breaden McCardle Chubb Law Solicitors’ offices and the Windmill Cake Shop were extensively damaged by smoke and heat.

Mr Thomas Thomas, from the Windmill Cake Shop, says he found out about the fire when he went to start work at 4.30am. He has lost all of his stock, products and equipment. “Nothing was salvageable,” he says. “We will have to start from scratch again.”

Paraparaumu Fire Station Officer Steve Hudson says it’s thought the fire started in the centre of the Westpac bank between 1am and 2am. A bank employee said that an electrical fault may have been to blame.

Because the building was closed up, with no oxygen getting in, the fire smouldered for some time before becoming an inferno.

The bank did not have a fire alarm connecting it to the fire station and the only indication that something was wrong was when Police heard the bank’s burglar alarms going off.

The first fire crew arrived on the scene at 2.20 am and had problems with excessive heat. First fire-fighters unable to go in inside and had to leave the building and make it safe before any fire fighters could go inside.

It took 10 fire appliances, 8 pumps, two special fire appliances from Wellington and Avalon — and 40 fire-fighters to get the blaze under control.

Mr Hudson says it is “highly recommended” buildings have an alarm attached to their sprinkler systems, thus notifying the fire station early that there was a fire.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Kingston Flyer update

A customer has asked in respect of our post of 17 November, what has since happened to this premier preservation railway in Southland?

As far as we know, none of the 7 tenders received in December met the $4.7 million that lender Prudential Finance wanted to clear the size of its mortgage - so nothing has happened and the operation is mothballed. This company even refused to allow the train to be used in a Bollywood movie that was scheduled for filming in January. Our understanding is that the railway assets are under a heritage order and can't be moved from where they are. Local government, central government or both, could step in, but the likelihood of the central government doing anything is slim, despite the tourist appeal, and ratepayers of the local councils in the area probably aren't keen either.

It therefore seems that until Prudential is willing to accept a write-off of some of the debt owed to it, wheels won't move.

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Recalling the glory days of railways

Britain had some lovely steam trains in the old days - both locomotives and carriages - and their spirit lives on with the country's many preservation lines. Unlike steam locomotives in continential Europe which were nearly all black, those of Britain came in a mix of black, dark green, maroon and occasional dark blue.

The Bluebell Railway (15 km in length) is one of the earliest and best known museum operations in the UK and what it may lack in scenic highlights (compared with, say, the North Yorkshire Moors Railway) it more than makes up for with the variety of locomotives and rolling stock. This is also the only railway that is 100% steam.

This book is one of a series of colour portraits of these preservation lines from photographer Matt Allen which demonstrate why steam railways attract so many followers.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

and now the Bridgecorp crooks ...

Arch-crooks Eric Watson and Mark Hotchin may have gotten away with their nefarious conduct, but the Bridgecorp bosses haven't been so lucky. The following is from the website:

Bridgecorp staff were instructed to lie to investors who called the company asking why they hadn't received their regular interest repayments, Auckland District Court was told yesterday (15 February).

Bridgecorp collapsed into receivership on July 2, 2007, owing 14,500 investors about $459 million. Investors are expected to recover no more than 10 cents in the dollar.

Prosecutor Brian Dickey told the court that at one point before it failed, Bridgecorp had a bank balance of just $16,000.

One staff member said in an internal email four months before it collapsed that maybe investors could be told: "We have no money, can't pay our bills, are holding back payments, (and are) lying to investors". Faced with a cashflow and liquidity crisis, which it had failed to disclose to the market, the company was repaying only the noisiest and most persistent investors in the months leading up to receivership.

Unbeknown to most, Bridgecorp had been defaulting on investor repayments since February that year. Between February and June 2007, there were 44 separate defaults involving nearly $21m, prosecutor Brian Dickey told the court.

"It appears that staff were directed to lie to investors who contacted the company asking why they had not received their full payments on the relevant due date. The late or non-payments were attributed to computer errors, bank errors or accounting department errors."

The court was also told Bridgecorp's in-house lawyer emailed various staff members on March 8, 2007, seeking comment about proposed amendments to its December 2006 prospectus. One wrote back: "Maybe we could tell them that we have no money, can't pay our bills, are holding back payments, lying to investors and brokers about why their money hasn't been paid and I'm not confident that we can meet the March interest payments to investors."

Five former Bridgecorp directors – Rod Petricevic, Rob Roest, Bruce Davidson, Gary Urwin and Peter Steigrad – each face 10 charges brought under the criminal provisions of the Securities Act. Each charge carries a maximum penalty of five years' jail or a fine of $300,000.

The charges allege the directors lied to investors in the offer documents registered on December 21 2006. These "untrue statements" included claims about Bridgecorp's credit approval practices and its financial position.

All five appeared in court yesterday for a depositions hearing that will last all week before being adjourned, part-heard, until March. A High Court trial date is at least a year away.

A major issue at trial will be what the directors knew, or should have known, about the company's financial position before registering its prospectus and investment statement, and before the prospectus was amended in March 2007.

The court was told yesterday that Bridgecorp faced a liquidity crisis and was within two months of defaulting on investor repayments when the December 2006 offer documents were registered. None of this was disclosed to prospective investors; nor were they told that three months earlier a cashflow crisis had forced Bridgecorp to borrow $8 million from a competing finance company, St Laurence Ltd, at 23 per cent interest, in order to meet investor repayments.

The interest rate was raised to 30.5 per cent when Bridgecorp extended the loan in December 2006 – around the time its prospectus and investment statement were registered.

Mr Dickey said Bridgecorp's financial position was "pretty much shot" and the company was "in a freefall of deteriorating circumstances" in September 2006, three months before its prospectus was registered. By October 2006, cashflow was being monitored hourly.

Monday, February 15, 2010

Pictures of a lost city

Berlin is of one Europe's major cities, but its appearance today has little ressemblance to that of 100 years ago. This book takes a journey back in time before bombs, artillery shells, and cold war division destroyed what was manifestly an enchanting city, even if Hitler felt it didn't measure up to Paris and with Albert Speer developed his own plans for it.

The book Berliner Plätze features over 100 large photos like that on the cover of the open areas (places or squares in English), some famous like Alexanderplatz and Potsdamer Platz, most less well known, that will delight those into cityscapes of the old imperial era. Some buildings have survived but the vistas have not.

This and books like it are to be found in our shop.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

taxes - the Government is doing it wrong

"In my opinion, the least bad tax is the property tax on the unimproved value of land, the Henry George argument of many, many years ago."
─Milton Friedman (1912-2006), winner of the Nobel Prize in economics, 1976

Q. Is there no tax you like?
A. Yes, there are taxes I like. For example, the gasoline tax, which pays for highways. You have a user tax. The property tax is one of the least bad taxes, because it's levied on something that cannot be produced — that part that is levied on the land. So some taxes are worse than others, but all taxes are bad.
— Milton Friedman in an interview with Scott Duke Harris, published in the San Jose Mercury News, Sunday November 5, 2006

Milton Friedman had impeccable right wing credentials and was a darling of the Reagan and Thatcher regimes of the 1980s. But when it came to taxation he certainly had the right ideas. Wouldn't a land tax be bad for those who want to preserve the natural environment? Well you simply create zero ratings based on district zoning for these things.

Will the Government heed Milton Friedman's ideas? Don't be silly.

beat the Government's increased Tax on food by growing your own vegetables

If you have a patch of ground that is only growing grass, weeds or both - why not use it to grow your own vegetables? Soon New Zealand will have one of the highest tax rates on food in the World (only Denmark will be higher), but you don't need to pay the tax on everything.

We have our own citrus trees and a plot of ground is used to grow vegetables. This book, written for New Zealand conditions, is highly recommended. Some supermarkets carry it (ironically perhaps), and you can get it through our shop.

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

New book on doublespeak, euphemisms and gobbledygook

In 2004 we published Peter Isaac's book The New Gobbledygook, a dictionary and guidebook to newspeak; now an Australian, John Croucher, has published an equivalent book with helpful, amusing and - shall we say - rather cynical interpretations of fancy words and phrases that you see in Real Estate Ads, Job Ads, Management Proclamations and the like.

Some examples:-

Real estate euphemisms

"low maintenance lot" - it has no backyard

"wildlife nearby" - there are snakes in the nextdoor property

"uninterrupted views" - there are no trees

"cross ventilation" - there's no glass in the windows

"country living" - it's too far to drive to work

"storybook cottage" - it has a pitched rather than a flat roof

"olde world grandeur" - nothing has been repaired since it was built

Jobs and the workplace

"paradigm shift" - what we're doing isn't working, we're going to try something else

"blue sky thinking" - you have no idea what you're doing, neither do we

"make internal efficiencies" - remove all the things that make your job worthwhile and possibly starting firing people

"cost containment procedures" - same as above

"you can put your hat into the ring" - you've got no chance of being successful

"adherence to guidelines will be a factor in your periodic review" - if you don't do what we tell you you'll be marked down

"information session" - we tell you and you listen only

"being a team player" - no original thoughts are allowed

"applicants should apply in person" - we need to see if you're fat, ugly or old

Both books are available in our on-line shop.

Government to increase GST (i.e. VAT)

It is perhaps inevitable that the Government would do this - after all no-one expected that the increase from 10% to 12.5% back in July 1989 would stay at that level - 15% is the obvious "rounding up" stage.

As everyone knows, this type of tax is regressive - in other words it bears heaviest on those who earn the least. For that reason it tends to be most popular with right wing political parties as they know that those who earn the least tend not to vote for them. But as everyone also knows, this type of tax reduces people's inclination to spend - and there are problems with doing that in the middle of a recession. When Margaret Thatcher came to power in Britain in 1979 she bumped up VAT from 8% to 15% and that combined with a soaring value of the £ created a huge increase in unemployment during 1980. In fact the current British government actually reduced VAT last year for this reason (it went back up again at the beginning of this year).

How will this affect NZ retailers? Basically it will be the death knell of CD and DVD retailers - people can order these on-line from overseas websites now and get them delivered GST free (postage on these small lightweight items is not great), retailers find it hard enough to compete now, let alone when their selling prices have to go up again.

For booksellers, the big increases that post offices in various countries have made in the last few years have helped offset the tax-free aspect as far as people importing books from offshore websites is concerned - BUT with locally published books - oh dear, another kick in the guts for publishers it will be.

Monday, February 8, 2010

What are New Zealand's best drives?

A series - highly recommended - currently screening on the Living Channel is Britain's Best Drives, 6 half-hour episodes in which actor Richard Wilson takes one of six classic cars of the time on a spin along what were regarded as the best drives in Britain in the 1950s, in a bid to not only portray the present scenery and townscapes along the routes, but also to find out how life has changed in Britain over the last 50 years with interviews and side tours.

The answers in NZ to the last aspect would be fairly similar - among other things, immigrants have flooded the big cities, native Britons now solely populate only the smaller places, crime is well up, people now have little respect for each other, traffic has massively increased, as has the pace of life and with it stresses and tensions.

But what are NZ's best drives? Back in the early 1990s one of our associates proposed a book covering what he considered the top three - the West Coast Highway (Arthur's Pass route), the Te Anau - Milford Sound Road and the Desert Road (Waiouru - Turangi). This never eventuated, but we would like to hear from people on what they would include.

new book of photos above Scotland

Similar to Random House's book from 2009 of old aerial photos taken above New Zealand, but this time mostly in colour, is Above Scotland.

One of the significant differences, of course, is that while NZ has never been what can be called an industrial society, this is not the case with "old world" countries such as Scotland. Significant factories which manufactured products that came to New Zealand such as ships and locomotives were based there, but today most of this has shifted to Asia and Scotland is now what is termed "post-industrial". This is particularly poignant with the double page spread of the former Singer Sewing Machine factory in Glasgow, once a huge complex that has today completely disappeared.

Outside the cities the landscape of Scotland looks essentially the same as it always has, however, and people often compare it to New Zealand. High, rugged peaks look down on the rounded hills of the southern uplands. Wild moorlands run into fertile flood-plains. The coastline ranges from soft sandy beaches and crystal-clear waters to jagged cliffs battered by the fierce waves of the Atlantic.

The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS) holds the national collection of aerial photography for Scotland with millions of images dating from the 1920s to the present day. These photographs - many of which have never been published - show a remarkable history from stone circles, Roman remains and ruined castles, to the growth of villages, towns and cities, the rise and fall of heavy industry, the country at war as well as the once proud engineering, and modern architecture. For the first time in one volume, RCAHMS has brought together some of the best images from its collection in a very nice 224 page hardback book.

Friday, February 5, 2010

new book of high calibre photography

The Photographic Society of New Zealand has chosen 181 exquisite, arty and inspirational photos from its members and put them in this 160-page hardback coffee-table style book.

In an age when several websites are devoted to photography with examples from thousands of contributors, why would you pay $69 for a book? Well that goes to the essence of the tactile nature and visual quality of a book versus a computer screen.

It's certainly a more intriguing book, with its vast range of subjects and styles, than the standard "glossy New Zealand scenery for visitors" type, and would enhance any café or waiting room literature table. Although only about 10 photos have a transport theme we have it available in our online shop.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Telecom offers piddly compensation to cellphone customers

Telecom (or Telecon)'s compensation to its XT mobile customers based south of Taupo affected by last week's massive XT mobile outage will cost it about $5 million.

Meanwhile, Taranaki Telecom mobile customers were hit again today by a separate problem which knocked out service in some areas.

Telecon's package:

* $10 credit for prepaid customers whose service suffered on Wednesday 27 January.

* One week's worth of plan charges for postpaid customers whose service suffered on Wednesday 27 January.

* $20 credit for prepaid customers whose service suffered between Wednesday 27 January and Friday 29.

* Two weeks' worth of plan charges for postpaid customers whose service between Wednesday 27 January and Friday 29.

Well, in the bad old days when we had no choice but to use this Mafia-styled organisation, we can think of three occasions when our landlines were down (the first time for three days) which cost us at least hundreds of dollars - and how much compensation did Telecom offer us? Zilch - not even a refund of the line rental for those days. Needless to say, as soon as we were able to, we switched to their competitors, something we urge everybody else to do.

Government acts on Paw Justice petition

Further to our post of 3 January - the Government has now taken up the private member's bill which was the subject of the petition, and will be increasing the prison sentences in the Animal Welfare Act for those who abuse and cause suffering to animals - excellent!!

As we said in that post, everyone should be vigilant on this issue and report all offenders.


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The Poison Apples of Love's Desire

Different in Japan, moments of Halloween as a time to express love

Apple Tree - Image Credit Okki Safire

Love, love and say love to your lovers, that as the most special moments in one's life anywhere, you've probably experienced in a variety of encounters with a great partner. All be fine, if someone is in love, even in moments like Halloween.

Halloween party on the last day of October, may make some people were busy looking spooky costumes and want to participate in a great spooky party. Something against the current, in Japan there is a magic shop that can help a person in love, so they promote.

A store, Black Cat Magic Shop can increase the magic power that already exists in the special apples.

Apples are sold specifically for those who fall in love, lifestyle site quoting CNN Indonesia, apple fruit that only grows at the foot of the Dewa Sanzen mountains in Yamagata Prefecture with pristine natural condition. The area is filled with spiritual energy and is home to three sacred mountains, Mount Haguro, Mount Gassan and Mount Yudono.

The Apples - Image Credit E Wijshijer

Native apples with its special name, "The Poison Apples of Love's Desire”, packaged in boxes of black with interesting ornate, sells in a limited number of 18 pieces each worth US$ 105, and you'll feel so strong with love spells that can you drop it to a prospective lover.

They said someone will fall in love with you. Aha!

Apart invites a sense of wonder, why spooky moments such as Halloween even used to fall in love, so the mind is in the minds of many shoppers or anyone who happened to be passing in front of the store.

Citing the sites Oddity Central, buyers who are interested are advised to immediately clean up the apple and recite the ‘mantra’ while thinking about someone they liked over the years. Then they eat the apple, well under any circumstances, raw, cooked, or cooked as pie.

I enjoyed this story, do not know when to be there. But. Love is always meant for every human being. All can happen. And, watch what happens, you immediately have a lover!

Source: M Nasiri - CNN Indonesia, Rocketnews24, Oddity Central
Image: Okki Safire via Wikipedia, E Wijshijer

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Wednesday, April 30, 2008

A Happy Place...

...With my Mom and Dad, Savannah and DH at the Varsity in Atlanta!

We have been going to the Varsity since I was tiny!  After my sister and my brother-in-law's wedding reception, we all (including bride & groom) headed to the Varsity to celebrate. It was after midnight when we got up there and my grandmother even went!

Now every time we are in Atlanta, DH has to have his Varsity.  These pictures were taken when we were flying to Savannah, Ga and we missed our flight out of Atlanta.  Well, next thing we knew, we were renting a car, and calling mom and dad to meet us at the Varsity.  It was a really happy day!

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Math Art

Savannah was in charge of making the bake sale sign for her Mu Alpha Theta math honor society that they are having on Thursday.  Isn't it adorable?! She drew herself in her school uniform!

I know, I know...who would have ever thought I would have a child in a math honor society, when I could only get through fractions. Thank heavens she got those genes from her daddy.

Monday, April 28, 2008

The Attitude Apron

My very wise, artistic friend made this little picture frame with the colored tissue paper apron with ribbon for me.  She has been married for 40 years or so and is blessed to have her own incredible DH (dear husband).  We have been in Bible study together for 20 years or so on Monday's and she is the mother of Clare (who we are going to visit in June), little Phil, Lyle and grandmother to 6 grandchildren.

When she gave me this 'apron' gift, she enclosed a letter.  I want to share it...

"Apart from putting on my material apron, I am challenged to put on the attitude apron.  I Peter 5:5 says, 'You must all put on the servant's apron of humility to one another, because God opposes the haughty but bestows His unmerited favor on the humble.' The apron is an emblem of servant hood.  It's good  not only to put on our apron, ready to work hard in the home, but to have the same attitude in our hearts.  When we wear the servant's apron of humility, no task will ever seem too menial or too difficult to accomplish with God's presence and power."

God bless you, precious wife, friend and mother.  You are truly a blessing to me and your home--the world will never be the same because you are learning to know, love and serve your Savior.
Because of Him, Elaine

God bless you Elaine.

Sunday, April 27, 2008

Magic and Memories

I absolutely LOVE this picture of Savannah and Nicholas in the chair together.

This was Christmas Eve and they were hoping to hear Santa's jingle bells outside.  They had already spread the reindeer food on the front lawn.

They are both under Savannah's Peter Rabbit baby quilt that she used and then became Nicholas's favorite blanket that he carried with him everywhere.

They were sleepy, excited and just so, so happy to be together.  I know what they mean.  There is nothing like childhood and being with the ones you love.

 Nicholas would take Savannah's hand and just kiss, kiss, kiss it over and over.  It was like he was Savannah's subject and she was his princess.  She would be patient and just wait until he was finished.

 They said they heard Santa's sleigh bells that night and Savannah said she squeezed her eyes shut real tight, in case he might know she was still awake and would pass by.  Magic and memories did visit our home that night, in more ways than one.

Saturday, April 26, 2008

Busy, busy, busy

I can't believe it has been over a week since I blogged!  I have been in my storage areas cleaning out and the past two days I had a garage sale with two other friends.  We had a good sale.  The weather cooperated and I was able to get rid of some things and make some spending money for my upcoming trip.

Savannah has had chorus performances the past 3 Sunday's and there have been lots of church get- togethers.  I feel like I have been busy, busy, busy.

Franklin's 'Main Street Festival' is this weekend and it is always lots of fun.  Savannah and I will probably walk around tomorrow after lunch at church.  Billy Smith from Freed-Hardeman is coming to speak tomorrow and we are having lunch on the grounds.  The festival is listed in the top ten things to do in the South, and with the weather good, there are usually around 100,000 people that come through the weekend.  Lots of incredible artisians, crafts, great food, cool jewelry and always cute dogs on leashes with their owners.  Franklin is such a great place to live!

One more week until the church ladies retreat next weekend and then the next weekend Les and I are off for our fun weekend.

Friday, April 18, 2008

Sav's 'Dream' dress

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Nice and Quiet

Today has been a lovely, quiet day.  DH (dear husband) picked Savannah up today from school and I hung out at home.  I read, watched some 'Top Chef', did laundry and just enjoyed our beautiful Spring weather.

DH has two softball games tonight, one at 8:00 and one at 9:00 pm.  That is so late to me.  I don't think I'll make it to those.  I've got to go sometime, I have missed the last two due to book group. Hopefully, next weeks will be earlier.  A friend from church also asked him to play golf tomorrow, so he is happy.  He came in and said, "Do we have anything going on tomorrow?"  I love how they ask that question before they tell you what's up.  Smart.

Savannah is happy tomorrow is Friday and the end of a school week.  The new 'Dr. Who' comes on t.v. tomorrow on the Sci-Fi channel and we are fans.  They tape it in Wales in England and she says she wants to take an extra duffle bag when we travel to Wales this summer so she can look for Dr. Who memorabilia.  We watch maybe three t.v. shows:  Dr. Who, Moonlight, and Top Chef.  We're not big t.v. watchers around here.  I read and Savannah draws.  Now I am NOT talking about DH.  He unwinds at night flipping the t.v..  Uuuuggggh!  I have my eyes closed in bed and it is like flashing behind my eyelids, because he can't leave it on one channel....but I still love him.

Other news...Nicholas (my nephew) has gotten a new dirt bike.  He is twelve and was so excited when he told me on the phone.  Please be careful Nick...he's still that cute little baby I watched being delivered!  This is a whole new ball game when those you love start riding motorcycles.  I don't know why I am complaining, I had a real motorcycle license at 16 and rode all over town.  Things are just so different now on the roads.  Nick's a great kid, so he'll probably be safe...or his mama will get him.

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Ladies Bible Class Luncheon

My luncheon went off great!  I had been cooking and chopping for two days and today everything tasted delicious!  I even made home-made croutons!  Judy shared our lesson, maps were passed out and 21 ladies came to lunch. I had 22 plates in the house, so it worked out perfectly!

Jodie came down and brought clippings from her garden, so I had beautiful flowers around the house and DH vacuumed and Savannah cleaned her bedroom and bathroom.

 It was so nice to serve these special ladies.  I think everyone had a nice visit.  Maybe I'll make it a yearly gathering.

Tea at Miss Mable's

Tuesday morning I met my friend Kimberly at her house and she drove us to Dickson, Tennessee to the famous 'Miss Mables tearoom'.  It was everything and more!  Muffy and Jeana met us there and we had a girls lunch out and it was so much fun.  We ate, shopped and ate a little more!  We all caught up with each others lives and had a fun, frou, frou day!  Thanks Kimberly!

Monday, April 14, 2008

A Long, productive Monday

I am tired.  This post is actually 2 hours later than it says.  I can't figure out how to make the time right for this blog.  So when it says 4:31 am, it's really 6:31 am.  I do not get up that early.

My morning started out with my weekly Monday morning Bible study with Elaine, Jodie and Cindy.  We talked about patience.  It seems to be a struggle for all of  us.  I think the Lord is just shaking His head at all of us.  But it is good to get together to pray and encourage each other.  I am so thankful to have these ladies in my life.  Elaine is in her 60's, Jodie is around 55, Cindy is 50 and I am 42.  I have known these girls for 20 years and I am so thankful they took me under their wings and have mentored and been my friends for all these years.

When DH (dearest husband) and I moved in next door to Jodie and her family, we realized we were kindred spirits.  Since I got married so early, she was a blessing to have next door.

Anyway, after Bible study, Jodie and I went to find 2 plant stands for each side of my front door.  We found 2 downtown Franklin, brought them home and we hope to put ferns in them tomorrow.

Then I had to do a ton of grocery shopping.  Publix and Kroger to find everything.

I am having 18 (possibly more) here on Wednesday after my Southern Hills ladies Bible class.  We are getting close to ending for the summer and I wanted to do lunch for our special teacher and group.

My menu is:  Greek shrimp salad, Chicken club salad, frozen cherry/banana salad, orange bread and double chocolate cherry chewy cookies

Tonight I made 2 loaves of orange bread (orange zest and all), the basil mayonnaise for the chicken club salad, and the frozen banana/cherry salad.  I think it is all going to be scrumptious.

I'll finish the rest up tomorrow afternoon and Wednesday early.  Somewhere in there I have to clean my house too.

Oh, tomorrow my friends Kimberly, Jeanna and Muffy are taking me for a belated birthday lunch to 'Miss Mable's Tearoom' in Dickson, Tennessee.  I have heard wonderful things about it and Kimberly is a doll for getting this together.  I'll tell you all about it tomorrow.

So, I am a 'good' tired.

Sunday, April 13, 2008

David Lipscomb High School Chorus

Tonight Savannah sang with her 'Concert Chorus.'  It was incredible!

 Last week they performed at their state chorus finals  at Belmont University and they won the top honor.  They bring me to tears every week!

 Here are some pictures of their concert tonight and Savannah and her best friend Amy.

Saturday, April 12, 2008

...we slept in to 7:30am, which is good for DH. dogs have dirty faces from trying to dig up moles in the yard.

...I listened to the wind.

...Savannah says she tried on her 'dream' dress.

... I watched a male and female cardinal play in my bird bath.

...I ate lunch at a restaurant alone and read.

...I had to make myself be patient and pleasant in a check-out line.

...I have not done my laundry.

...I am thankful it's Spring.

...I had to take an Advil cold & sinus because it's Spring.

Friday, April 11, 2008

My fun closet

This is my escape closet.  I come in here to write my cards, wrap gifts, repair things, and just disappear for a while.  Savannah loves to scrapbook in here.

I got my idea from seeing my smart friend Laura's scrapbook closet she built and another friend Shana has made a room of her own with her mother's old kitchen cabinets and countertops.  Smart and fun!

I have my cards sorted by type in a little drawer module so I can find what I need quickly.

I bought some small dowel rods and some curtain extender screws and hung up all my ribbons, raffia, and tulle on one wall so I can find exactly what I need.

It is still a work in progess, but I am very proud of it.

My little banner over my table says, "Lend me a heart replete with thankfulness." -Shakespeare

Thursday, April 10, 2008

la Grotta Azzurra

Last year my mom and I went to Italy with a bunch of ladies from my mom's church in Peachtree City, Georgia.  There were nine mother/daughter groups and a few other ladies. We had a blast!

 I was thinking about this amazing place we visited on the island of Capri called 'la Grotta Azzurra' or the Blue Grotto.  It was the first day of the season that the water was lower and open enough for the little boat to get into the cave.  We started out in a larger boat and then four people got in the little row boat, including the one guy who rows . We pay our money and then he rows us over to the cave opening and explains what we have to do.  First, he has to time it just right with the waves so our heads don't smash into the top of the cave opening.  He yells for us all to lay down in the boat like dominoes and he grabs the chain along the side of the opening, times it right, and yanks us through as he lays down too to shoot us in the opening. You can see in the first picture the group ahead of us already laying down.  In the second picture, you are able to tell just how small the opening is.

Well, it was so funny!  The picture where you see hands over a face is my friend Charlotte (yes, your mother Mandy), and she is laying in my lap screaming bloody murder. Scary, but so funny!  It was so narrow through there!  We (me, my mom and Charlotte) all thought our faces were going to be scraped off!  You have to lay back flat in the lap of the person behind you.  Well, we got in the cave in one piece and inside was AMAZING!  The water was the most beautiful blue you can imagine! The little light that comes in somehow makes the water glow this incredible color.  It was one of the most beautiful sights I have ever seen.

 I was able to video a little bit inside with our boatman serenading to us as we try to sing along.  It was SO MUCH FUN!!!  Click play.

I was so proud of my mom!  She is where I get my fearlessness from, I think.  There were some in our group who wouldn't do it.  Yay me, mom and Charlotte!!  This was only ONE of our fun stories!

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Today my precious nephew Jax and sister-in-law Julie (DH's sister) took me out for my birthday lunch.  We went to Meridee's in Franklin for our favorite chicken salad/fruit plate, Julie's treat.  Thanks Julie and Jax!  It was delicious, so quaint and the company was so, so sweet!

Jax is a little bundle of joy to his mom and dad and all of us older folks love, love having a little baby in the family again.   Savannah is in LOVE with him.  We all are really.  We all start talking silly and he has DH's parents totally wrapped around his cute little finger.  He is just starting to scoot on his tummy and is keeping Julie on the move.  He has two new baby teeth and is such a happy baby!  Julie takes him for daily walks and has already almost lost ALL her baby weight!  She is even going to run 13 miles in an upcoming Music City Marathon.  I am so proud of her!

The two pictures of Savannah and Jax were taken at Easter brunch and Savannah said they were giving each other Eskimo kisses.  Aren't they sweet!

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Meeting "Daddy"

Sturdy and plump and clean and fair,
With big blue eyes and a tangle of hair,
There's a little lassie who runs to meet
Her father's step that rings on the street,
As, day after day, at the set of sun,
Father comes home when his work is done.

Making money for wife and weans,
Few are the sheaves the good man gleans;
All day long he is busy down-town,
Snowflakes sift where his hair was brown;
But he starts for home at an eager pace,
And love lights up the care-worn face.
For there at the window watching out
Is the little maid whose merry shout
Of "Daddy is here!" in his ear shall be,
Swift as he turns his own latch-key.
And glad is the heart at the set of sun
When father goes home with his day's work done.

A Fun Savannah, GA shop

Savannah and I thought this was a neat shop in Savannah, GA.  It was called 'The Paris Market & Brocante.'

All those ladies were smelling candles.

I had to take a picture of this collection of 'Carnival Mask Noses.'

It says they were each molded on real human noses in the 19th century to make the mask.  I couldn't believe that!  Take a look at some of those long noses! ...and they were going for $140-$170 a piece!  People will collect to look at though.

This last picture is of my 'Sunshine' just before we went out to dinner.

Monday, April 7, 2008

Food for Thought

For years and years, I have been a part of a Bible study that meets once a week with 3 or 4 of my closest friends.  For four weeks we are studying marriage.  Our verses to think about this week are:

Concerning our husbands...

Ephesians 5:33 "...let the wife see that she respects and reverences her husband--that she notices him, regards him, honors him, prefers him, venerates him and esteems him; and that she defers to him, praises him, and loves and admires him exceedingly."

Phillipians 2:1-5 "So by whatever (appeal to you there is in our mutual dwelling in Christ, by whatever) strenthening and consoling and encouraging (our relationship) in Him (affords), by whatever persuasive incentive there is in love, by whatever participation in the (Holy) Spirit (we share) and by whatever depth of affection and compassionate sympathy, fill up and complete my joy by living in harmony and being of the same mind and one in purpose, having the same love, being in full accord and of one harmonious mind and intention.  Do nothing from factional motives--through contentiousness, strife, selfishness or for unworthy ends--or prompted by conceit and empty arrogance.  Instead, in the true spirit of humility (lowliness of mind) let each regard the others as better than and superior to himself--thinking more highly of one another than you do of yourselves.  Let each of  you esteem and look upon and be concerned for not (merely) his own interests, but also each for the interests of others.  Let this same attitude and purpose and (humble) mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus. --Let Him be your example in humility--"  amplified version

Some things my wise friends said today:

"Keep our joy... it's the best weapon against Satan."

"Every time you die to your dissapointments, you become closer to Jesus."

"Let God go before you and fight your battles."

"Don't just give a generic apology.  Be specific in your apology."

"In offering an apology, am I just trying to be justified?  Be careful."

"Respect is a man's motherword.  Don't wait until we think they deserve it."

"Honor him."

My Quiet Time

Sometime days just turn into a race to get through to the end.  So it's nice to have some books I know I can count on that help me slow down and reflect on the most important things.

 My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers and Streams in the Desert by L.B. Cowman are two books that I enjoy every year.  They are daily Christian devotional books that always have great food for thought.

One of my favorite times of the day is when it is time to go pick up Savannah in Nashville.  I usually leave home at 1:45 so that I can be in the car when Daily Bible Hour with Alexander Scourby comes on my 980AM Nashville station.  It is from 2:00-2:15 every day with 3 or 4 chapters read every day at the same time.  He has this deep, beautiful voice that you can't help but fall into the scriptures.

Sunday, April 6, 2008

Birthday in Savannah

We are back in Tennessee after a whirlwind trip to Savannah, Georgia!  The time we had there flew by, so that is usually a sign that you have had fun.  I had to include some pictures I took of our room at the Mansion on Forsyth Park.  It was this big Victorian, with bohemian decor.  Lots of greys, silvers, cranberry velvet, crystal, and mirrors.  I loved it!   Can you see that HUGE tub?  It was like a swimming pool sitting in between the bed and bathroom.  DH was a little freaked out by the glass water closet door, that you could see directly into the shower and bathroom all the way to the bed.  There were curtains you would draw around the tub and draw together when you went into the main part of the bathroom.  Not enough privacy and too much exposure for DH.

Savannah was in her element at the Savannah College of Art and Design bookstore 'Ex Libris.'  They have four floors of art supplies.  She was in heaven.

I am especially proud of this picture of DH holding my purse for me.

Friday, April 4, 2008

Inez has been a part of our lives now for about 16 years.  She started coming to help me clean my house when I had my femur replaced in my leg.  She has been putting up with me and DH's antics ever since.

Sometimes she is vacuuming, and the plug is around the corner from where she is working and I will unplug it, and it is so funny to hear her flicking the switch back and forth trying to figure out if she has killed the vacuum or not.

Another time, I went outside and knew she was wiping down the windows inside and I jumped in front of the window and about gave her a heart attack!

She and DH sass each other back and forth with good fun and she is his biggest fan.  He even got her a Land's End T-shirt with Super John flying on it and she wears it (not to clean in she says, because she doesn't want to get bleach on it) and she LOVES it!  I won't even do that.

My dogs love her more than they love me.  And she loves them right back.

The running joke around here is that I'll get rid of DH before I get rid of Inez.

Thank you Inez for being a blessing in our lives.  We love you!!!

p.s. She's babysitting the pups this weekend for us.  What a gem!

Off to Savannah, Georgia!!

Thursday, April 3, 2008

A Few Favorite Picture Memories

These are a few of my favorite old pictures.  My sister and I at Easter. (Yes, I look like a boy) I just love the look on Leslie's face.  Classic Les.

Leslie and I with our Nonnie and Grandaddy in Mississippi.  Nonnie is patting my leg and Les is actually not singing or mothering me. I got a few spankings from Les.

And the next one is me, a little neighborhood kid, Kay and Maggie all in our dress-up clothes.  We are not sure why none of us are smiling, but we LOVED dress-up!

And the last one is of me and Maggie holding a frog between the two of us when our families were camping together.

 Kay and Maggie were bridesmaids in my wedding.

Wonderful memories.

Austen and Longfellow

My two guest bedrooms are both named.  One  is the Austen room and the other is the Longfellow room.  One has lots of Jane Austen books, including a Jane Austen action figure and the other has everything you need to know about Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

Once when my sister and my crazy, loveable, dry sense of humor brother-in-law were up from Geogia spending holiday with us.  He was coming out of the bathroom with his reading material he had gotten from his room and said to me, "Don't you have anything else to read around here that's not about some guy named Longfellow?"

Mission accomplished.


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Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Badlands National Park near Wall, South Dakota

Hi all, Dianne here.  Another spot we wanted to revisit from our early 1980s trip west was Badlands National Park near Wall, South Dakota.

  One of our favorite all-time vacation photos occurred on that trip, when we weathered a severe thunderstorm in our pop-up camper and were rewarded with a fantastic rainbow as the skies cleared.

This year as we toured the Badlands we had a perfect day to explore; sunny, 70s, gentle breeze.  We packed a picnic lunch and headed out to take several short hikes in the park.

Much of the scenery looked as we remembered from our earlier trip; the difference this time was that we could hike without meeting the needs of two little girls.

 Gotta say, though, that that trip is etched into our memories as an all-time favorite, for obvious reasons!

Roger will now describe the Notch Hike that we both started and he finished without me, and why!

Roger here...  Ah, the Notch Hike.   We had already taken two short hikes on the east end of the park.  Both provided wonderful views and opportunities to walk on the formations.  Fun.

However, I was wanting something a little more challenging.  The Notch Hike departed from the same parking area.  It was only a one-mile round trip jaunt, but the literature said that it was a moderate to strenuous hike.  It also said that people with a fear of heights and small children should pass.  Unfortunately, Dianne read the description before we departed.  She has a fear of heights, and a definite fear of ladders.  I knew that there was a ladder on the trail, but since it was not free-standing and bolted directly to the rock, I didn't think it would be an issue.

After some mutual fussing, Dianne agreed to start the hike with the understanding that if she saw something she did not like, she would go back.  Fair enough.

Off we went.  The first part of the hike was on a canyon floor and reasonably flat -- a little hopping over some of the formations and some mud, but nothing major.

Then we arrived at the ladder.  As you can see, it was not steep at the bottom, but became much steeper at the top.

Dianne decided that I should go first.  She followed behind.  As I neared the top, the ladder started to sway with each of my steps.  Dianne did not like this.  She told me that I needed to finish before she went any further.  I scampered on up and looked down.  Dianne took a couple more steps, then said, "I can't do this."  She told me to go ahead.  I felt badly, but knew of her fear and knew that she would be much happier waiting back at the parking lot.  I went back down to meet her half-way to retrieve the camera, then climbed back to the top and snapped this picture of her making her retreat.

After walking a few minutes, and turning a corner, I looked down at the trail below and watched Dianne until she disappeared from view.  If you look closely at the center of the picture.  The dot of pink color is Dianne.

I moved pretty slowly on the upper portion of the hike.  Much of it was right on the edge of a vertical drop with only 3 feet of pathway, sometimes covered with loose gravel.

Dianne would have been miserable.  I am so glad that she turned back when she did.  I found it exhilarating, but I must admit to being a little nervous and more careful of my footing than usual.

The trail went up and down along the canyon edge.
I spent quite a bit of time on all fours, either climbing or crab-walking -- not trusting my balance near the edge of the cliff.

Eventually, the "Notch" became visible in the distance.  The final walk to the notch was veered away from the canyon drop.  Whew.

The expansive view was of the green valley below. It took three tries to get all of my head in the self-photo below.
Back at the ladder, I talked with several people about the treacherous sections ahead, including one family with three kids.  I am guessing that they were all under the age of eight.  Very scary.

Dianne again....  We saw some fabulous scenery that day, way too many photos to include in the blog.  Something neither of us remembered from our prior trip were the beautiful colors of the hills on the west end of the park.  We decided that we must not have made it that far into the park in the 1980s.  Here are two more of my favorite photos from this area:

For the complete slideshow of all photos from that day, here's the link to my Photobucket Badlands album:

Of course, no trip to Wall, South Dakota is complete without a kitschy trip into Wall Drug.  Our visit there in the 1980s trip produced an indelible, favorite family memory:  We let each girl pick out a souvenir there, and Amanda (our animal lover) picked out a flocked prairie dog bank.  She LOVED that bank (never used it as a bank).  She slept with it, played with it, and kept it for years, long after all the flocking had worn off.  Roger and I hoped to find one and send it to her in Florida, just for old times' sake, but alas, the only flocked banks now are buffalo or "jackalo" banks; just not the same!

Here's a photo of Amanda on that trip with her precious prairie dog.  No souvenir this time, but through the wonders of technology, with my iPhone I was able to send her a snapshot text message as we walked through the prairie dog village back at Devil's Tower with a "Wish you were here."  I got an "Awww, me too" text back from that one.

The pet photo of the day is entitled "Some cats have all the luck."  This motor home was parked next to us here at the Sleepy Hollow RV park in Wall.  Check out the outdoor pen they attached to the outside of their motorhome for their two cats.  To say Charlie was jealous is an understatement, to say the least!

Mike and Terri said...

Spectacular scenery, but I'm with you Dianne. I'm petrified of heights and wouldn't have been able to do that hike. Kudos to you Roger.

Nancy and Bill said...

Ok Rocky...enough of that 'living on the edge' stuff;o))

Beautiful pictures...hard to think of such beauty as The Badlands!!

Malone said...

Loved your post today! Those photos of all that gorgeous clear sky were balm to eyes that have seen way too much rainy gray this spring, although now at last it is sunny here as well.

Gin and Syl said...

Beautiful shots but I'm with you Dianne. Those ladders look a bit questionable too.


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Boarding supports international college students, such as a language centre featuring ESL classes and tutorial As well as Main curriculum, as well as provisions for foreign credit equivalency. With AP classes and unbiased analyze options, The best university student is 1 who's preparing for College enrollment.

I learned a get more info number of new skills and created not only in skills but additionally for a younger man. The school helped me attain the proper education as well as learned to socialize with a number of other cultures. If I'd a chance, I might repeat large school once again to drop by Bond.

The pretalk describes the various perceptions (and misconceptions) We've got about self-assurance and appears at what real assurance is. Very carefully planted embedded recommendations get ready the ground to the trancework to come.

"Whenever they learn to travel, they greater understand how to pump gas, alright?" Lythcott-Haims states. "I am aware of college learners who definitely have constantly experienced their mothers and fathers fill their tank, no matter whether at home in large school or perhaps in college or university. The mother and father just major from the tank Each time they occur stop by her.

need to be blamed and shamed, to recover yourself and to construct up your self-esteem, get 1 move over currently being like individuals that’ve wronged you. Go previously mentioned by checking out yourself with compassion and being familiar with.

No matter if you might have a very delicate youngster or perhaps a baby who learns in different ways and has a troublesome time keeping up along with his peers while in the classroom, you will not always be there to intervene when the child wants assist.

Take into consideration learning to Perform poker or Yet another casino type match. Nevertheless, like Bond, really know what when to halt and continue to be in control of your funds. Normal gambling isn't really keeping in control.

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Recognizing Organic SEO

In the old days of the Web, there were no SEO Consultants, automated systems, or all that high modern technology stuff. A couple of years earlier, in fact, the term "Seo" did not even exist! If it was not targeted) to ideally produce the needed earnings, internet site owners battled with methods as well as suggests to get the much-needed hits to their web site (never ever mind. Those were the days of IBM (or "It's Best done By hand) and Organic Search Engine Optimization.

The only distinction in between Organic SEO and the SEO we currently recognize is that Organic SEO is a hand-operated procedure vs. the present computerized procedures of page submission as well as modification that identifies "modern-day" SEO. Organic Search Engine Optimization concentrates on promoting internet sites on the All-natural search engine results also understood as natural outcomes in contrast with funded web links (Pay-Per-Click/PPC).

Organic SEO is based upon a clear understanding of fundamental concepts, consisting of:

• Search engines and also just how they function

Undoubtedly, you can not exercise Organic SEO if you don't even recognize how the very first 2 letters of SEO (i.e., Search Engine) works. A search engine is a website that supplies the site visitor a checklist of suggested web sites to go to, based upon a particular key words or key words. The rank of a site is statistically determined by just what is termed as "key word density" or the proportion of keywords to the total variety of words of material in an internet site. Incoming web links as well as their importance is one more variable that establishes your rankings. The gatherer of this statistical information is exactly what is called a "crawler" or "crawler robot", which is a program whose function is to count the number of times a keyword phrase shows up in an internet site through a process called "creeping".

• Seo

You can't have Organic Search Engine Optimization without the Search Engine Optimization part, which stands what Look Engine Optimization. Search Engine Optimization's primary goal is simple: bring as many site visitors to your web site as feasible by putting in influence on the search engine to place your web site as close to the top of the list as feasible.

• Viral Advertising and marketing

If you are major concerning coming to be a good Organic Search Engine Optimization professional, this is an important idea to recognize. Viral Advertising is an approach to greatly enhance the variety of visitors to your internet site from a little base that you have actually developed from your first Organic SEO technique. An instance of Viral Advertising is to offer visitors to your website a possibility to produce earnings from their very own site by simply putting in your web site's web link on theirs to ensure that when people visit their website, then there is a good chance that they will see yours. This technique is certainly a convenient component of the toolbox of a professional of Organic SEO.

• Maximized Domain

Among the simplest concepts to comprehend, yet likewise one that try this is not as easy to apply. Obtaining a keyword-rich domain name is every Organic Search Engine Optimization consultant's desire since it lugs a lot weight in the relevance scale. You will certainly be able to smoothly sail on without much of a trouble in the rankings if you domain name is precisely just what you are selling. The issue, of course, is that there is an extremely high likelihood that the "great" domain already come from someone, and also this makes an Organic SEO expert life harder.

• Key words Research study

This is the first step on the list of to-dos for an Organic SEO professional due to the fact that it plays a significant role in determining your optimization technique. Given that it takes months for any kind of optimization approach to work, an Organic SEO expert's initiatives will certainly be lost if he makes the error of enhancing a site based on keyword phrases that are not as prominent as he presumed.

Due to the fact that it needs a deep understanding of the fundamentals that those making use of automated systems take for approved, ending up being an Organic SEO professional is not a simple job at all. There is a significant advantage, nonetheless, of Organic SEO vs. navigate to this site the "careless man's" Search Engine Optimization: A clear understanding of the concepts allows you to examine SEO circumstances more precisely and think of techniques that are more proper and receptive to your site's demands.

The only distinction between Organic SEO and also the Search Engine Optimization we now understand is that Organic Search Engine Optimization is a hand-operated process vs. the current automatic procedures of web page entry and also alteration that defines "modern-day" Search Engine Optimization. Organic SEO focuses on promoting web sites on the All-natural search engine outcomes also known as natural outcomes in contrast with sponsored links check (Pay-Per-Click/PPC). Undoubtedly, you could not exercise Organic Search Engine Optimization if you do not also know how the very first two letters of SEO (i.e., Search Engine) works. You can't have Organic SEO without the Search Engine Optimization component, which stands just what Search Engine Optimization. Viral Marketing is a method to greatly increase the number of visitors to your web site from a little base that you have actually created from your preliminary Organic SEO strategy.

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Saturday, August 28, 2010

Mafia 2

After loving the first Mafia, a title that took an audience from the Godfather movies into gaming, i decided to preorder this title in order to play this gem as soon as it was released. Was my perempative purchase a waste? I can safely say, no.

Initially this game is set during the late 1930's and centres around a character called Vito Scaletti, his troubles with money and authoirity. The game takes place primarily in the 1950's with you, Vito, and your buddy joe trying to make they way in the mob. You will have to race around the city fighting wiseguys, chinese and negros in orfer to make it to the top.

Like the forst game this is a 3rd person sandbox game that sees you doing alot of driving and shooting, with many titles using this same formula you might wonder why this game is good. In my opinion Mafia 2 does story better than any GTA we've seen, not to mention there is a definite feel of imersion that is hard to get in this kind of game.

There are some downsides to this game, like the lack of AA and freeroam and yet these are overshadowed by what the game does right.

I would have to give this game a 7.5/10, meaning it's not perfect, but certainly worth the pricetag.

Okay lets start of with something that's argues over all the time, input devices. Many people will try to claim that their $300 multi coloured LED mouse with 9,000,000 dpi is required and anything else is pointless, but they are sorely mistaken.

First off, mice. Ask yourself what you need your mouse for, what activities you will be doing with it, how will you be using it? Once you know this then you can easily get a mouse that suits you, as there are only 4 mice you even need to consider.

The:  - (1) Microsoft IntelliMouse Explorer 3.0
         - (2) Microsoft Wireless Laser Mouse 6000
         - (3) Logitech mx518
         - (4) Logitech MX 620

 If you don't mind having a wired mouse consider either 1 or 3. The logitech is considered an entry level gaming mouse due to its ability to adjust its sensetivity, as well as the idealy plased buttons, so rule of thumb is if your a gamer go for 3, everyone else goes for a 1.

Now if wireless is more your thing consider a 2 or 4. Once again the logitech is aimed more at gamers, but if you don't mind spending a little more there is no real reason to not get the logitech.

Now on to keyboards, for keyboards it's importand to find one that both suits you and feels comfortable to you. I have 3 recommendations : - (1) Logitech G15
                                                  - (2) Microsoft Black PS/2 Wired Standard Business
                                                  - (3) Microsoft Wireless Laser Desktop 6000 V2

The logitech is once again aimed more at a gaming community, with programmable buttons and backlight keys so if this doesn't suit you try one of the Microsofts. Now 2 is a standard keyboard and is very good, but if you want wireless, or just something a little but more spiffy then try 3. It comes with media controls, wrist padding and shortcut keys.

As for other peripherals i would advise,

speakers : Logitech X- 540 (5.1) or Logitech z323 (2.1)
racing wheel : Logitech g27 (includes wheel, full peddle set and h pattern trans)
headphones : Sennheiser HD201 G4ME (entry level) or Sennheiser HD 515 G4ME (mid level)

After many requests, i have finally started a blog to help all of those techno-phobes out there. Here you will find reviews of new tech, games and as much advise as i can give. Stay tuned folks.


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Thursday, June 2, 2011

Art Bead Scene posted the picture for the June Challenge and, once again, I diligently got to work. I've done every challenge for the past few months, but lacked the courage to actually send them in. Seeing the incredible work of some of the designers is daunting. This months' picture is Ophelia in the water. Here's how the day went: I pulled out the translucent clay and alcohol inks to mix a watery mokume block while sculpting a bas relief Ophelia face covered with a thin layer of translucent to give it an underwater look. The resulting cabochon was baked on a small light bulb to give it shape then re-baked with black and copper backing and rope trim. The graduated blue-green beads were formed by slicing thin slices from the block and applying them to skinner blended base beads of blue and green. I wavered back and forth on glazing, but really liked a matte finish for this piece. The spacers and dangles are black rondelles and flower and leaf cut-outs smeared with sparkling copper Pearl-ex. I wanted the piece to have an earthy feel and decided to use 1 mm leather for stringing and a hippie sliding closure with the leaf beads I made for the dangles. It turned out quite pretty. Here's a link to the challenge:
Art Bead Scene Blog: June Monthly Challenge

  1. Very nice piece I like the pendant it represents Ophelia perfectly. I too am intimidated by all of the very talented people here on the blogs, but you should have no more fears your work is fantastic.

  2. Gorgeous pendant! Your piece is stunning.


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Index:   Untitled A# - AG     Untitled AH - AM     Untitled AN - AO     Untitled AP - AZ
  • Aspiration: SFAF
    withdrawal of fluid or tissue by suction, typically through a needle (e.g., to obtain a sample for analysis).

  • Click on Untitled Sources to find source(s) of the term definition cited above (see superscript).

  • Untitled If the term you are looking for is not included in this glossary/dictionary, search

  • ...


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Index:   Untitled G# - GL     Untitled GM - GZ
  • Genital Ulcer Disease (GUD): SFAF
    one of several, usually sexually transmitted diseases (e.g., syphilis, chancroid) that are characterized by the development of ulcers on the skin or mucous membranes. The presence of ulcers may facilitate the transmission of HIV and other STD.

  • Click on Untitled Sources to find source(s) of the term definition cited above (see superscript).

  • Untitled If the term you are looking for is not included in this glossary/dictionary, search

  • ...


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Index:   Untitled O# - OP     Untitled OQ - OZ
  • Oral Hairy Leukoplakia (OHL): SFAF
    a condition believed to be caused by the Epstein-Barr virus characterized by white, raised, usually painless lesions on the sides of the tongue and/or elsewhere in the mouth.

  • Click on Untitled Sources to find source(s) of the term definition cited above (see superscript).

  • Untitled If the term you are looking for is not included in this glossary/dictionary, search

  • ...


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Sunday, July 23, 2017

OTI:one poem and notes:7/23/17

Open To Interpretation
Turtle Island
A stationary spinning desert place,
A turtled island with a single palm;
Musical waves carry the dolphins' grace,
Swimming by to the Star's, the Moon's, slow psalm.

Our ears can mend from raucous loud sounds lashed
Though they will ring constant awhile after
From cymbals and drumming that sang banged crashed
Our undersides with upended laughter.

Our tiny flappers print the morning sand,
Always maybe the seagulls' darts find us,
Interrupt our scrambling rush to wet land,
A startle some moment with panicked fuss.

Is there so much to know we fold legs in,
Never to explore, adventure again?

Notes: one can play cat's cradle by ones self, I recall reading...brb...watched a youTube..."cat's cradle solo" yes....and this afternoon it got into my head to think of each quatrain stanza as a cat's cradle design...begin with a 'loop of string', a conceit, and with the iambic pentameter, and the rhyme, give it a design...then on to the next, improvising another new design that somehow reinterprets the first...or something...jazz musicians do this when one player improvises a riff with their instrument, then another with theirs, and so on...and that works!...imagining things like string interlaced from one hand's fingers to another's helped! makes a game of things...and meter and rhymed poetry is, famously, thought to be game like...

Writing free verse is like playing tennis with the net down.--Robert Frost

reference Turtle Island...Gary Snyder has 'covers' of the term...too...reference movieRocky1976...we've all had pet turtle habitats...too, reference movieValerianAndTheCityOfAThousandPlanets2017!...I rolled over to AMC this evening to see it...much fun!...and much lifted from movieAvatar2009...a continued lifted cat's cradle design!...with lifts from Alice in Wonderland too to be sure!...

For today to have a future,
You must make peace with the past.--the tall thin alien in Valerian

hmmph...bit envious of that aphorism!...oh, I thought of one today...

If by my example, you do, or don't do,
Then everything I do
Must be in regards of you.

and that fits the movie!...consider Bubble and the playlist...maybe should be regard...leave off the 's'...or find a synonym!

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Olive Oil Improves Blood Lipid Profile, Reduces Risk of Heart Disease

Olive Oil Improves Blood Lipid Profile, Reduces Risk of Heart Disease

This month we are showcasing a health article found in the Olive Oil times.Gourmet-Products
Click Here to go directly to that site.

‘Olive Oil as Medicine: the Effect on Lipids and Lipoproteins’, the first report in a series released this month by the UC Davis Olive Center, makes three key findings on the use of extra virgin olive oil to prevent chronic diseases.

  • Daily intake of two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil improves blood lipid profile, which may reduce risk of heart disease.
  • To attain the health benefits of extra virgin olive oil, select EVOOs that are rich in phenols.
  • Although food labels do not list EVOO phenol content and quality, choose high-quality EVOOs that are packaged in dark containers with a harvest date closest to the most recent season.

Authors of the report, researchers Mary Flynn and Selina Wang, reviewed data from human studies carried out from January 1998 to December 2014 to determine if extra virgin olive oil intake affected circulating levels of low-density lipoproteins (LDL), very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL), and high-density lipoproteins (HDL).
SEE MORE: UC Davis Report: Olive Oil as Medicine
Unable to dissolve in the blood, cholesterol travels through the bloodstream bound to protein carriers called lipoproteins, which may be LDL, HDL and VLDL based on the amount of lipids they contain. LDL contains high amounts of cholesterol, which it delivers to the cells in the body. Although essential for normal functioning of the cells, at high concentrations low-density lipoproteins may deposit in the arteries, decrease blood flow to the heart and increase the risk of a heart attack. Maintaining healthy LDL levels is, therefore, essential to maintaining heart health.

The Seven Countries Study on rates of heart disease published in 1970 was the first to highlight the lower incidence of heart diseases in countries where olive oil, as part of the Mediterranean diet, reduced risk of heart disease.

In the new report, the authors found strong evidence of the benefits of EVOO in reducing blood cholesterol levels. Based on their review, they suggest that an intake of 1.5 tablespoons or 20 grams of EVOO every day for at least six weeks could be effective in lowering LDL levels by at least 10 percent. Use of high-quality olive oil with levels of total phenols of more than 300 mg/kg could be even more effective in lowering LDL levels in a shorter time.

Studies show that another positive effect of EVOO is its role in reducing oxidation of LDL. Oxidized LDL, believed to be more damaging to the arterial wall than native LDL cholesterol, causes tissue injury and promotes the development of atherosclerotic lesions. Intake of 25 ml of high-quality EVOO, which has a phenol content of more than 400 mg/kg may reduce LDL oxidation in as little as four days. However, EVOO with total phenol content of 150 mg/kg may decrease LDL oxidation in less than four weeks.

While high levels of LDL are deleterious to health, high levels of HDL are actually beneficial to heart health as these lipoproteins remove LDL cholesterol from the arteries. The report found that about two tablespoons of EVOO may increase HDL levels in just four days. EVOO with higher phenol content could possibly be more effective in raising HDL levels than those with lower phenol content.

The report also found evidence that EVOO intake as part of a meal could improve VLDL or fasting triglyceride levels.

All the literature reviewed for the report leads to the conclusion that EVOO with a high phenol content improves lipid profile and reduces the risk of heart disease. A major drawback is lack of information on phenolic content of EVOO on food labels, which varies with variety of olives, as well as the soil, irrigation, climate, ripeness, and extraction methods used to extract the oil.

A 2010 UC Davis study found that phenol content of commercially available olive oil may range from as little as 80 mg/kg to as high as 450 mg/kg, and phenolic content diminishes with time. To ensure that you have the best EVOO, the authors of the report recommend buying extra virgin olive oil that has the most recent harvest date and is in a container that protects it from light.

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Dominic Abbenante

Dominic is a faculty member at UNC Chapel Hill in the Department of Dramatic Art. He teaches classes on lighting design and media design. He is the resident Media Designer for PlayMakers Repertory Company as well as the Lighting and Video Supervisor. Dominic has BA degrees in both Theatre and Social Science Education from Indiana State University. He holds an MFA degree in Lighting Design from San Diego State University. Dominic’s media designs for PlayMakers mainstage include, Intimate Apparel, The May Queen and Love Alone. PlayMakers lighting designs include productions of A Christmas Carol, Draw The Circle, The Real Americans, Violet, From Uncle Ho to Uncle Sam, Guys and Dolls, Wrestling Jerusalem, Rodney King, Hairspray, Mike Daisy's The Story of the Gun. Other local designs include Sweeeney Todd (UNC Greensboro at Triad Stage), She Kills Monsters, Misalliance, In The Red And Brown Water, Woyzeck, Boeing Boeing, Godspell (Guilford College), Silhouettes of Service, Kith and Kin, and Ice Music (UNC).


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Bit’z Kids Is Closing

At the end of December, the Bit’z Kids children’s store at 275 Greenwich put its entire inventory on sale at 70% off. “Not yet,” replied the clerk when I asked if it was closing. With the store finishing up another end-of-month sale (70% off everything through today), I went back in again. This time, a different answer: The store, which opened in 2010, is closing at the end of March. There’s another Bit’z Kids on Houston between W. Broadway and Wooster, as well as one on the Upper West Side.

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  1. Was any reason given?


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Message Series

  • Singing our Way to the Manger

    In this Sunday message series beginning December 3, let us prepare our hearts once again to make room for the Christ child.
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  • The Redemption of Scrooge

    6:35 Contemporary Service message series beginning November 29.
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  • The Good Life

    Sunday message series beginning October 29. Each week in this series, we will focus our attention on one way Scripture invites us into this life that really is life, or in other words, the good life.
    Read More
  • Watch Live

    We live stream our 9:40am Sunday Worship service. You can go to the live streaming webpage, or our YouTube channel. An archived copy of that sermon will be placed here on Monday mornings.

    Watch Online Now!

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6/19/17: The Prodigal Son

Rev. Aaron Rousseau
Luke 15:11-32 (CEB)

8:15 Audio

9:40 Audio

11:00 Audio